Overview

When I was asked to create an app of my choice, I chose to focus on a problem I noticed myself during the holiday season. I could not find an easy way to find products online at local brick-and-mortars. This was also during the pandemic, where customers did not want to enter a store. GiftLocal provides a proposed solution to this problem and mutually benefits the community and user.

Proposal

COVID-19 has hit brick-and-mortar small businesses especially hard. As of August 31, 163,735 businesses have indicated on Yelp that they have closed, a 23% increase since mid-July (CNBC). According to Yelp data, permanent closures have reached 97,966, representing 60% of closed businesses that won’t be reopening (CNBC). Conscientious shoppers need to browse gifts online from multiple small local businesses because they want to support their community without going into stores. According to a new survey of more than 550 U.S. consumers by ZypMedia, more than half (53%) of consumers indicated that they are more likely to buy from a local business instead of a national retailer during the COVID-19 crisis (ZypMedia). My app will allow consumers to support their small businesses by having online access to unique products near their zip code, they can also take a gift quiz to help narrow down their options.

Sundaram, A. (2020, September 16). Yelp data shows 60% of business closures due to the coronavirus pandemic are now permanent. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/16/yelp-data-shows-60percent-of-business-closures-due-to-the-coronavirus-pandemic-are-now-permanent.html

ZypMedia. (2020, May 28). Consumers Want to Support Their Local Economy by Supporting Local Businesses, According to a Survey by ZypMedia. Retrieved from https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/consumers-want-to-support-their-local-economy-by-supporting-local-businesses-according-to-a-survey-by-zypmedia-301066610.html

 Sketches

I sketched out what each screen would roughly look like before working on my prototype. I did this because there are a lot of options to choose from in the quiz and the menu. This also helped me see how I would like to organize my components .

User Journey Flow Chart

I created a flow chart from when you start using the app to when you arrive at the browsing screen. The location must be enabled or you need to enter a zip code to use the app. Then you will be taken to the gift quiz, but can opt out and just browse. The quiz will ask you a series of questions about who you are shopping for to provide matching results. This helped me visually create the flow of the app.

Persona

I created a persona, Emily Williams, for the app. The target audience, like Emily, would be young adult females who are passionate about supporting their community and shopping sustainably. This persona influenced the types of businesses and gifts available on the app, as well as the design aesthetic.

 Retrospective

The most challenging part of this project for me was getting started. I spent a lot of time trying to come up with a good idea for the app, since we could choose anything. I wanted to create something that was beneficial to the community and the consumer during this difficult time.

The most valuable thing I learned was what Material design is and how to create an app using their guidelines. It is much different than iOS design, but the guidelines are much more helpful and they provide a lot of resources.