In 2014, I worked with two other people to design and develop a project management app from scratch. Our goal was for non-project managers to be able to create and manage projects with a small team. We wanted to make something more robust than a simple task app, but less complex than traditional project management tools.
As the only UX member of the team, I was responsible for designing and testing the entire experience, from concept, to interactions, to visual design and final deliverables.
Wireframes
I started by sketching out the user flow with the team, then created wireframes based on our initial idea.
Using wireframes allowed me to create screens quickly without worrying about the look and feel. It also helped the team to focus on the content and interactions between screens.
Creating a new milestone
Viewing project details
Viewing and editing a task
Concept testing
After creating wireframes, I used a clickable prototype to test the concept. Our goals were to:
Find out whether the concept met potential users’ current project management needs
Learn more about current project management tools, processes, and pain points
I interviewed and showed the clickable prototype to six people from design agencies and startups (you can view the prototype here).
The testing was extremely helpful, suggesting that our audience had a need for this type of app and didn't always want to bother with more complex tools.
Iteration
From the concept testing, we also learned how we could improve our initial design. Things we changed due to user feedback included using gestures, and making the interactions simpler and more native, as can be seen in the screens below.
We also added tips to tell people important information when using the app for the first time.
Visual design
The final design is light and modern, with accents of color to help focus on the content.
The first version of Pocketplan was built and released in just a few months, and can be found in the iOS app store.
