Intro
I was inspired by spotify and its design way back in the days when it wasn't available in India. I wanted to create a music app which is futuristic and user friendly. This was done during my learning days of UI, where I directly went on to work with the tool without learning the basics and fundamentals of UX and UI. Opening the file after 4 years makes me realize the problem statements and the outdated design.
Flawed ideology
After coming across my old project, I have found certain obvious problems with it and they are as follows:
Oblivious to the process: As i started this project I went on straight away making a frame and deciding a color and an animation that I liked.
Zero research on branding: I was not aware of the research process that goes behind an app and hence the above step was done in an unaware way.
Inadequate Information: The app's features, benefits, and unique selling points were not adequately conveyed to potential users.
User Flow
I was proud looking at the user flow thinking it was very professional. After looking through it again after a long time, concluded the basic flaws in the flow:
No User-Centric Design: There was no user research regarding how a user is going to use my music app. All I wanted was a better UI than the existing music apps.
No wireframes/sketches: I didn't know that sketches and reiterations of it through research will help later in wireframing in digital medium to understand the flaws of the flow.
Low fidelity/High fidelity: I created a high fidelity interface without even testing out a low fidelity option.
Direct Prototyping
I prototyped the entire interface according to the app flow making it a huge hassle for myself. I would of used variables and components if it were for now. Components could have solved most of the arrow marks in the below screenshot. Making a component for the bottom navbar and the side navbar would have reduced a lot of work time and processing power.
App Loading screen
The below video shows how the interface loads into the menu. An learning experience I had apart from all the flawed process was that I started gaining knowledge on prototyping and micro animations which was one of my favorite part of designing this app.
Micro Animations:
I used micro animations for the side bar and navbar. Later I came to know that these kind of sticky animations are not low code and probably take more of processing power from the user end thereby not being feasible for large scale production.
Conclusion
This realization is not a setback but rather a significant milestone in my growth as a designer. It underscores the importance of continuous learning and evolution in the field of UI/UX design. By acknowledging areas for improvement and learning from past mistakes, i am poised to refine my skills and create even more impactful and user-friendly designs in the future. It serves as a reminder of the importance of foundational knowledge in UI/UX design, the significance of staying updated with current design trends, and the value of iterative refinement in the creative process. Armed with these insights, I am better equipped to tackle future design challenges with confidence and innovation.
