My Role
Solo project for Google UX Design program
Timeline
March - April 2022
Problem
About 320 million books are discarded each year and are not being recycled. Meanwhile, unwanted books can be useful for other people. A program that facilitates exchange of resource and information (between people who want to get rid of books and those who are in need) is essential.
Solution
An online platform that promotes a more connected and sustainable bookish community by connecting people through books and allowing for a streamlined process to recycle, sell and buy used books.
-Design Outcome-
01. Connect to a bookish Community
Dive into your interest and connect to other readers by joining communities you are interested in. Book Loop is built on the belief that by creating a connected community, we can relocate available book resources and minimize paper waste, both reader driven and environmentally conscious.
02. Discuss & Discover
Participate in discussion and discover events and books on topics that you are interested in. By categorizing books based on topics, genres and tags created by readers, Book Loop aims to encourage exploration and serendipitous discovery of books.
03. Sell & Recycle
Sell and recycle your unwanted books with an easy and fast process. Book Loop will keep track of the process, and keep you informed. Tag your sold book, and let them discovered by more people.
-Research-
Market Research - Competitive Analysis - User Interview
Market Research
The market research aims to get a sense of the book market, concerns and problems of the industry.
Even with the emergence of e-books, Print book sales have increased between 2019 and 2021. Physical books are still the top money makers for publishers.
A survey conducted by the Pew Research Center in 2019 indicates that 72% of adults in the US read a book in some format over the last year, and 37%of Americans claim they only read print books, 28% say they read both print books and e-books, while only 7%say that they only read e-books.
An estimated 640,000 tons of books are sent to the landfill annually. Paper is the largest source of Municipal Solid Waste.
Competitive Analysis
To further understand what available platforms have to offer in the used book market, I conducted competitive analysis of 5 competitors ( including both online and physical secondhand bookstores). Analysis of their strengths and weakness helps me to see gaps in features and markets that this app can address and fill in.
From the analysis, I learned that:
There are two ways to sell used books, one is to directly sell to other readers (marketplace), and the other is to sell books to an entity (bookstore)
The demand of used books largely depend on the genres. For example, used textbooks have a much larger market than other type of used books.
There’s a lack of social aspect in online bookstores or marketplaces.
User Interview
Based on the market research, I conducted user interviews to understand people’s experience of dealing with unwanted books and what are their experience in those processes?
Here are some key findings:
Most people would feel bad about just throwing away books
Some people find it is too much hassle to sell used books compared to their actual monetary value
Some people are frustrated that some of their books (in good condition) are not taken by second-hand bookstores. The genres that they are willing buy are very limited
Key Insights
Based on my research, competitive analysis, and user interviews, I have concluded four key considerations to bear in my mind in the later phases.
Most people don’t want to spend time on sorting out used books to sell, donate, or recycle, a platform that helps people to handle and sort out used books will motivate people not to trash used books.
A marketplace (c to c) is not ideal for people who are individual readers and want to get rid of books in a fast fashion.
Individual readers have books range in a diverse (or random) topics and genres while most available platforms take limited genres, there’s a lack of exchange of book resources and information.
Books can be more than goods, there’s a good opportunity to connect people through books, which will also help to exchange book resources and reduce unnecessary new book consumption.
-Design Process-
User Persona -Product Strategy - Information Structure - Wireframes
User Persona
With the findings from market research and user interviews, I created user personas that represent certain user groups who are potential users of this app.
Product Strategy
I summarized user goals from user interviews and user persona, and listed out product goals that can be additive to the current market. To see user needs and current missing products side by side helps me to determine what features are essential to include in the design of Book Loop.
A complete loop for users to buy, sell and connect through books
Information Structure
After list out the product features, I furthered the design by creating the structure of the app. It includes essential features of the app and how each feature is related to one another.
Testings & Improvements
Based on usability test with 3 users, I further iterated my design with several improvements:
1.1Homepage
Emphasize Community on Homepage
The initial homepage only displays books picked for the users and books recently viewed by the users.
Upon user interview feedback, I included book communities tabs( which included related books, posts, and events) on the homepage, which makes it easier for users to explore and find books based on the users’ interests, and also emphasize Book Loop as a social platform.
2. Account Overview
Add toggle button for transaction status
The initial design for the account page requires the users to look for the status of their sell/purchase.
Upon user interview feedback, I added a toggle button for the purchase/sell status, so that users can clearly see which transaction is completed and which is still in process.
-FINAL DESIGN-
Flow 1: Homepage - Community
Flow 2: Account Management
Flow 3: Sell - Checkout
Prototypes
Explore book communities
Explore book communities, each of which leads to its own page with relevant posts, events, and books.
Manage Account
Access and manage sell, buy, and activity history all through the main Account portal.
Style Guide
-Future Steps-
To think through the logistics of shipping and packaging, and analyze and research ways to analyze environmental impact in the process of shipping and packaging.
To make the app more location sensitive, and maybe even add physical book drops or pavilions for people to drop or pick up books, and hang out.