Apple Pier Program
Internal Project NDA (2024)
Confidentiality and Disclosure
Due to a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) with Apple Inc., specific details about this project are confidential. This includes any nonpublic information or material such as product plans, specifications, designs, photographs, costs, prices, project names, business plans, marketing plans, forecasts, orders, materials, components, prototypes, or pre-release products disclosed by Apple or any of its Affiliates. However, all the information and media presented in this portfolio have been approved by the stakeholders for disclosure.
Project Duration
12 Months
Role and Services Provided
Product Designer (UX Research, Accessibility, Wireframe, UI, Prototype, Usability Testing, A/B Testing)
Team Composition
6 members: 3 Designers and 3 Developers.
Stack
Figma, Sketch, Maze, Xcode, Jira, Notion, Airtable, Webex
Introduction
During the ideation phase of the Seven Seas project, we aimed to create a global platform that would unite alumni and current students from Apple Developer Academies located in six different countries. At the request of stakeholders, this platform was designed to provide a space for individuals to share their unique stories, thereby fostering a strong sense of community and connection among a diverse and talented network.
https://developer.apple.com/academies/
Confidentiality and Disclosure
Due to a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) with Apple Inc., specific details about this project are confidential. This includes any nonpublic information or material such as product plans, specifications, designs, photographs, costs, prices, project names, business plans, marketing plans, forecasts, orders, materials, components, prototypes, or pre-release products disclosed by Apple or any of its Affiliates. However, all the information and media presented in this portfolio have been approved by the stakeholders for disclosure.
Project Duration
12 Months
Role and Services Provided
Product Designer (UX Research, Accessibility, Wireframe, UI, Prototype, Usability Testing, A/B Testing)
Team Composition
6 members: 3 Designers and 3 Developers.
Stack
Figma, Sketch, Maze, Xcode, Jira, Notion, Airtable, Webex
Introduction
During the ideation phase of the Seven Seas project, we aimed to create a global platform that would unite alumni and current students from Apple Developer Academies located in six different countries. At the request of stakeholders, this platform was designed to provide a space for individuals to share their unique stories, thereby fostering a strong sense of community and connection among a diverse and talented network.
https://developer.apple.com/academies/
Confidentiality and Disclosure
Due to a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) with Apple Inc., specific details about this project are confidential. This includes any nonpublic information or material such as product plans, specifications, designs, photographs, costs, prices, project names, business plans, marketing plans, forecasts, orders, materials, components, prototypes, or pre-release products disclosed by Apple or any of its Affiliates. However, all the information and media presented in this portfolio have been approved by the stakeholders for disclosure.
Project Duration
12 Months
Role and Services Provided
Product Designer (UX Research, Accessibility, Wireframe, UI, Prototype, Usability Testing, A/B Testing)
Team Composition
6 members: 3 Designers and 3 Developers.
Stack
Figma, Sketch, Maze, Xcode, Jira, Notion, Airtable, Webex
Introduction
During the ideation phase of the Seven Seas project, we aimed to create a global platform that would unite alumni and current students from Apple Developer Academies located in six different countries. At the request of stakeholders, this platform was designed to provide a space for individuals to share their unique stories, thereby fostering a strong sense of community and connection among a diverse and talented network.
https://developer.apple.com/academies/
Discover, Define Phases
At the outset of the Seven Seas project, we utilized the design thinking framework to guide our process, beginning with the Discover and Define phases. To enhance team efficiency during our sprints, we applied agile methodologies. This allowed us to maintain a flexible and iterative approach, ensuring that we could rapidly adapt to user feedback and evolving project requirements.
Given the diversity of our potential users, which included students, pier students, mentors, managers, and admins, we needed to account for varied user stories and flows in our design thinking process. We employed both quantitative and qualitative research methods to gather comprehensive insights.
Our research began with empathy mapping exercises, enabling the team to deeply understand the user’s mindset and experiences. We analyzed hundreds of real user profiles, which informed the creation of detailed user personas. By conducting surveys, user interviews, and usability tests, we identified the goals, needs, and pain points of our users. This data was crucial in developing user stories that articulated these aspects clearly, helping us set up our Agile Roadmap and tasks effectively.
User Testing
User interviews were a cornerstone of our research methodology for the Seven Seas project, providing critical insights that informed our design decisions. We conducted On-Site Moderated Interviews with participants, establishing clear objectives for each session. Our primary goal was to understand users' experiences, behaviors, and expectations concerning our low-fidelity prototype. We designed open-ended questions to elicit both explicit and implicit insights, aiming to uncover motivations, pain points, and desires.
During these sessions, we created an environment conducive to open communication, encouraging participants to provide candid feedback. This setup enabled us to capture not only verbal responses but also non-verbal cues, enriching our understanding of user perspectives. We obtained consent to video and audio record each session, ensuring comprehensive data capture for detailed analysis. Additionally, we utilized screen recording software to log user interactions, clicks, and generate screen heat maps.
Our in-person interviews encompassed over 100 participants, representing a diverse demographic across various ages, nationalities, and genders. This diversity ensured a wide range of insights, enhancing the robustness of our findings.
Throughout the interview process, we employed active listening techniques, meticulously noting nuances in user responses and probing deeper into significant areas. This thorough exploration facilitated the collection of diverse perspectives, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of user needs and preferences.
Post-interview, we conducted a rigorous analysis of the collected data, identifying recurring themes and patterns. This synthesis of insights was instrumental in guiding our design iterations, ensuring our macOS application aligned with user expectations and addressed their core needs.
Our dedication to exhaustive user interviews and detailed data analysis enabled us to iteratively refine our product. This approach ensured our application resonated with our diverse user base, enhancing usability, engagement, and satisfaction.
Research Findings
Based on user feedback, there was a pronounced demand for an optimized method to discover and read stories seamlessly, accompanied by an emphasis on featuring curated content. Users also articulated a strong interest in functionalities such as favoriting stories and accessing author profiles, underscoring their desire for deeper engagement with content creators. Additionally, users sought the ability to browse stories by categories, which would enhance their ability to find content that aligns with their specific interests.
The insights derived from our data analysis directed us toward conceptualizing an App Store-like platform for user stories. This envisioned platform would empower users to share their own narratives, explore a curated selection, and manage their preferences through favoriting stories. Managers and admins would be equipped to manually curate stories on the discover page, ensuring that highlighted content remains relevant and engaging. Furthermore, machine learning algorithms would be deployed to moderate these stories, maintaining quality and appropriateness across the platform.
By integrating these functionalities, we aimed to craft an engaging and user-centric experience that effectively addressed the identified needs and preferences. This comprehensive approach ensured a dynamic, well-moderated, and personalized content discovery experience for our diverse user base.
Design System
In my role, I was responsible for creating and maintaining a comprehensive design system to ensure consistency and efficiency across all product interfaces. I adhered to Apple's Human Interface Guidelines, leveraging their established design principles while adapting and creating new components to fit our specific needs.
I worked closely with developers and project managers to integrate our design system into the development workflow. By using the latest Figma features, such as Variants for dynamic component management and Auto Layout for responsive design, I facilitated smoother collaboration and faster implementation. Figma's Design Tokens were employed to maintain consistency across platforms and simplify updates.
My responsibilities included defining and updating design styles, including color palettes, typography, and component libraries, ensuring they aligned with Apple's guidelines. Through continuous collaboration with developers, I ensured the seamless integration of design elements into the codebase, while project managers helped align the design system with project timelines and goals.
This collaborative approach enabled us to create a unified and intuitive design language that supports our product's growth, maintains a high standard of quality, and respects the principles of Apple's Human Interface Guidelines.
Limited Showcase
While I cannot disclose the complete user flows and architecture for the Seven Seas project due to confidentiality reasons, I can confirm that they include respetive happy paths and error states. For detailed examples of my work in these areas, please refer to other projects showcased in my portfolio.
Additionally, the app features a registration onboarding process, a bento-style media upload, customization of these bento blocks, and an author profile page. This app has been developed in SwiftUI, has reached the MVP stage, and has been designed with accessibility and localization in mind for different regions.
I am grateful to our stakeholder for allowing us to share this information. I would be happy to discuss my role in this project further, particularly in terms of design processes and research methodologies.
