Application Design I Task 1: Mobile Application Proposal
21.04.2025 - 16.05.2025 (Week 1 - Week 4)
Kiew Ting Yi (Nicole) / 0361143 / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative MediaApplication Design I
Task 1 : Mobile Application Proposal
Table of Contents:
1. Lecture: Application Design I
2. Instructions
3. Task 1: Mobile Application Proposal
- Draft Proposal
- Final Proposal
4. Feedbacks
5. Reflection
2. Instructions
3. Task 1: Mobile Application Proposal
- Draft Proposal
- Final Proposal
5. Reflection
LECTURE: APPLICATION DESIGN I
Week 1 Lecture
Summary of this week's lecture;
Key Concepts Covered:
- Mobile application design is the foundation for building impactful apps—it involves the visual layout, user interaction, and design principles that shape the product.
- It’s crucial in today’s digital world as it improves user experience, retention, app performance, and accessibility.
- A user-centered design (UCD) approach is emphasized, focusing on usability, learnability, efficiency, memorability, and overall user satisfaction.
- Designers must also tackle mobile-specific challenges such as limited screen space, varying device capabilities, and user context (e.g., location, time of use).
- Strategies to overcome these challenges include prioritizing essential features, mobile optimization, intuitive gestures, and continuous performance tuning.
Week 2 LectureSummary of this week's lecture;
Key Concepts Covered:
- UCD is a design philosophy that puts users’ needs, goals, and experiences at the heart of the design process.
- The lecture compared UCD, UX, and UI through the metaphor of designing a house:
- UCD is the mindset that informs the overall structure.
- UX design is the functional layout and flow (how users move and interact).
- UI design is the visual styling and aesthetics (how it looks and feels).
- A UX designer’s goal is to create a product or service that not only fulfills user needs but also supports the goals of the organization.
- Empathy is essential—designers must understand users’ experiences from their point of view, not their own assumptions.
Week 3 Lecture
Summary of this week's lecture;
Key Concepts Covered:
- Allowing user to achieve certain goal quickly and easily (e.g, Kids scrolling through TikTok easily and it's very intuitive)
- Clean interface
- Too many information can distract users and prevent them from purchasing products (Choice Paradox)
- Need to save time
( PITFALLS FOR APP )
- Complex interfaces
- bilibili or taobao has cluttered design, causing users to be distracted (but this can be debatable)
- All content, style, typeface, color and sizes is consistent
- Icons need labels, or else the icons need to be very clearly communicated
- Confusing navigation
- inconsistent layouts, spending time to search for desired product, increased bounce rates
- Lack of Clear Calls to Action (CTA)
- no buttons/navigation to help users to lead them to their desired goal.
- Propose a similar color scheme to maintain with branding.
- Search buttons/bar hierarchy is consistent
Summary of this week's lecture;
Key Concepts Covered:
- Mobile application design is the foundation for building impactful apps—it involves the visual layout, user interaction, and design principles that shape the product.
- It’s crucial in today’s digital world as it improves user experience, retention, app performance, and accessibility.
- A user-centered design (UCD) approach is emphasized, focusing on usability, learnability, efficiency, memorability, and overall user satisfaction.
- Designers must also tackle mobile-specific challenges such as limited screen space, varying device capabilities, and user context (e.g., location, time of use).
- Strategies to overcome these challenges include prioritizing essential features, mobile optimization, intuitive gestures, and continuous performance tuning.
Key Concepts Covered:
- UCD is a design philosophy that puts users’ needs, goals, and experiences at the heart of the design process.
- The lecture compared UCD, UX, and UI through the metaphor of designing a house:
- UCD is the mindset that informs the overall structure.
- UX design is the functional layout and flow (how users move and interact).
- UI design is the visual styling and aesthetics (how it looks and feels).
- A UX designer’s goal is to create a product or service that not only fulfills user needs but also supports the goals of the organization.
- Empathy is essential—designers must understand users’ experiences from their point of view, not their own assumptions.
Summary of this week's lecture;
Key Concepts Covered:
- Allowing user to achieve certain goal quickly and easily (e.g, Kids scrolling through TikTok easily and it's very intuitive)
- Clean interface
- Too many information can distract users and prevent them from purchasing products (Choice Paradox)
- Need to save time
( PITFALLS FOR APP )
- Complex interfaces
- bilibili or taobao has cluttered design, causing users to be distracted (but this can be debatable)
- All content, style, typeface, color and sizes is consistent
- Icons need labels, or else the icons need to be very clearly communicated
- Confusing navigation
- inconsistent layouts, spending time to search for desired product, increased bounce rates
- Lack of Clear Calls to Action (CTA)
- no buttons/navigation to help users to lead them to their desired goal.
- Propose a similar color scheme to maintain with branding.
- Search buttons/bar hierarchy is consistent
INSTRUCTIONS
According to the Module Information Booklet (MIB), we
are to:
-
Come up with 3 Mobile Applications with certain
conditions, find its ratings, reviews and basic
analysis on its weaknesses.
-
Settle on 1 Mobile App, and create a final proposal
that includes:
According to the Module Information Booklet (MIB), we
are to:
- Come up with 3 Mobile Applications with certain conditions, find its ratings, reviews and basic analysis on its weaknesses.
- Settle on 1 Mobile App, and create a final proposal that includes:
TASK 1
PROJECT REQUIREMENTS
For the first exercise, we were tasked with developing a proposal for a mobile app redesign. The goal is to select an existing application with poor user experience, outdated interface design, or other usability issues, and propose improvements based on research and design principles.
Selection Criteria for the App:
- Must not be from a major or well-established company
- Should have enough recent user reviews and comments on the App Store or Play Store
- The app should include at least 10 distinct pages or screens for analysis and redesign
I tried searching on App Store to find any low rating apps, and came across Beutea, a tea drinking voucher/point redemption app. But I found the reviews not reliable, so I searched a little deeper. I remembered I used to use LINE as a messaging app, and when I revisited, I saw that it had terrible reviews. I then chose it as one of my desired apps to redesign. Next, going down the rabbit hole of voucher/point redemption apps, I stumbled across DONKI App. I personally go to Dondondonki frequently, so I found it very intriguing.
With that, I found my 3 App Ideas:
DRAFT PROPOSAL
Application Design I Draft Proposal
by Nicole Kiew
Mr Zeon mentioned that I shouldn't take LINE app as my choice as there may not be enough pages/features for me to redesign.
I went ahead with DONKI App instead.
Here are the requirements for the final proposal:
1- Introduction:- Purpose of Proposal + Purpose of Research
- Why Mobile App Design Matters
- Impacts of Mobile App Design on UX
2- Background & Context- Dondon Donki / Donki App
- Strengths of Donki App
- Weaknesses of Donki App (4 slides)
- Competitors Analysis (introduce the apps and how it's similar and differences)
- Grab (ux)
- Shopback (ux)
- Bites (ux)
- Competitors Analysis Table
3- Goals and Objectives- Redesign Objectives (for DONKI app)
- Primary Goal + Secondary Goal
- Design Strategy
4- User Research- User Research Method
- Roadmap / Plan for User Testing
5- References
FINAL PROPOSAL
Application Design I Final Proposal DONKI App by Nicole Kiew
For the first exercise, we were tasked with developing a proposal for a mobile app redesign. The goal is to select an existing application with poor user experience, outdated interface design, or other usability issues, and propose improvements based on research and design principles.
Selection Criteria for the App:
- Must not be from a major or well-established company
- Should have enough recent user reviews and comments on the App Store or Play Store
- The app should include at least 10 distinct pages or screens for analysis and redesign
With that, I found my 3 App Ideas:
Mr Zeon mentioned that I shouldn't take LINE app as my choice as there may not be enough pages/features for me to redesign.
I went ahead with DONKI App instead.
Here are the requirements for the final proposal:
I went ahead with DONKI App instead.
Here are the requirements for the final proposal:
1- Introduction:
- Purpose of Proposal + Purpose of Research
- Why Mobile App Design Matters
- Impacts of Mobile App Design on UX
2- Background & Context
- Dondon Donki / Donki App
- Strengths of Donki App
- Weaknesses of Donki App (4 slides)
- Competitors Analysis (introduce the apps and how it's similar and differences)
- Grab (ux)
- Shopback (ux)
- Bites (ux)
- Competitors Analysis Table
3- Goals and Objectives
- Redesign Objectives (for DONKI app)
- Primary Goal + Secondary Goal
- Design Strategy
4- User Research
- User Research Method
- Roadmap / Plan for User Testing
5- References
FINAL PROPOSAL
FEEDBACKS
Week 1
General Feedback: MIB is important to refer to in order to keep up with the assignments.
Week 2
General Feedback: Empathy is really important in order to approach any type of problem.
Specific Feedback: Make sure to include more passage to have a clearer message for Mr
Zeon to read.
Week 3
General Feedback: Need to prepare a 80% final proposal for presentation in Week 4.
Specific Feedback:
Need a clear and concise visual, comparisons should have a visual
and text to communicate effectively.
Week 4
General Feedback: New Lecturer will be joining us on Week 5.
Specific Feedback: To include more clearer message on presentation, need clearer visuals.
Week 1
General Feedback: MIB is important to refer to in order to keep up with the assignments.
Week 2
General Feedback: Empathy is really important in order to approach any type of problem.
Specific Feedback: Make sure to include more passage to have a clearer message for Mr Zeon to read.
Week 3
General Feedback: Need to prepare a 80% final proposal for presentation in Week 4.
Specific Feedback: Need a clear and concise visual, comparisons should have a visual and text to communicate effectively.
Week 4
General Feedback: New Lecturer will be joining us on Week 5.
Specific Feedback: To include more clearer message on presentation, need clearer visuals.
General Feedback: MIB is important to refer to in order to keep up with the assignments.
Week 2
General Feedback: Empathy is really important in order to approach any type of problem.
Specific Feedback: Make sure to include more passage to have a clearer message for Mr Zeon to read.
Week 3
General Feedback: Need to prepare a 80% final proposal for presentation in Week 4.
Specific Feedback: Need a clear and concise visual, comparisons should have a visual and text to communicate effectively.
Week 4
General Feedback: New Lecturer will be joining us on Week 5.
Specific Feedback: To include more clearer message on presentation, need clearer visuals.
REFLECTIONS
EXPERIENCES
Throughout this project, I developed a more hands-on understanding of the UX research process and how it informs real-world design decisions. From analyzing the DONKI App to comparing competitor apps like Grab and Bites, I learned how to look beyond surface-level visuals and assess core usability and flow. Writing slide content, reviewing app features, and mapping out redesign strategies helped me translate user pain points into actionable solutions. It also sharpened my ability to think from the user's perspective while balancing business goals and brand identity.
Throughout this project, I developed a more hands-on understanding of the UX research process and how it informs real-world design decisions. From analyzing the DONKI App to comparing competitor apps like Grab and Bites, I learned how to look beyond surface-level visuals and assess core usability and flow. Writing slide content, reviewing app features, and mapping out redesign strategies helped me translate user pain points into actionable solutions. It also sharpened my ability to think from the user's perspective while balancing business goals and brand identity.
OBSERVATION
noticed that even small UX inconsistencies, like misaligned icons or unpredictable back navigation. It had a large impact on trust and usability. Users don’t just want an app that looks good; they want one that feels effortless to use. DONKI’s current interface reflects the brand’s lively identity but overwhelms users in mobile form. The absence of dynamic visuals, feedback cues, and accessible layouts makes the app feel outdated despite its potential. These observations reinforced how important it is to design with empathy and real user behavior in mind.
FINDINGS
My research revealed several recurring UX problems within the DONKI App: poor navigation, a lack of onboarding, and an overwhelming interface. Surveys and usability testing plans showed users wanted faster ways to redeem points, better onboarding for new users, and smoother login options. The app’s failure to integrate with e-wallets; a common expectation in Southeast Asia. It emerged as a significant drawback. Comparing these gaps with competitors like Grab and ShopBack highlighted the importance of seamless ecosystems, clear navigation, and personalized experiences.
My research revealed several recurring UX problems within the DONKI App: poor navigation, a lack of onboarding, and an overwhelming interface. Surveys and usability testing plans showed users wanted faster ways to redeem points, better onboarding for new users, and smoother login options. The app’s failure to integrate with e-wallets; a common expectation in Southeast Asia. It emerged as a significant drawback. Comparing these gaps with competitors like Grab and ShopBack highlighted the importance of seamless ecosystems, clear navigation, and personalized experiences.
