Bookworm

Elevating Reader Engagement with Exclusive Content

TEAM

Product Designer

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PROJECT TIMELINE

March 2023 - June 2023

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ROLE

User research

Prototype

Visual design

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KPIs

~6% user retention

12% conversion rate

+8% YoY Growth

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Overview

Bookworm is an e-commerce platform that offers users an efficient way to purchase books while enjoying book-related content. I created this project to put my Google UX Design Certificate skills to the test and get some hands-on practice before diving into real-world projects.

Bookworm KPIs to track its success — These metrics highlight the positive impact of Bookworm+ features, like exclusive content and onboarding, on user retention and conversion rates, contributing to a steady year-over-year growth.

Bookworm prototype

Context

To better understand the reading community and its trends, I looked into recent data and found that nearly 50% of Americans haven’t read a book in over a year. This gap is an opportunity to make reading a popular and enjoyable hobby again by creating a book app that allows people to purchase books that offers a range of engaging content.

2024 U.S national poll book reading statistic from testprepinsight↗

Competitive Analysis

Is the market sleeping on page-turning potentials?

In order to understand how my app can stand out compared to other competitors, I created an analysis on book apps to understand their product better and analyze how how their appeal influences users' perceptions while engaging with their platform. This aims to inform decision-making and strategic positioning to ensure that my app stands out effectively against established competitors. After reviewing, I found their products lacked uniqueness and competitive edge in this market thats too comfortable to do something innovative.

Platforms here focuses only on e-books, paperbacks, and audiobooks, there’s a many opportunity to tap into other types of book-related content.

User Research

Exploring insights from user interviews

I conducted 10 interviews between the ages of 20 and 35 of 50% book readers and 50% non-book readers to understand current app usage and uncover gaps in user interest. Users find the entertainment value of current book apps lacking, making it challenging for both groups to stay engaged.

“I like Amazon’s huge range of books, but it feels bland in terms of entertainment. I wish there’s a way to make reading interactive.”

Phoenix B.

Amazon

“Looks clean but I want options to buy physical books without switching through different websites.”

Lana S.

Apple Books

“Barnes & Noble closed their stores and prices are higher than what's found online. Shipping is slow compared to other platforms.”

Noah R.

Barnes & Noble

Users frustrated with current book apps due to lack of personalized features, and limited interactive elements.

Design Principle

What unique value can this platform deliver in this market?

I decided to structure my design to emphasize three specific focal points, each tailored to address the distinct needs and preferences of my target audience, based on user research and competitive analysis insights.

Unique Product Offering

Attractive product that reshapes expectations

Simple Navigation

Intuitive experience for effortless discovery

Boost Author-User Interaction

Build connections with engaging content

Full Flow

I began outlining my skeleton for a high-level view of the key features to prioritize, such as home/discover, bookmarks, and book details. This approach helps pinpoint impactful areas for product placement and provides a clear reference to stay focused and targeted when making final decisions.

Holistic view of Bookworm's user journey map to pinpoint optimal areas for product placement.

Focused Flow

I decided to hone in on the book details flow and created Bookworm+, a premium subscription service offering early access to pre-orders, exclusive author chats, pop-up events, interviews, and signed digital NFTs. This strategy will drive significant growth for authors and elevate Bookworm's revenue.

Focused book details flow from the newly integrated Bookworm+ subscription model with premium offerings.

Exploration

Navigating through brainstorming sessions

I began brainstorming different design directions to get an overview of which areas I needed to prioritize such as high-traffic user touchpoints and optimal moments for upselling. This approach helped me generate a wide range of ideas without limiting myself to a specific design structure.

View design file ↗

Quick look of early exploration process from discovering concept, ideas, and UI to guide the trajectory of Bookworm's app layout.

Low Fidelity

Introducing Bookworm+

I landed on these these low-fidelity screens cause it felt the most organized and compelling when presenting Bookworm+. This wireframe helped layout what the basic visual model will look like before implementing final touch-ups.

Basic wireframe of Bookworm starting from NUX, log-in, discover, NFT introduction, product detail, Bookworm+ locked contents, subscription wall, and add to cart before finalizing appearance across all platforms.

Final Design

Final design highlights Bookworm's engaging experience, reinforcing my mission to inspire more reading through Bookworm+ that boosts interaction between authors and users.

Unique Product Offering

Attractive product that reshapes expectations

Simple Navigation

Intuitive experience for effortless discovery

Boost Author-User Interaction

Build connections with engaging content

Polished design highlights Bookworm's seamless flow, connecting authors and users through an compelling subscription offering.

Design Handoff

This handoff document includes organized final design, components, colors, typography, providing a well-organized resource for developers to reference.

View design file ↗

View prototype ↗

Final documentation of the full design, annotations, design system, and prototype for easy and quick reference.

Preview of the component library for quick and efficient design updates to simplify any design changes easier down the line.

I chose a rich green as the primary color to evoke a cozy library feel, with secondary as a softer green for contrast. Neutral shades of white, black, and gray to maintain consistency, and tertiary colors are used for graphics and NFT cards.

Georgia is selected for headers and titles to capture a classic book style that resonates with readers. To complement it, I paired it with Open Sans for sub-texts, body paragraphs, and product copy, offering a clean and easy-to-read experience.

Reflection

Learnings

This project was super fun to design and I don’t think this app would exist without finding gaps in the market and coming up with a unique and compelling offerings to put in bookworm. I learned a lot about how to sell new features, snappy marketing moments, and upsell products to increase users retention.

Next steps

I would like to collaborate with developers to bring this app to life. After launch, I would like to focus on adding features to boost user retention, attract non-book readers, and explore additional subscription options to draw in more subscribers.