Sketching the Silver Lining
A User-Centered Approach to Weather App Design.
Overview
Weather apps are essential tools for users to stay informed about current forecasted weather conditions. However, existing weather apps often present problems such as information overload, complex navigation, and lack of personalization. All of these issues can lead to a suboptimal user experience. The answer was to create design concepts that would broaden our understanding of how the user would interpret the navigation and personalized features of the app. I had the opportunity to lead this project, which enabled me to identify and address issues involving interface functionality, user flow, and convenience through exploratory sketches and user interviews
Background
The weather app industry is a dynamic and competitive landscape driven by the increasing reliance on mobile technology and the need for real-time weather information. The weather app industry is booming, with a projected global market size of $1.7 billion by 2030 and a CAGR of 9.5%. However, with numerous weather apps available, standing out requires differentiation. Personalization emerges as a key trend to capture user attention and engagement.
Key Findings
Competitive Review and Analysis
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of allergy sufferers use weather apps to track pollen counts
My competitive review and analysis revealed key players dominating the weather app market. AccuWeather and WeatherBug emerged as frontrunners, each offering unique features and strengths. The app AccuWeather clearly excels in minute-by-minute precipitation predictions. WeatherBug, known for its local forecasts, attracted users seeking precise and timely weather information. This analysis highlighted the importance of differentiation in features, user experience, and data accuracy to understand what gives a competitive edge in the industry.
I also examined emerging trends, such as the integration of artificial intelligence for improved forecasting accuracy and the inclusion of interactive maps for users to track weather patterns in real time.
User Personas and Competitive Analysis
In creating user personas, I synthesized insights from diverse user needs and behaviors within the context of competitive analysis. Persona A is largely dependent on technology in everyday life and her career. Her photography occupation demands reliable weather predictions. Persona B values her time and needs information quickly and efficiently. Personalized features eliminate the need to search for relevant information, saving her time and effort. They also help her make informed decisions about her next tour, travel plans, and family activities.
The weather app industry demands differentiation, and personalization offers a path to user engagement and market success. By leveraging data, user insights, and innovative features, weather apps can provide truly relevant and valuable experiences, keeping users engaged and informed in a competitive landscape.
MoSCoW ANALYSIS
Exploration Sketches
Overview
Insights:
- Functions should be personalized to remain practical.
- Functions should be intuitive and easy to use.
- Visuals are important in properly representing a given function.
System Sketches
Feature 1: Goodmorning Text
Likes- very personal and informative.
Improvements- balancing what is helping and pestering the user.
Feature 2: User Avatar
Likes: very personal/helpful for the user to see what to see what to wear.
Improvements- limiting complications within the function.
Feature 3: Home Page Widgets
Likes- giving the user the ability to cater to their specific needs.
Improvements- limit the amount of convolution that may accumulate.
Home Screen Elements and Sketches
The goal was to create functions that were applicable to the identity of the app. Creating sketches allows for a visual representation of how those functions would operate.
Next Steps
The next steps will include user testing with paper prototypes. Users will be given tasks to complete while navigating through the interface.
Tasks
- SIGN-IN – users will enter their information and sign into the application
- FINDING LOCATIONS WITHIN THE HOME SCREEN – users will navigate the home screen and try to locate the “locations” section
- DELETING UNECESSARY LOCATIONS – after finding the locations section the user will delete the unwanted locations
Conclusion
Overall, I’m very satisfied with how this project is coming along and I’m excited to see how it turns out. I hope to finalize and fully prototype the design before I move towards development.