BLOC
A pro-Black social media app
My Role
User Research
User Interviews
Sketching
Wireframes
Screen Flows
Visual Design
Interaction Design
Platforms
iOS, Android, Desktop
Year
2021-2022
Problem
Black people not having a platform that promotes a safe space for individuals to network, communicate, educate the current and new generation, and inform.
The Solution
I created an accessible platform where Black people could get together, to mingle, share ideas, and celebrate their culture.
It is also creating this space to educate others on how to be an ally in African American history.
I created two persona’s of Black people that shares their wants, thoughts and needs. Sarah that wants to get more African Americans involved with yoga and Elliot not being able to meet new people.
SWOT
Based on the persona I decided to start looking at things from a UX stand point to better shape Bloc’s design
I studied companies; Black Planet and Clubhouse, and observed that they both had strong branding but lacked some of the elements users needing
Summary of User Interviews
Following the analysis I conducted a user interview to get direct feedback from potential users on their experiences with social media.
The demographics of the user test was a professional in the tech industry, who uses several social apps daily such as LinkedIn and Instagram. This was an in-person interview and notes were recorded on a MacBook.
Examples of the questions that were asked in the interview
How often do you use social media?
“Several times daily, honestly I like the mindless scrolling”
What do you usually look for when choosing a social media app?
“I like an app that keeps me engaged, kind of like Twitter.
Ideation
The first step was to create a site map and user flow that would help the direction of the design. I started sketching out the initial idea for Bloc’s MVP. I continued by using the “Crazy 8’s method”. Along with a storyboard to bring more vision to Bloc. (located below)
Sketches- This solutions sketch shows Blocs initial profile screen, watch prototype as well as a Home Screen
Sketching through many ideas for Bloc was helpful for me to start gaining a vision of where I’d like to take it’s design.
For the branding I started by finding images and color scheme that I believe exemplify the idea of a Pro black social media.
Style guide
For this section above I started by using colors that I’ve seen around the house a lot, specifically my mother’s garments that contain many patterns from the African culture. For the text, I wanted a simple and clean approach so I went with Poppins for my typography.
I created a color palette based on the aforementioned mood board that was developed. I chose colors that complimented the African American culture.
Summary of User Testing
For the user testing, I engaged in both online and in-person testing. I asked users to go through the initial model for Bloc.
I used A MacBook to conduct this testing.
Recommendations
The user wanted a more constructed app, but some content was misaligned. Furthermore, I created multiple screens for the user to search through.
Initial mock of of Bloc’s profile screen. I started with a red background but, after user testing users stated that the background was too distracting.
Next Steps
I’d add some more screen mock ups for desktop model. Also, build an area for video calling for group meetups or online events
Conclusion
This app was definitely a great challenge but was a project that I was passionate about. If I had more time, I’d add more to the app, maybe change some layout designs. Practice makes better!