Matchbook

In today's digital age, reading faces new challenges. Enter Matchbook: an app for modern readers' evolving needs.

Project Overview.

TYPE: Personal project
ROLE: UX & UI Designer
TEAM SIZE: 1
DURATION: 4 months

In the digital age, where technology seamlessly integrates into our daily lives, the joy of reading gains a new companion – the Matchbook application. The project involves researching the benefits of reading on physical and mental health, analysing the decline in reading habits in the 21st century, and examining existing applications to create an optimal user experience.

The Problem.

There is a significant decline in reading habits in society, particularly due to the increased use of digital and social media. This trend distracts individuals from engaging with meaningful content and can negatively impact mental health. Users struggle to find a platform that allows for easy discovery of books suited to their tastes, tracks their reading activities, and fosters a sense of community among readers.

The Solution.

The Matchbook app addresses the decline in reading habits by providing a user-friendly platform that facilitates personalized book discovery, tracking of reading activities, and engagement within a vibrant reading community. By offering tailored recommendations, goal-setting features, and opportunities for social interaction among readers, the app aims to enhance the reading experience and foster a lasting reading culture in the digital age.

Research.

I initiated this project by researching existing literature on reading habits and their impact on mental and physical health. Numerous studies indicate that reading offers significant benefits.

In today's digital media landscape, book reading has declined, largely due to the distractions posed by social media, which often inundate users with non-essential content. This trend can contribute to decision fatigue and diminished productivity. Despite the availability of advanced digital reading platforms, many individuals still favour the tactile experience of physical books. Thus, there is a pressing need to adapt reading habits to the digital environment while preserving the core experience of reading.

I’ve conducted a comprehensive user and market analysis, which included:

  • Competitive Research: Analysis of apps like Goodreads, Luna, StoryGraph, and Bookshelf to understand their strengths and weaknesses.

  • User Surveys & Interviews: Collected data from 70 users through surveys and in-depth interviews with 10 participants to uncover pain points and behavioural patterns around reading habits.

Key findings:

  • Reading Frequency: Users wanted to read more but struggled with time, discipline, and motivation.

  • Preferred Features: Personalized recommendations, goal setting, and book clubs were highlighted as desirable features.

  • Platform Preferences: While many users preferred physical books, they were open to digital solutions that simplify book discovery and organization.

Find out more:

  • In the competitive analysis, I examined five book-reading apps to identify trends, user expectations, and gaps in the market. By organizing screenshots of each app's interface into feature categories, I created a comprehensive visual comparison. Additionally, I evaluated metrics such as user ratings, app slogans, tone of communication, and key features to understand their positioning.

    Key findings include:

    • Goodreads: The largest platform with strong integration into Amazon’s ecosystem, offering features like personalized recommendations and Kindle sync. However, users criticize its outdated interface and sales-driven focus, which often overshadows user experience.

    • Bookshelf: A modern and user-friendly app with better UI design than Goodreads, focusing on personalizing the reading experience. It prioritizes book organization and tracking without overwhelming users with additional news or community features.

    • Luna: A minimalist app focused on reading progress and statistics. It offers fewer features but provides simplicity, allowing users to set goals and track reading sessions. Lacks personalized book recommendations and reviews, requiring users to supplement with other platforms like Goodreads.

    • StoryGraph: Positioned as an alternative to Goodreads, StoryGraph provides mood-based book recommendations and reading progress tracking. However, its minimalist interface lacks warmth and key features like reviews, leading some users to rely on additional apps to fulfill all their needs.

    • Booky Call: This innovative app uses dating app concepts to enhance book discovery. Users can explore titles through humanized profiles that include summaries and audio snippets, offering a fresh way to engage with books. Interested titles can be sent to direct messages for purchase links, while uninteresting ones can be dismissed with a swipe. Although it features search functions and personalized recommendations similar to competitors, users express concerns about the limited book database and decision fatigue caused by humanized profiles. Lacking list creation, friend connections, and community features, Booky Call still provides an appealing and unique method for discovering new reads.

    Each app demonstrated different strengths in UI and UX, with some focusing on simplicity and others on community or integration with external platforms. This analysis revealed opportunities for combining the best of personalization, ease of use, and community features in my own design.

  • The survey gathered responses from 70 participants, including 57 women and 13 men, spanning various age groups. Most respondents read books occasionally, with 22 reading throughout the year and 18 reading daily. The majority (36) read 1-6 books annually, and 47 expressed dissatisfaction with how much they read, citing lack of time, difficulty finding interesting books, and a lack of discipline as common reasons.

    When asked about their favourite genres, crime (42%) and romance (40%) were the most popular, followed by thrillers (30%) and educational books (30%). Most respondents choose books based on personal interests (61%) or recommendations from friends and family (49%). Regarding book acquisition, 61% borrow from libraries, and 47% purchase physical books.

    In terms of apps, 81% were unfamiliar with book-related apps, with Goodreads being the most recognized. Those who used apps found them helpful for discovering and tracking books but disliked the poor visual design, lack of local content, and limited personalization.

    The analysis revealed recurring frustrations: most participants wanted to read more but struggled due to time constraints, lack of motivation, and difficulties finding suitable books. Familiarity with reading apps was low, and while users appreciated features like book discovery and tracking, they were dissatisfied with UI design, the focus on popular books, and the lack of local content.

  • The user interview process aimed to gather insights into reading habits, user experiences, and demographics to create user profiles (personas) for a reading application. Key topics included participant backgrounds, technology usage, product experiences, goals, motivations, and challenges.

    Interviews were conducted with 10 individuals (5 men and 5 women, aged 14 to 50). They were categorized based on reading frequency:

    1. Regular Readers (10+ books/year): Luka, Ema, and Nikola.

    2. Occasional Readers (3-5 books/year): Ivan, Tihana, Karla, and Monika.

    3. Minimal Readers (1-2 books/year): Nina, Bruno, and Tihomir

    Key Findings:

    • Motivation: Only Luka was satisfied with his reading volume; others struggled with motivation, distractions from digital media, and time constraints.

    • Preferences: Many preferred physical books for their tangible nature but also acknowledged the convenience of digital books.

    • Book Discovery: Participants frequently used platforms like Goodreads for recommendations and reviews.

    Key features participants wanted included:

    • User profiles for tracking reading.

    • Search capabilities by author and genre.

    • Community features for sharing recommendations.

    • Personalized suggestions based on preferences.

    • Tools for setting reading goals and reminders.

    • An attractive and user-friendly interface, including dark mode.

    The interviews highlighted the need for a reading application that focuses on organization, personalized recommendations, reminders, and community engagement to enhance the reading experience.

Personas.

Based on user interviews, I’ve created 2 personas and explored their journeys and thoughts to guide the design process.

    • David, 24: Despite a busy schedule, David enjoys reading but struggles to find books that match his tastes and organize his reading list. An app could simplify this through personalized recommendations and advanced filters. It would help him track his reading, receive notifications about his progress, and join reading challenges and book clubs for shared experiences.

    • Mia, 36: Mia loves to read but finds it hard to establish a regular reading habit and often relies on friends' recommendations. The app would support her by setting personal goals and sending reminders to maintain her routine. A built-in timer would help her track her reading, visualize her progress, and motivate her. Personalized book recommendations and participation in book clubs and challenges would encourage her to explore beyond her usual choices.

User Flow & Information Architecture.

I created user flows and information architecture for the app to ensure intuitive navigation and enhance user experience. This involved organizing information through clear categorization and hierarchy, allowing users to efficiently navigate the app and access relevant content to achieve their goals.

Wireframes & Prototyping.

I’ve developed low-fidelity wireframes to outline the app’s key features, ensuring a smooth and intuitive user experience. This step was crucial in identifying potential usability issues early in the process.

Branding.

The Matchbook app aims to cultivate an interactive community for book lovers, fostering a friendly and inclusive atmosphere. Its user-centric tone promotes simplicity and engagement, catering to diverse reading preferences. The name "Matchbook" cleverly combines "match," suggesting a perfect pairing, with "book," reflecting the app’s purpose of helping readers find the right books.

Find out more:

  • Reasons for choosing "Matchbook":

    • Symbolism of Ignition: Just as a match ignites light, a book can spark imagination and stimulate the mind.

    • Compactness and Portability: Matches are small and easy to carry, similar to how the app provides users with access to a library on their devices.

    • Memorability: "Matchbook" is catchy and easy to remember, enhancing brand recall among users.

    • Metaphor for Discovery: The name evokes the joy of discovering new books, akin to lighting a match in the dark.

  • The logo resembles a closed matchbox, visually reminiscent of a book, and features an animation where the matchbox opens to reveal books inside, highlighting the connection between matches, books, and the app's identity. The colour palette combines orange and blue, where orange evokes energy, enthusiasm, and creativity, while blue adds depth and reliability. This vibrant combination creates a dynamic yet trustworthy experience, aligning with the app's goal of being an exciting platform for book lovers. The logo also features the Aclonica font, which boasts a clean, modern sans-serif design that conveys sophistication and ensures readability, enhancing the concept of a well-designed book discovery tool.

Design System.

The design system for Matchbook is a cohesive collection of components that ensures consistency and quality throughout the user interface. It features a refined colour palette that replaces blue with black and shades of grey, providing a balanced backdrop for the vibrant orange accents that enhance the visual appeal of book covers. The typography merges Libre Caslon Text, a serif font that captures the charm of classic literature, with Poppins, a clean sans-serif font that ensures modern readability, seamlessly bridging the gap between traditional reading and modern technology.

Final UI Design.

Upon launching the app, users are greeted by a captivating animated logo and presented with seamless sign-in options. The introductory onboarding process is strategically designed to captivate users from the outset, ensuring they swiftly connect with the app's core features. Through a brief questionnaire focused on genre and author preferences, the app immediately tailors recommendations to each user's unique tastes. This personalized approach not only streamlines app exploration but also fosters an instant connection based on individual preferences, setting the stage for a rewarding user experience.

The app's home screen showcases the current book in progress and allows users to track their reading. Users can effortlessly log reading sessions, either manually or with a timer, capturing pages read and optional notes. These sessions are conveniently stored and accompanied by detailed reading statistics for easy reference.

Within the "My Books" section, users find comprehensive reading insights and organized lists, monthly progress visualization, goals, and challenges. This category facilitates the creation and exploration of personalized lists for read, to-read, and currently reading books, as well as access to reading clubs and challenges, fostering deeper engagement within the community of book enthusiasts.

Engage in book culture.

Immerse yourself in reading culture—join book clubs, connect with fellow enthusiasts, and stay updated on the latest literary news. Share insights, engage with others, and explore the world of literature. More than an app, it’s your gateway to a vibrant community of passionate readers!

Discover new books.

Easily navigate books, authors, challenges, and clubs with smart search and filters. Whether browsing or hunting specifics, find tailored content fast. Scan books in a snap with the ISBN scanner. Dive into a personalized literary journey!

Join book clubs and challenges.

Join and create reading challenges and clubs effortlessly. Engage with featured books and discuss with fellow bookworms. Discover challenges, track progress, and connect seamlessly with like-minded readers!

Join the reading community.

Share your thoughts, explore new content, and join lively discussions. Stay updated with "News in Literature" articles, fostering connections and dialogue in our vibrant reading community.

User Testing & Feedback.

After developing the Matchbook app prototype, I conducted user testing with five participants representing a range of reading habits. They engaged in tasks that assessed key functionalities, including account setup, tracking reading sessions, setting personal goals, searching for books, and interacting with reading clubs. The successful completion of these tasks, along with subsequent iterations, ensured that the app effectively met its objectives and addressed the needs of book readers.

Conclusion.

The journey of developing the Matchbook app has not only enhanced my understanding of user experience design but has also deepened my appreciation for the reading community. By addressing the challenges faced by modern readers and integrating user feedback throughout the design process, I was able to create a product that truly resonates with its audience.

The successful user testing phase confirmed that the app effectively meets the needs of diverse reading habits, providing a seamless and engaging experience. Moving forward, I am excited to continue refining the app based on user insights and emerging trends in the literary world, ensuring that Matchbook remains a vital tool for readers in an increasingly digital landscape. This project has solidified my passion for creating meaningful digital experiences and has inspired me to further explore the intersection of technology and literature.