SPARQ branding & product design
Details
Working as the project and design lead, this was a passion product born from the creative minds at Propeller studios.
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Background
We wanted to create a platform that would encourage and excite lifelong learners to try something new, improve their skills, and have adventures.
The problem
It seemed the obvious choice to focus on the "learner" experience – helping users find interesting subjects and activities to participate in. However, we realized early on that we needed a solution that our "teachers" also wanted to use, was easy, fun, and free.
Goal
1
Go beyond the predictable. Offer opportunities for unforgettable experiences.
2
An enjoyable and engaging UX for both user groups (students and teachers)
3
Promote lifelong learning for all age groups
The project process followed these main steps:
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Market research + personas
2
Branding
3
User research
4
UX design
5
UI design
Team brainstorming and discussion
Process
Our first task was to find out if there was market interest in this kind of platform. In the past, Propeller had launched a similar passion project, so, we started by reaching out to former users. We also sent out questionnaires and contacted previous vendors to gauge market interest.
Process
Since there were two primary user groups for this product, the personas had to cover a wide range of users with varying degrees of technical expertise. The teachers needed to be able to quickly review their stats, sign-ups, and gauge interest. Lastly, the learners wanted to quickly and easily find great courses that they are excited to take.
Process
Our product had a diverse range of audiences so the brand needed to be professional, trusthworthy, fun, and inspiring.
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1
Logo
The wordmark uses a customized sans-serif that is softened to make it appear friendly. An iconic use of the letter “Q” as a light bulb represents a burst of inspiration and igniting of ideas that occurs in learning. The logo is simple and legible, and the iconic “Q” is a strong tie to the brand and can be used as the logomark at small sizes.
2
Colours
The brand colours were chosen to reflect the feeling learners get when they are excited about a new topic – energized and passionate. Yellow conveys energy and joy while dark blue is professional and trustworthy
3
Typography
Proxima Nova is a more modern take on a geometric font. The goal was for the logo to feel quite circular and proportional, almost mathematical, and also approachable.
4
Graphic elements
Since the target audience is a very diverse range of people, these characters were developed to personify the brand and give user's something to connect with.
Team brainstorming and discussion
Process
Our product had a diverse range of audiences so the brand needed to be professional, trusthworthy, fun, and inspiring.
UX design
1
Home
The primary goal for the end-user (learner), is to find and sign up for a class
2
Teacher profile
The learner needs to see more details about the teacher and their qualifications
UX design
1
Dashboard
Showing the important info at a glance – profile views, class views, search results, shares, and leads
2
Adding a class
A lot of details go into a class listing. Here it was important to not overwhelm with tons of information at once but to instead guide the user through the process
Process
We took an iterative approach to the UI design, doing frequent check-ins and testing to ensure the UX was seamless and easy to navigate.
Reflection
Due to a lack of resources, the product never finished development. Nonetheless, it was a challenging project that allowed me to explore the world of product design. If given more time to work on this product, I would love to further explore user testing for both the branding and usability of the product.
