Application Design II / Task 2

21/4/2025 - 5/6/2025 (Week 5 - Week 7)
Wee Jun Jie / 0375271
Application Design II / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Task 2: Interaction Design Proposal & Planning


All class notes have been stored here: My Notes

 INSTRUCTIONS 

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Task 2 Requirements:
Students are required to develop a comprehensive interaction design plan for their final web-based mobile application, including detailed wireframes, user flow diagrams, and prototypes of both micro and macro animations. The goal is to visually and conceptually prepare the interaction design and animations that will enhance the user experience of their application.

 Progression 
For Task 1, as part of the MyRapid PULSE app redesign, I am responsible for creating a Master Interaction Board, which defines the overall plan for both macro and micro interactions throughout the app. Macro interactions focus on broader user flows, such as route searching or checking schedules, ensuring the functionality. Meanwhile, micro interactions refine the smaller details, including gesture animations and user feedback upon taking an action. These subtle enhancements play a crucial role in making the app feel polished, intuitive, and responsive.

After finalizing the Master Plan, I will proceed to the Storyboard, where I will outline the animation plan for each user flow. For every screen or interaction, I need to define and incorporate three key types of animations
  • On-load animation – What happens when the page or component first loads.
  • On-page animation – Animations triggered by user within the same page.
  • Off-load animation – What the user sees when they leave the current page or component?
This approach ensures a cohesive user experience, aligning motion design with the app’s brand identity and usability objectives. By defining animations at each stage, I can create a smooth, intuitive flow that enhances both functionality and engagement throughout the redesign.



 REFLECTION 
Experience
Working on Task 2 of Application Design II has been both a challenging and rewarding experience. This phase of the project required me to focus deeply on the interaction design aspects of my public transport app, which included creating detailed wireframes, user flow diagrams, and prototypes showcasing both micro and macro animations.

At the start, I found it somewhat overwhelming to plan every screen and interaction, especially when trying to ensure a smooth and logical user journey. However, once I broke the task down into smaller parts such as identifying key features such as live bus/ train tracking, schedule view and route search, it became clearer how to organize the app’s structure.

Separating flows allowed me to visualize the layout and structure of each screen. It was helpful to sketch out designs before moving to the next step. It's something like a pre-plan for me. The user flow diagrams helped me understand how users would navigate through the app. Prototyping animations was a new but exciting challenge. I learned the importance of micro animations like loading spinners, and transitions between tabs in providing feedback to users and enhancing usability. On the other hand, macro animations such as page transitions and onboarding sequences played a major role in making the app feel more dynamic and user-friendly.

Observations
During the development of the interaction design plan, I saw that simplicity in both layout and navigation significantly improved the usability of the app. When designs were too cluttered or included unnecessary features, users had difficulty completing basic tasks such as searching for routes or checking transport schedules. I noticed that even small animations, like button presses or loading indicators, contributed positively to the overall user experience by making interactions feel smoother and more responsive. Consistency in design elements across different screens was another important factor when icons, fonts, and layout patterns remained uniform, users navigated the app more confidently. Additionally, accessibility considerations such as readable fonts and proper color contrast needed to be addressed early on, as they greatly affected usability for a wider range of users.

Findings 
Through this process, I found that user-centered design is crucial to creating a successful app. I also discovered that animations are not just visual enhancements they serve a functional purpose by helping users understand what is happening in the app and confirming that their actions were registered. Another key finding was that investing time in creating detailed wireframes and user flows early in the project saved a lot of time and effort later during prototyping. These tools helped me visualize the app’s structure and made it easier to communicate design decisions to others. Overall, I learned that thoughtful planning and continuous testing are essential for delivering an effective and intuitive user experience.