Premises
There are many mobile apps for wine and beer enthusiasts from all over the world. In this 1-week-speculative case study I wanted to create a mobile app to help spirit enthusiasts to keep record of their collections and allow them to discover new products.
Preliminary research and early decisions
I started studying competitors such as Vivino and Untappd. I defined both their strengths and weaknesses. I noticed a flaw while exploring the competitors' mobile applications: it is very easy to exaggerate, creating visual noise and not-so-intuitive features.
After my preliminary research, I established I wanted usability over anything else. I also decided my app would have been playful, clear and simple. I aimed for a well-balanced design that could be neither too anonymous nor that could bore or tire users. Thus, I went on working on a clean interface that users can navigate in a few touches and rely on.
Color palette
I wanted my color palette to be essential, warm, and that could recall the vibes of a visit in a distillery. After a few attempts, I went for the following one. It complies with all my requests, it is accessible and it doesn’t create unnecessary visual noise. Also, brown is associated with warmth, comfort and trustability in Color Theory. Finally, I used the Golden rule as a basis for my color ratio.
Typography
I wanted the app’s typography to be versatile and easy to read both in big and smaller screen sizes. I experimented with different fonts and eventually I settled on using Open Sans. It has many different styles and weights, it’s very widespread and eyes tend to not notice it while using it. This familiarity helps users to feel at home as soon as they open the app. It also reduces disorientation and frictions of any kind.
Wireframes
I sketched, pen in hand, my wireframes, and then translated them on Figma. I used them as the blueprint for my screens, and after some adjustments I reached the final outcome. I then tried Helvetica, Arial, and Apple’s San Francisco as fallback fonts.
Components
For what concerns my mobile app's components I decided to use a rounded-cornered and casual style that would not build up the interface too much. I also opted for a floating button for quick main actions. I positioned it in the left bottom corner to make it get better accessibility.
Final result and future
My final designs achieved all the objectives of this 1-week-speculative case study. The designed screens represent at best all the goals I established at the beginning. Whenever this mobile app is developed, there will always be the chance for enhancements and new features.
