Paperback - Online Bookstore
Website Overview
Paperback is an online bookstore with an optional membership that allows you to rent physical and digital books simultaneously. Users can request new books shipped to their door each month and keep the ones they enjoy. The website offers three membership tiers that cater to casual readers and helps them build their home library.
The Physical Problem
There's no substitute for a good book. Unfortunately, physical books come with a hefty price tag, and libraries have long waitlists. Many new readers turn to digital formats to save money and time. These digital copies can be hard to share and don't provide the same satisfaction you get with building a home library.
Paperback's Goal
Paperback hopes to bridge the price gap between digital and physical books. We help readers enjoy physical books without the pressure of choosing the right book the first time. If you aren't enjoying a book, you can send it back and rent a new one for free. If you like the book, you can keep it using credits you earn throughout your membership.
User Research
I started the research by outlining goals and interview questions. Over a week, I conducted interviews with a diverse group of 8 participants. Research findings were categorized into empathy maps that helped identify the product's primary user group. The research also revealed common pain points (seen below) that discourage physical reading and present barriers of entry for our online book service.
Price
Books can be expensive and may prevent users from buying the physical copy they desire
Format
Book subscription services focus solely on digital formats
Availability
Book rental services have limited availability and wait times for new books
Choice
Users are unable to rent physical and digital copies together
Paperback Personas
I was able to create four unique personas based on the pain points found in the user research. Jessica's persona best represents the responses gathered in our interviews. Jessica Chaplain is an avid reader who needs a convenient way to rent books because her local bookstores are filled with waitlists. Once I mapped Jessica's user journey, It was clear how an online book rental service would help her get the books quickly and affordably.
Paper Wireframes
I started designing the app by sketching wireframes on paper. I would draft several unique versions of each screen and star elements best suited to address the user's pain points. The home screen gives the user several options to find the right book quickly. Users can use the search bar, view a genre category, review recommendations, and browse book covers as if they were in a local bookstore.
Digital Wireframes
I translated the wireframe sketches into digital versions using Figma. These digital wireframes were based on user research and addressed specific pain points in their layouts. These wireframes focused on providing the user with a convenient way to rent physical and digital book versions together at an affordable price.
Usability Study
I conducted an unmoderated usability study with six diverse participants to find improvement opportunities in my initial designs. Each participant went through the process of renting a book using a low-fidelity digital prototype and recorded their interactions with the wireframes. I used the findings from the study to influence my design decisions when refining the wireframes into mockups.
Mockups
The original digital wireframes include key elements and focus on functionality. The mockups added onto these elements through large images and high-contrast buttons to help the user navigate the website. The mockups also utilized gestalt principles to group sections together without relying on excessive white space.
Design Choices
The mockups make use of dividers and bars to separate content. This clear separation allows the designs to use reduced padding and features more elements at any given time. The final mockups use a green-yellow color palette with a flat, clean design that has stayed consistent throughout the project.
High Fidelity Prototype
The final high-fidelity prototype follows a user flow as they rent The Great Gatsby using an existing account. This prototype presents ease of navigation as well as a straightforward checkout process. Users also have multiple options to search for their book and can easily transition forward and backward throughout the flow.
