Idean Singapore · CLIENT: National Library Board, Singapore
Future of the Digitally Society is a mobile application created for a public library service. The application combines browsing, searching, sharing and personalised recommendations in one interface. Augmented reality mapping and low power Bluetooth beacons help users locate books, receive contextual messages and find assistance inside library branches. Books can be borrowed by scanning a barcode, saved to personal shelves or reserved for collection at any branch. The design connects the physical library with digital channels in a continuous experience.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The newly designed app had delightful browsing experience coupled with
efficient searching, able to build communities through sharing and have
smart and personalised recommendations. The physical finding and
borrowing experience was enhance through AR mapping and low power
beacon technology to help library users to find books or look for
assistance - Dimensions & Packaging
- 143.6mm x 70.9mm
- Tags
- interactive, seamless journey, digital, customer experience, experience design
- Production Technology
- The newly design app included beacons, a blue-tooth wireless technology to pinpoint the location of library users and to deliver personalised messages to their mobile devices.
With the usage of this technology, it allows interactive content such as introducing new books added to a particular library branch the user is at. Additionally, library users are also able to track the location and availability of the book realtime.
There were many rounds of testing to have the best placement of the beacons to gather the best detection. Not to forget, user-testing has been done to ensure the technology is feasible and aid in the entire journey of a library user. - Design Challenge
- Trying to break the norm of a typical app that allows e-reading, purchasing of books, browsing of books on a small screen.
There were also constraints to cater to the behaviour of various user types, such as an avid reader who knows what they want to a browser who requires recommendations.
Also with the vast amount of books available, to ensure that browsing on the app is efficient yet able to bring out the best books available has to be present in the design.
The design has to be modern to cater to the current generation today, yet speaking the language of an older generation who understands the flow and process easily. - Project Duration
- The project started in May 2019 in Singapore and finished the design process in September 2019.
- Operation Flow
- When a library user is within the range of the beacon technology, users will be welcomed with a personalised message from the library.
The content of the app will then display contextual information and content pertaining to the library branch itself.
With that, users are able to have a better experience at the physical library with up to date information of the library branch such as new books added in that branch and up-coming workshops.
Library users will also be able to track the location of the book with the aid of the technology.
Efficiency in loaning a book, just scan the barcode to borrow!
The newly designed app also calls for a better user journey when browsing books on the go. Where users are able to add favourites to their shelves. And if they would like to borrow a physical book, they are able to reserve the book on the app and collect it at any branch. - Research
- The team first started off by doing ground research on what is relevant to the digital natives today by speaking to them and asking them about their reading habits. Not forgetting to find the best practices in today's context for books, comparing it across physical bookstores, online bookstores and libraries around the world.
Thereafter, we dive into targetted users and categorised them based on their level of engagement and the opportunities for conversion.
The team did an in-depth interview with random users at the library and the categories of users based on their journey of reader.
The team also identified the pain points of the current app today and did an evaluation to improve and turn these pain points into opportunities for improvement in the app.
Thereafter, big ides and ideation started to form and that was where we did rounds of testing of ideas with users. All in all, was to improve the overall user journeys of a reader, be it with physical books or e-books. - Inspiration
- The aim was to build a library of tomorrow,to bring values to make the library relevant and appealing to the digital natives.
The newly designed app was to merge physical and digital worlds by creating a consistent brand experience between the physical library and digital channels in which transactions, data, and history is continuous across all channels.
Not forgetting to bring the romance we have with books from the physical space to a digital space, a quaint place to unleash our imaginations - Image Credits
- Image #1: Idean Design Team, Future of library video, 2018.
Image #2: Idean Design Team, Future of library video, 2018.
Image #3: Idean Design Team, Future of library video, 2018.
Image #4: Idean Design Team, Future of library video, 2018.
Image #5: Idean Design Team, Future of library video, 2018.
Video Credits: Hu Emmanuelle, Future of library video, 2018.
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