01 - Los Angeles Public Library
01 - Los Angeles Public Library
01 - Los Angeles Public Library
The LA Public Library is one of the largest and most prolific public library systems in the US. They offer an array of services, programs and resources that go beyond what many presume a standard library would offer. This app was designed with the vision of lending more transparency to these services and features, and giving users a more streamlined and modernized way of accessing them.
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View Prototype
The LA Public Library is one of the largest and most prolific public library systems in the US. They offer an array of services, programs and resources that go beyond what many presume a standard library would offer. This app was designed with the vision of lending more transparency to these services and features, and giving users a more streamlined and modernized way of accessing them.
View in Figma
View Prototype
The LA Public Library is one of the largest and most prolific public library systems in the US. They offer an array of services, programs and resources that go beyond what many presume a standard library would offer. This app was designed with the vision of lending more transparency to these services and features, and giving users a more streamlined and modernized way of accessing them.
View in Figma
View Prototype
Project Objective
Project Objective
This project began with the objective to create a digital solution for the library’s lack of modernization and accessibility, with an emphasis on its more obscure services and/or resources it offers. After exploring a variety of different services and discussions with library personnel, we decided to use LAPL’s Octavia Lab as our main point of focus, given its assets as a digital makerspace, its relative obscurity in LAPL’s current website, and its less-than-ideal reservation system for prospective users.
We made plans to collect user data through user interviews, a supplemental survey, and competitive and comparative analysis. We also met multiple library affiliates to get a better sense of what solutions had been previously tested, what the library was currently working on implementing, and any other information that could be useful to us.
We started this project with the objective to create a digital solution for the library’s lack of modernization, with an emphasis on its more obscure services and/or resources. We deliberated for a few hours as to what direction we would take this project. In the interim, it was going to be about collecting the most rich data we possibly could, as this project would require plenty of user research.
After exploring a variety of different services and discussions with library administrators, we decided to use LAPL’s Octavia Lab as our main point of focus, given its many different assets as a digital makerspace, its relative obscurity in LAPL’s current website, and its less-than-ideal reservation system for prospective users.
We started this project with the objective to create a digital solution for the library’s lack of modernization, with an emphasis on its more obscure services and/or resources. We deliberated for a few hours as to what direction we would take this project. In the interim, it was going to be about collecting the most rich data we possibly could, as this project would require plenty of user research.
After exploring a variety of different services and discussions with library administrators, we decided to use LAPL’s Octavia Lab as our main point of focus, given its many different assets as a digital makerspace, its relative obscurity in LAPL’s current website, and its less-than-ideal reservation system for prospective users.
Competitive Audit
We looked into San Diego Public Library and New York Public Library as major direct competitors to see what user interfaces they use, what services and resources they offer, and how they make those resources available. We also looked at the app Libby, which is a digital check-out platform for library-owned media for library card holders everywhere.
Comparative Analysis
Service apps Open Table, WeWork, FedEx Office, and Task Rabbit were assessed. Using a plus/delta analysis model, our goal with this was to learn more about how programs similar to LAPL’s have been optimized for the user in for-profit businesses and whether or not their respective designs could help give us some direction.
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User Interviews
Our target audience, for the purposes of the project scope, is primarily makers, builders or creators. This made up the bulk of our interviewees, with most of them being either current or former users of library services. We outlined a general interview script based upon three parts - library impressions, blockers, and use of public makerspaces. We then prompted the users to work through LAPL’s current website in an effort to gauge the validity of its features and user experience design.
Survey
Used to accrue supplemental data and provide us with added insights from creative types, most of whom were not library users. There was quite a disparity in survey responses as to users’ impressions of public makerspaces, their creative processes, and their impressions of libraries in general. So, while this data helped us validate user interview responses, it was largely used as a feature prioritization resource.
Synthesizing Research
Affinity mapping pointed to a chasm of diverse data. We generated 61 different “i” statements from countless data points that we then separated into 7 categories based on their relevance. This was too broad, so we used matrices to help us decipher who we were designing for.
Problem Statements
Constrained by a lack of funds, Carson needs a cost-friendly and accessible space to record and produce his music in a manner that approaches the quality of the studio experience that he’s accustomed to.
Katrina needs a better way to discover how to engage with her new local library because she just moved to the city and doesn’t know how to plug herself into it.
Ideation
We started the ideation process by deciding which features to prioritize, followed by a list of “How Might We’s” to help us reorganize our thoughts after marathon research and synthesis phases. Key research-backed features we wanted to implement included:
A digital memberships system for library affiliated services
Improved navigation system (from current app/website)
Personalization in the form of an orientation process
Ability for user to book reservations for services through the app
Since we would want to design our new navigation system before any more ideative processes, my team decided on doing a closed card sort for a new site map. We did this by individually mapping our ideal nav system, then collaborating on a final iteration of a sitemap before beginning design implementation.
Implementation
After developing general ideations of our prioritized features, we were ready to set up our style guide. Given that LAPL has existing brand colors and typeface, we didn't want to stray too far. We decided on a more modern and minimalist approach, without compromising the pre-existing LAPL aesthetic.
Wireframing
Our first frames attributed user-preferred content, a multi-tiered navigation system, and a more intuitive feel than LAPL's website. We had largely positive initial feedback in usability testing, with the most common pain points among users being that we had inconsistencies with the navigation system, and confusing labels for select buttons.
Usability Testing
After making post-usability test changes and increasing our frame fidelity a bit, we made some changes to how our secondary navigation was presented, to reorganize our reservation booking pages, and to make minor changes to our color scheme to create more navigational clarity.
Hi-fi and Prototype
This app combines intuitive design with convenience of service. It incorporates user preferences while spotlighting obscure library services, offers a membership and reservation management system, and personalizes the user experience to fit the individual needs of a highly diverse group of library users.