Husky Nap
A Husky Nap is an app developed to support the functionality of the Husky Nap Lounge.
Role
UI/UX Design/ User Researcher
Duration
March 2023 - June 2023
Project Type
Mobile APP Design
Problem
Students who do not live on campus hard to find a place to rest during the gap between each class.
Sleep quality affects students’ mental health and academic performance.
Goal
Enhance Accessibility to Rest Spaces
Ensure Safety and Privacy
Challenge
How can we help the student to find an appropriate rest zone while also protecting their privacy and safety?
How do we provide them with a seamless and safe path to finding/booking rooms/completing the process?
Design Process
Ideate
Our app for space reservation allows students to check the availability of nap lounges, ensuring they can find a place to rest or see if a lounge is fully occupied.
Instructions and Rules：
Time Limits: Each nap session has a designated time limit to ensure fair usage.
Noise Restrictions: Maintain a quiet environment to respect others' need for rest.
Reservation System: Users must book their nap sessions through the app to secure a spot.
The app also provides a comprehensive overview of the nap lounge's features and amenities, giving potential users all the information they need.
Key Features：
Availability Check: Easily see which nap lounges have available space.
Nap Time Tracking: Record and monitor your nap duration.
Nap History: Keep track of your nap sessions over time.
Health Records: Track health metrics such as calories burned.
Nearest Nap Lounge Finder: Locate the closest nap lounge, addressing the challenge of finding a place to rest.
The app is designed to enhance the nap lounge experience, making it easier and more convenient for students to find and use these restful spaces.
Usability Testing
We began by testing our low-fidelity design with 5 informatics students. The nap lounge concept was well-received, but users had difficulty finding lounges due to the app redirecting to Google Maps. Users also suggested adding a calendar for time availability. Based on this feedback, we enhanced the design by integrating map navigation, a scheduling calendar, and reservation management features.
Next, we tested our high-fidelity prototype with 4 informatics students. They were asked to go through the entire reservation process, from the homepage to selecting and booking a nap lounge. Users initially found it confusing to navigate by clicking the app logo, so we added a start icon for clearer navigation.
The updated app was praised for its personalized experience, time and effort savings, convenient booking process, flexibility, control, and overall enhanced user satisfaction.
Prototype
To ensure nap lounge security and availability, access is restricted to users in login mode. This prevents non-UW individuals from occupying lounge spaces and interfering with UW students and faculty seeking rest. As the figure shows, requiring users to log in establishes a layer of authentication that verifies their affiliation with the university. This helps maintain the integrity of the Nap Lounge as a dedicated space for the UW community to relax and recharge, preventing unauthorized individuals from causing disturbances or overcrowding.
As the figure shows, the nap lounge app offers users a convenient way to find and locate nearby nap lounges. The app's search page features a user-friendly interface with a map displaying available lounges in the user's vicinity. This map allows users to visualize lounge locations, making it easier to choose the most convenient option.
Upon accessing the search page, users can interact with the map by zooming in, zooming out, and panning to explore different areas. The map is populated with markers representing nap lounges nearby. Each marker provides key information about the lounge, such as its name, distance from the user's current location, and additional details like user ratings or special amenities. Users can initiate a search by entering their current location or allowing the app to access their GPS data to automatically detect their position.
The homepage of our application is designed to create a welcoming and inviting experience for users, addressing their needs and challenges effectively. A prominent welcome slogan at the center greets users and serves as a clickable link to the secure login page, ensuring quick and effortless access. With a clean and tidy aesthetic, ample white space, and balanced composition, the design enhances visual appeal and helps users easily navigate. Optimized for fast loading times and featuring a responsive design, the app ensures a seamless experience across different devices while incorporating secure login and data encryption to provide a safe, fast, and flexible system supporting the Husky Nap Lounge.
As the figure shows, the Nap Lounge application offers users three key features: searching for available lounge spaces, making reservations, and accessing help and support. Here are the details:
Searching for Available Lounge Spaces: Users can search for available nap lounges on a map, selecting the lounge closest to their current location.
Making Reservations: After finding a desired nap lounge space, users can make reservations directly through the application. This feature allows users to select their preferred date and time slot, ensuring they have a guaranteed space reserved for their rest.
As the figures show, making a reservation in the Nap Lounge application is designed to be user-friendly and streamlined. Once users have identified their desired nap lounge space, they can easily proceed with making a reservation by following these steps:
Select Date and Time: The reservation feature presents users with a calendar or date picker interface. Here, users can choose the specific date they wish to reserve a nap lounge space. They can navigate through the calendar to find their preferred date and select the desired time slot for their nap, offering flexibility to fit their schedule.
Check Availability: Before confirming the reservation, the application checks the availability of the selected nap lounge space for the chosen date and time. If the space is available, users can proceed to the next step. If not, the app notifies the user and suggests alternative options or available time slots.
Confirm Reservation: Once satisfied with the reservation details, users can confirm their booking by clicking a "Confirm" or "Book" button. This action finalizes the reservation, securing the chosen nap lounge space exclusively for the user during the selected date and time. Users may receive a confirmation email or notification with their reservation information.
Manage Reservations: The application also provides options to manage reservations. Users can modify the reservation, such as changing the date or time slot, or cancel it if necessary. These features give users flexibility and control over their nap lounge reservations, allowing adjustments to be made as needed.
Retro
Reflecting on the development of the Husky Nap app, we are pleased with the progress made in creating a user-friendly and efficient platform to support the Husky Nap Lounge. The app’s user-friendly design, with a clear welcome slogan and secure login features, has effectively addressed user needs for quick access and ease of navigation. Its clean aesthetic and responsive design have enhanced user experience across various devices, while secure data protection has ensured user privacy. Moving forward, we plan to build on these features by expanding customization options and integrating more advanced amenities based on user feedback. We aim to continuously refine the app to better meet the evolving needs of our university community, ensuring it remains an essential tool for finding rest and enhancing well-being.