Zakera Wadud
Realones
Realones
Realones
A Centralized Platform for Community Engagement and Business Growth
A Centralized Platform for Community Engagement and Business Growth
A Centralized Platform for Community Engagement and Business Growth
Roles
Roles
Roles
I assumed the following roles designing this app:
I assumed the following roles designing this app:
I assumed the following roles designing this app:
User Experience (UX) Designer
Interaction (lxD) Designer
User Interface (IJI) Designer
Visual Designer
User Experience (UX) Designer
Interaction (lxD) Designer
User Interface (IJI) Designer
Visual Designer
User Experience (UX) Designer
Interaction (lxD) Designer
User Interface (IJI) Designer
Visual Designer
Deliverables
Deliverables
Deliverables
Interaction Design:
Interaction Design:
High-fidelity interactive prototypes
High-fidelity interactive prototypes
High-fidelity interactive prototypes
UI/UX Design:
UI/UX Design:
User Flows
High-fidelity mockups and prototypes
Design system and UI kit
User Flows
High-fidelity mockups and prototypes
Design system and UI kit
User Flows
High-fidelity mockups and prototypes
Design system and UI kit
Tools
Tools
Tools
Figma
Slack
Photoshop
Illustrator
Figma
Slack
Photoshop
Illustrator
Figma
Slack
Photoshop
Illustrator
Overview
Overview
Overview
In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, Connecting businesses with the local community can be challenging. Businesses need better ways to reach people, and community members want an easy way to find events, services, and deals.
In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, Connecting businesses with the local community can be challenging. Businesses need better ways to reach people, and community members want an easy way to find events, services, and deals.
That’s why REALONES was created—a simple platform that helps businesses and communities connect, share, and grow. With features like event management, business profiles, and announcements, users can easily find, interact, and stay updated with local businesses and activities.
That’s why REALONES was created—a simple platform that helps businesses and communities connect, share, and grow. With features like event management, business profiles, and announcements, users can easily find, interact, and stay updated with local businesses and activities.
Business Goals
Business Goals
Business Goals
Increase community engagement
Help businesses grow
Provide a seamless experience for both community members and businesses.
Increase community engagement
Help businesses grow
Provide a seamless experience for both community members and businesses.
Increase community engagement
Help businesses grow
Provide a seamless experience for both community members and businesses.
Users Goals
Users Goals
Users Goals
For Community Members: Users can save lists, attend events, receive updates, and discover businesses that align with their interests.
For Businesses: The platform helps businesses increase visibility, build customer relationships, and manage events efficiently.
For Community Members: Users can save lists, attend events, receive updates, and discover businesses that align with their interests.
For Businesses: The platform helps businesses increase visibility, build customer relationships, and manage events efficiently.
For Community Members: Users can save lists, attend events, receive updates, and discover businesses that align with their interests.
For Businesses: The platform helps businesses increase visibility, build customer relationships, and manage events efficiently.
The Challenges
The Challenges
The Challenges
The app had to meet both business goals and community users' needs without overwhelming the interface.
Initial wireframes were chaotic, requiring the creation of a cohesive design system for consistency.
Designing intuitive navigation for both businesses and community users required careful structuring and testing.
Optimizing real-time map views and list switching for performance was a technical challenge.
The app had to meet accessibility standards without compromising on design aesthetics.
The design needed to accommodate future features like QR codes and in-app purchases, ensuring long-term scalability.
The app had to meet both business goals and community users' needs without overwhelming the interface.
Initial wireframes were chaotic, requiring the creation of a cohesive design system for consistency.
Designing intuitive navigation for both businesses and community users required careful structuring and testing.
Optimizing real-time map views and list switching for performance was a technical challenge.
The app had to meet accessibility standards without compromising on design aesthetics.
The design needed to accommodate future features like QR codes and in-app purchases, ensuring long-term scalability.
The app had to meet both business goals and community users' needs without overwhelming the interface.
Initial wireframes were chaotic, requiring the creation of a cohesive design system for consistency.
Designing intuitive navigation for both businesses and community users required careful structuring and testing.
Optimizing real-time map views and list switching for performance was a technical challenge.
The app had to meet accessibility standards without compromising on design aesthetics.
The design needed to accommodate future features like QR codes and in-app purchases, ensuring long-term scalability.
Key Features Included
Key Features Included
Key Features Included
Business Profiles: Businesses can create profiles, add announcements, and share deals.
Community Engagement: Users can save lists, events, and interact with business profiles.
Event Management: Users can create, share, and attend events.
Analytics: Provides businesses with insights into user interaction.
Business Profiles: Businesses can create profiles, add announcements, and share deals.
Community Engagement: Users can save lists, events, and interact with business profiles.
Event Management: Users can create, share, and attend events.
Analytics: Provides businesses with insights into user interaction.
Business Profiles: Businesses can create profiles, add announcements, and share deals.
Community Engagement: Users can save lists, events, and interact with business profiles.
Event Management: Users can create, share, and attend events.
Analytics: Provides businesses with insights into user interaction.
How I Started
How I Started
Step-1: Tackling the Chaos
Step-1: Tackling the Chaos
The first step was to gain a clear understanding of the current state of the app. I carefully reviewed the wireframes and immediately recognized the key issues:
The wireframe they shared were chaotic and unorganized
No clear user journey.
Inconsistent buttons and fonts across screens.
Mismatched icons and other design elements.
The first step was to gain a clear understanding of the current state of the app. I carefully reviewed the wireframes and immediately recognized the key issues:
The wireframe they shared were chaotic and unorganized
No clear user journey.
Inconsistent buttons and fonts across screens.
Mismatched icons and other design elements.
With these problems in mind, I set out to create a more structured and intuitive user flow.
With these problems in mind, I set out to create a more structured and intuitive user flow.
Step-2: Building a Logical User Flow
Step-2: Building a Logical User Flow
My goal was to organize the app around how both businesses and community members would naturally use it. I mapped out the entire user journey—from signing up, to managing profiles, to interacting with lists and events. This user flow helped identify missing screens and confusing interactions, which allowed me to refine and simplify the overall experience. Once the flow was clear, I knew exactly which screens I needed to create or update.
My goal was to organize the app around how both businesses and community members would naturally use it. I mapped out the entire user journey—from signing up, to managing profiles, to interacting with lists and events. This user flow helped identify missing screens and confusing interactions, which allowed me to refine and simplify the overall experience. Once the flow was clear, I knew exactly which screens I needed to create or update.
Step 3: Designing the Missing Pieces
Step 3: Designing the Missing Pieces
After solidifying the user flow, I started designing the screens that were either missing or needed significant improvement. For example, the event creation process was incomplete and confusing. I added key steps like confirmation, editing, and canceling events, ensuring the layout was intuitive and consistent with the rest of the app.
After solidifying the user flow, I started designing the screens that were either missing or needed significant improvement. For example, the event creation process was incomplete and confusing. I added key steps like confirmation, editing, and canceling events, ensuring the layout was intuitive and consistent with the rest of the app.
At this point, I wasn’t just adding screens—I was enhancing the overall experience. Everything needed to feel connected and seamless, from managing profiles to attending events.
At this point, I wasn’t just adding screens—I was enhancing the overall experience. Everything needed to feel connected and seamless, from managing profiles to attending events.
Step 4: Cleaning Up the UI
Step 4: Cleaning Up the UI
The existing UI was inconsistent and difficult to follow, so my next goal was to give it a cohesive facelift:
The existing UI was inconsistent and difficult to follow, so my next goal was to give it a cohesive facelift:
Color Scheme: I introduced a unified color palette to ensure that buttons, text, and interactive elements matched across the app.
Icons: I standardized icon sizes and styles to remove visual inconsistencies and improve clarity.
Typography: I selected a modern, clean font system with consistent sizes for headings, subheadings, and body
Color Scheme: I introduced a unified color palette to ensure that buttons, text, and interactive elements matched across the app.
Icons: I standardized icon sizes and styles to remove visual inconsistencies and improve clarity.
Typography: I selected a modern, clean font system with consistent sizes for headings, subheadings, and body
Step-5: Testing and Refining the Design
Step-5: Testing and Refining the Design
Step-5: Testing and Refining the Design
Solutions That Made a Difference
Solutions That Made a Difference
Problem
Problem
Problem
How do I ensure the navigation feels seamless for two distinct user types?
How do I ensure the navigation feels seamless for two distinct user types?
Solution : Clear Separation for Different User Types
Solution : Clear Separation for Different User Types
Solution : Clear Separation for Different User Types
To make navigation easier for both businesses and community members, I introduced distinct sections within the app:
To make navigation easier for both businesses and community members, I introduced distinct sections within the app:
Personal Account (Green UI): Designed for community members to access their saved lists, favorite businesses, and event check-ins.
Business Account (Red UI): Created for business owners to manage events, track analytics, and engage with customers through their business profiles.
Personal Account (Green UI): Designed for community members to access their saved lists, favorite businesses, and event check-ins.
Business Account (Red UI): Created for business owners to manage events, track analytics, and engage with customers through their business profiles.
This visual and functional separation ensures that each user type can easily find relevant features without confusion. The structured layout improves usability, allowing users to navigate smoothly and access the tools they need with minimal effort.
This visual and functional separation ensures that each user type can easily find relevant features without confusion. The structured layout improves usability, allowing users to navigate smoothly and access the tools they need with minimal effort.
Problem
Problem
Problem
How can I make it obvious whether a business profile is fully set up or still needs work?
How can I make it obvious whether a business profile is fully set up or still needs work?
Solution : Profile Completion Indicators
Solution : Profile Completion Indicators
Solution : Profile Completion Indicators
To make it easy for businesses to see whether their profiles were fully set up, I introduced clear visual indicators:
To make it easy for businesses to see whether their profiles were fully set up, I introduced clear visual indicators:
Solid pin icons for completed business profiles, helping users quickly identify fully set-up profiles.
Outlined location icons for incomplete profiles, signaling that additional setup is needed.
A profile completeness meter directly on the business dashboard, allowing business owners to track their progress at a glance.
Solid pin icons for completed business profiles, helping users quickly identify fully set-up profiles.
Outlined location icons for incomplete profiles, signaling that additional setup is needed.
A profile completeness meter directly on the business dashboard, allowing business owners to track their progress at a glance.
This simple but effective solution helps businesses understand what’s missing and complete their profiles efficiently, ensuring a better user experience for both businesses and the community.
This simple but effective solution helps businesses understand what’s missing and complete their profiles efficiently, ensuring a better user experience for both businesses and the community.
Problem
Problem
Problem
Managing events and lists has to be easy, but how can I prevent it from becoming overwhelming?
Managing events and lists has to be easy, but how can I prevent it from becoming overwhelming?
Solution : Simplified Event and List Management
Solution : Simplified Event and List Management
Solution : Simplified Event and List Management
To make managing events and lists easy and organized, I designed an intuitive layout for the Event Creation screen, allowing users to:
To make managing events and lists easy and organized, I designed an intuitive layout for the Event Creation screen, allowing users to:
Quickly create, edit, postpone, or cancel events with just a few taps.
Use the "My Lists" section to manage both public and event-specific lists while receiving notifications for updates and interactions.
Quickly create, edit, postpone, or cancel events with just a few taps.
Use the "My Lists" section to manage both public and event-specific lists while receiving notifications for updates and interactions.
This structured approach streamlined the interface, making it simple, accessible, and efficient for users to keep track of events and lists without feeling overwhelmed.
This structured approach streamlined the interface, making it simple, accessible, and efficient for users to keep track of events and lists without feeling overwhelmed.
Problem
Problem
Problem
What would businesses really want to know about their performance?
What would businesses really want to know about their performance?
What would businesses really want to know about their performance?
What would businesses really want to know about their performance?
Solution : Clear and Actionable Business Analytics
Solution : Clear and Actionable Business Analytics
Solution : Clear and Actionable Business Analytics
To help businesses understand their performance, I designed a dedicated Analytics dashboard that provides key interaction metrics in a simple and easy-to-read format.
To help businesses understand their performance, I designed a dedicated Analytics dashboard that provides key interaction metrics in a simple and easy-to-read format.
The Analytics tab includes insights on:
The Analytics tab includes insights on:
Profile views, shares, and favorites, helping businesses track engagement.
List analytics, showing subscriber growth and the most popular lists.
Event attendance tracking, giving businesses a clear view of user participation.
Profile views, shares, and favorites, helping businesses track engagement.
List analytics, showing subscriber growth and the most popular lists.
Event attendance tracking, giving businesses a clear view of user participation.
By presenting these insights in an organized and visual way, businesses can make data-driven decisions to improve engagement and outreach effectively.
By presenting these insights in an organized and visual way, businesses can make data-driven decisions to improve engagement and outreach effectively.
Problem
Problem
Problem
Why aren’t users upgrading to higher tiers? Maybe the benefits aren’t clear enough.
Why aren’t users upgrading to higher tiers? Maybe the benefits aren’t clear enough.
Solution : Transparent and Attractive Upgrade Options
Solution : Transparent and Attractive Upgrade Options
Solution : Transparent and Attractive Upgrade Options
To encourage more users to upgrade, I redesigned the upgrade flow by introducing clearly defined tiered options, such as Real Elite and Real Plus.
To encourage more users to upgrade, I redesigned the upgrade flow by introducing clearly defined tiered options, such as Real Elite and Real Plus.
Each upgrade screen now highlights:
Each upgrade screen now highlights:
Exclusive benefits like community management tools and increased visibility.
Specific features unlocked at each tier, such as VIP event access, advanced search filters, and priority support.
Exclusive benefits like community management tools and increased visibility.
Specific features unlocked at each tier, such as VIP event access, advanced search filters, and priority support.
By making the value of upgrading more visible and appealing, users can easily understand why upgrading is beneficial, leading to higher conversions.
By making the value of upgrading more visible and appealing, users can easily understand why upgrading is beneficial, leading to higher conversions.
Looking Ahead: Future Enhancements
Looking Ahead: Future Enhancements
Looking Ahead: Future Enhancements
REALONES successfully streamlined local business engagement, improved community interactions, and provided businesses with powerful insights to grow their audience. By prioritizing usability, structured UI design, and a clear navigation framework, I transformed the platform into a seamless and engaging experience.
REALONES successfully streamlined local business engagement, improved community interactions, and provided businesses with powerful insights to grow their audience. By prioritizing usability, structured UI design, and a clear navigation framework, I transformed the platform into a seamless and engaging experience.
Looking forward, additional features are in development:
Looking forward, additional features are in development:
QR Code Integration – Businesses will be able to share profiles, promotions, and events via QR codes for faster engagement.
In-App Purchases – Users will be able to purchase products or services from businesses directly through the platform.
QR Code Integration – Businesses will be able to share profiles, promotions, and events via QR codes for faster engagement.
In-App Purchases – Users will be able to purchase products or services from businesses directly through the platform.
The journey doesn’t stop here, and I’m excited to see how these improvements will shape the future of REALONES.
The journey doesn’t stop here, and I’m excited to see how these improvements will shape the future of REALONES.