Application Design I / Project 1: Mobile Application Proposal
Project 1: Mobile Application Proposal
Table of Contents
- Module Information Booklet (MIB)
- Lectures
- Project 1: Mobile Application Proposal
- Feedbacks
- Reflections
Fig.1 Module Information Booklet (MIB)
Lectures
Week 1/ Introduction to Mobile Application Design
During the first week, Mr. Zeon briefed us on the module outline and his expectations for this subject. He introduced us to the basics of mobile application design and emphasized the importance of good app design in enhancing user experience.
He also highlighted that our assignment progress would be closely monitored and is an important part of the assessment. For our first task, we were instructed to identify and analyze three mobile applications with design flaws in order to prepare a draft proposal for a redesign.
Week 2/ User-Centered Design, User Interface, User Experience
In Week 2, we learned the fundamentals of User-Centered Design (UCD), User Experience (UX), and User Interface (UI) design. Mr. Zeon introduced us to the UCD process, which will play a key role in the final submission of Project 1.
UCD is a design approach that puts user needs at the center, helping us create interfaces that are not only functional but also intuitive and visually appealing. UX focuses on how users interact with the app—ensuring that it’s smooth and efficient—while UI focuses on the visual elements that shape those interactions.
Week 3/ Usability: Designing Products for User Satisfaction
This week, Mr. Zeon emphasized the importance of usability in mobile application design. We explored key usability principles such as consistency, simplicity, visibility, feedback, and error prevention — all of which contribute to a more satisfying and effective user experience.
He also reminded us that our final project proposals are due in Week 4, and each student will be given 8 minutes to present their ideas.
Week 4/ Final Proposal Presentation
This week, we were required to present our final proposal in class through a physical presentation. Each student had to showcase their selected app, highlight its current design issues, and explain their redesign concept and solutions.
Project 1: Mobile Application Proposal
Task Requirements:
- Prepare a proposal document for your mobile application project.
- Choose an existing app with poor user experience or interface design and redesign it and it's subject to initial approval from the module coordinator.
- Conduct surveys, interviews, market analysis, and research related to your chosen app.
- Your document should also outline the main features of the app and include a clear app flowchart.
- This proposal will be used to decide if your app concept is suitable to move forward to the development stage.
Draft Proposal / Week 1-2
For this week’s assignment, I’m working on analyzing and researching app designs. The task requires me to select three company apps that I believe need design improvements. I will be identifying their current flaws and thinking of solutions for improvement.
After a few days of research, here are my 3 options for apps redesign:
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| Fig.2.1 Apps redesign |
- Memrise
- Lotus's Malaysia
- Marrybrown
As Mr. Zeon advised us during Week 1, we should avoid choosing popular apps like TGV, McDonald's, KFC, Watsons, or Guardian to prevent doing the same apps that our seniors have worked on. So, I spent some time searching for suitable apps to analyze and redesign.
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| Fig.2.2 Option #1 Memrise App |
First, I chose Memrise. Although it has a high rating of 4.6 out of 5, based on my personal experience using it for language learning, I found that there is still a lot of room for improvement. The app lacks proper content organization and has inconsistent vocabulary representions which makes navigation and learning process confusing. Plus, with strong competitors like Duolingo offering a better user experience, I believe Memrise is a good candidate for redesigning in this project.
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| Fig.2.3 Option #2 Lotus's App |
Moving on, I looked into the Lotus's app, which has a rating of 3.1 out of 5. I found its cluttered homepage quite overwhelming, making me lose the motivation to continue using it. Besides that, the app offers limited payment methods and has repetitive design and content, which weakens the overall user experience.
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| Fig.2.4 Option #3 Marrybrown App |
Lastly, I analyzed the Marrybrown app, rated 3.3 out of 5. I noticed that it is not user-friendly — I often tapped the wrong buttons and got redirected to places I didn’t intend to go. This seriously affected my experience and made the app frustrating to use.
During Week 2, I discussed my draft proposal with Mr. Zeon in class. He confirmed that there were no issues and encouraged me to proceed with my selected app, Memrise.
Click HERE for the Draft Proposal:
Fig.2.5 Mobile Application Design, Draft Proposal
Research / Week 2-3
Using this tool gave me a clearer picture of who the app is really reaching and how it performs compared to others. This information is especially helpful for shaping my design decisions and planning improvements based on real user trends instead of assumptions.
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| Fig.3.1 Memrise on Similar Web |
Then, I selected three competitor apps in the language learning category: Duolingo, Babbel, and Drops. These apps are well-known in the market and provided a solid benchmark for comparison. I used each of these apps personally to understand their features, design, and user experience. This hands-on experience helped me compare them directly with Memrise and identify areas where Memrise could improve.
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| Fig.3.2 Memrise's Competitors App |
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| Fig.3.3 Competitive Analysis |
Memrise is a language learning app based in London, UK. It uses brief video clips of native speakers, interactive exercises, and spaced repetition of flashcards to help users build their real-world language skills.
With a focus on vocabulary, pronunciation, and listening practice, Memrise provides a gamified experience that keeps users interested while gradually improving their fluency. The program supports a wide range of languages and is excellent for both beginners and intermediate learners.
The purpose of this proposal is to explore opportunities to improve and redesign the overall user experience of the Memrise app. By identifying current pain points and applying user-centered solutions, the goal is to enhance user satisfaction, engagement, and learning effectiveness.
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| Fig.4.1 Final Proposal Progress |
Here is an overview of what I presented in my final proposal:
1.1 Purpose of Proposal
1.2 Purpose of Research App
1.3 Why Mobile App Design is Important?
1.4 The Impact of Mobile Application Design on UX
2.1 App Current Design
2.2 Summary of Ratings and Reviews
2.3 Weaknesses & Solutions
2.4 Summary
3.2 Babbel
3.3 Drops
5.2 Primary Goals & Secondary Goals
5.3 Redesign Strategy
6.2 Plan for user testing
8.0 References
Click HERE for the Final Mobile Application Proposal:
Feedbacks
Week 1: No feedback this week.
Week 2: He informed me that our seniors have previously worked on Lotus’s App. However, he confirmed that there’s no problem for me to proceed with my preferred choice, which is Memrise APP.
Week 3: Mr. Zeon reviewed my final mobile application proposal slides. I had listed down the weaknesses of the Memrise app along with my proposed solutions. After going through my work, he gave positive feedback and said that it was okay to proceed with completing the rest of the slides.
Week 4: I presented my final proposal physically in class. Mr. Zeon said the overall presentation was good, but he suggested a few refinements to improve it further. His feedback included:
- Add a summary of user reviews to support the issues identified
- Provide a more detailed competitive analysis, as the current one is too general
- Make the redesign objectives more specific
- Include a final conclusion slide to wrap up the proposal clearly
Reflections
Working on the Memrise redesign proposal has been a meaningful experience that deepened my understanding of mobile app UI/UX design. Through research, user analysis, and competitive comparison, I was able to identify not just surface-level issues, but deeper design problems such as inconsistent hierarchy, content overload, and missed opportunities for user motivation.
One of the biggest takeaways from this assignment was learning how to translate vague feedback like "improve user experience" into clear, actionable design objectives. Instead of using broad terms, I focused on specific changes like organizing vocabulary content, improving navigation, and introducing motivational feedback to create a more intuitive and engaging learning environment.
This project also strengthened my skills in user-centered thinking. I became more aware of how small design decisions, like icon size or content grouping, can significantly impact usability. Comparing Memrise to competitors like Duolingo, Babbel, and Drops helped me recognize what makes a mobile learning experience feel smooth, effective, and rewarding.
Overall, this assignment challenged me to think critically, communicate ideas clearly, and justify my design choices with user needs in mind. It reminded me that good design is not just about how an app looks — but how well it supports real users in achieving their goals.
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