What's Popin
Led the concept & design for a community engagement platforms empowering small businesses
01 SUMMARY
Popin was born from the recognition that the vibrant world of pop-up businesses and local vendors is often overshadowed by the dominance of large corporations. In this competitive landscape, small businesses struggle to gain visibility and connect with their target audiences due to limited resources and marketing budgets.
Recognizing this disparity, we set out to create Popin – a platform designed to empower these unique businesses and connect them with a wider audience.
OTHER CONTRIBUTORS
Product owners, Engineering leads and Marketing executive
02 MY ROLE
As Product Designer, I initially collaborated with the Product Manager to research and conceptualize the idea for popin. I established a robust design system and designed the complete platform with applications across iOS, Android, and web – leading the project to identify opportunities and drive engagement in the local pop-up business marketplace.
Discovered how customers and business owners currently feel about the local pop-up business. I created a number of possible solutions that was critiqued by the wider design and product team and tested with the new Popin customers.
03 THE PLAN
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Existing platforms fail to effectively connect pop-up businesses with their target audience. The lack of a dedicated platform creates a significant challenge for vendors who struggle to gain visibility.
WHAT IF
What if there was a dedicated platform that empowers pop-up businesses to easily showcase their unique offerings while providing consumers with a seamless and enjoyable experience in discovering and engaging with these exciting events?
04 DISCOVERY
SPEAKING WITH SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS
As part of our testing, we interviewed 6 small businesses to understand their expectations from a platform like Popin, specifically how it can address their visibility challenges.
IDEATE PHASE | CRAZY 8
I tried out the crazy 8 technique (which is used during the second day of a Google Ventures design sprint).
The goal of this technique is to sketch ideas during a short period of time. You set a timer (you have 5 minutes), fold a paper in half four times, so you get 8 panels to draw. It means: 40 seconds/sketch. So you won’t have time to add many details, it is all about ideas and exploration. It is suggested to make 2 rounds, usually the best ideas come from the second round.
05 SOLUTION
USER JOURNEYING
We utilised the insights from the discovery interviews to develop the multiple journeys of the app for a clearer perspective of the scope.
WIREFRAMES
To streamline the design process and ensure efficient exploration of various user flows, we prioritized wireframing. This allowed us to quickly test different screen layouts and component placements before proceeding to higher fidelity prototypes.
HIGH FIDELITY
PROTOTYPES
FEATURE 1
Multiple Business Management: Pop-up vendors can manage multiple businesses within the platform, ensuring their evolving offerings are always discoverable.
FEATURE 2
Create profile: Streamlined features allow vendors to showcase their brand storefront, timings, location, services, and products. Additionally, vendors can create recurring pop-up events to streamline their promotion efforts.
FEATURE 3
Ticketing & Sales: Streamlined features allow vendors to set up, customize and sell tickets for events.
FEATURE 4
Customized Pop-Up Map: A real-time map showcases nearby pop-up businesses, allowing users to explore a dynamic landscape of local offerings. After multiple iterations a map was finalized that aligned with the vibrant nature of the brand.
FEATURE 5
Exploring Upcoming Events: Through a “For You” feed featuring curated pop-ups and a “See All” option for a comprehensive view, users can discover exciting upcoming events tailored to their interests.
06 NEXT STEPS
Gamify pop-up discovery with a “Pokemon Go”-style experience, encouraging exploration and rewarding user engagement.
Enhance search filters with nuanced options like ‘portion size level,’ ‘meat love count,’ and ‘vibes and ambiance’ to personalize user recommendations.
Integrate AI to personalize user feeds and suggest pop-up events based on individual preferences and past behavior.
Develop a comprehensive marketing suite for pop-up businesses, empowering them with tools to manage their online presence and engage with customers.
Implement a rewards program to incentivize user engagement and loyalty within the Popin community.