Research
In the age of information, photography has never been more accessible to people of all skill levels than it is today. Social media has brought a renewed attention and interest to photography as users are exposed to hundreds of photos as they scroll through their feeds. Additionally, youtube, blogs and other web pages have made learning photography easier than ever. Currently, there is not an application that serves as a community for photographers to share and find the locations of the photos as well as detailed information about these shots. The goal of the interview research plan is to determine how users are currently finding locations for photography, gauge interest in community based sharing of knowledge, and what tools are photographers utilizing in the industry; mobile or otherwise? Interviews were held with participants via video conferencing apps or in person; the method was determined for the participant’s convenience. Each interview was 20-30 mins and all interviews wwere conducted over the course of one week. Inclusion Criteria:
Must be interested in photography and have experience taking basic pictures,
must have a smartphone and have basic knowledge of how to use applications,
must be at least 18-years-old.
Exclusion Criteria:
No experience with photography/not interested in photography.
Key Learnings from User Test
- "What would stop people from adding a million different useless points"
- "Sometimes I am unsure where to click on the screem"
- "How do I know if I have bookmarked a point when I am looking at the map"
- "sometimes the verbiage is not clear for people whose first language is not English"
- "The screen is a little small. I can't really see where the location are"
Final Thoughts
Users found great value in the utility of this app and its many features, including its focus on community and knowledge sharing. Areas for improvement:
- Visual size of map markers and drop downs
- Clarity on the freedoms users have regarding making POI’s
- Visual cues marking user actions, such as bookmarking a location
It is clear that this app would provide massive value to photographers and would foster community generated sharing that has never before been seen in such an app.
