Ovni — Egypt · UX Design & Frontend development
Ovni
A platform and app that connects travellers with buyers — designed and, on the front end, built in collaboration with the design and development team.
Overview
Ovni connects travellers with buyers. Working alongside the design and development team, I led the UX and also wrote front-end code — taking the concept from a brand-new idea in Egypt toward an easy-to-use proof of concept.
The problem
Buyers often want products that are only available in other countries, but it isn't always possible for them to travel and get what they want. Ovni develops an easy-to-use platform and app that connects travellers with buyers: a buyer makes a wish and adds all the details of the product they'd like, so a traveller heading to that destination can contact them and bring the product back for a delivery fee.
Project goals
Prove the concept
Develop an MVP to serve as a proof of concept.
Grow both sides
Acquire as many buyers and travellers as possible.
An easy, brand-new interface
Develop an easy-to-use interface, given that the concept is brand new in Egypt.
Web-first, app on its way
Design a friendly website while the app is on its way to the App Store.
Mobile & tablet
Introduce mobile and tablet optimisation.
Learn for the app
After the proof of concept, gather information from travellers and buyers to highlight pain points to avoid while designing the mobile app.
UX process
Basic sticky-note requirements for the main filter tabs in the app.
Gathering insights
After collecting the recordings from the user interviews, I conducted affinity mapping with my teammate to synthesise the pains identified. We grouped these problems under common themes and features across the platform — and created personas to recognise that different people have different needs and expectations.
Ship a web-first proof of concept and learn from real travellers and buyers before building the mobile app — so the app could be designed around evidenced pain points rather than assumptions.
Key features
Explore
Let travellers search for filtered or all wishes.
Make money
Let travellers turn a trip back to Egypt into a way to make some money.
Make a wish
Let buyers make their own wish, with a negotiated delivery fee.
Profile
Let customers view their reviews, wishes, trips, wishes to deliver and orders.
In motion
Outcome
Ovni launched as a web-first proof of concept connecting travellers and buyers, with the four core flows above — and a research base gathered from both sides to shape the mobile app that follows.