Etsuri is a news app designed for journalists and educational institutions. The team aims to create a web version of the app to reach a wider audience. As a developer on the team, the goal is to create the web version with all the features of the mobile app. The stakeholders are eager to release the web app to increase their reach and provide users with an additional platform without the need to download a dedicated app.

To start the project, the target audience was defined as journalists and educational institutions. User interviews were conducted to identify pain points. It was found that many users struggle with writing articles on their phones due to the small screen size and limitations of the keyboard. Users also prefer reading on larger screens and expressed a strong preference for a web app over a mobile app.

Based on these insights, detailed personas were created for journalists and university professors. Sarah, a journalist, needs a tool to stay organized and find interesting angles and sources for her stories. Dr. Lee, a professor, wants to provide engaging material for his students and stay updated with the latest news and trends. Etsuri can help both personas by providing personalized news feeds, real-time updates, and valuable insights into media trends and impact.

The goal of the project is to create a web app version of Etsuri that caters to the needs of journalists and educational institutions. The web app should provide real-time updates, personalized news feeds, and serve as a teaching tool. To benchmark, other news aggregator and writing platforms were analyzed for improvement and differentiation.

The design phase focused on information architecture, wireframes, and user flows. Navigation and article cards were optimized to improve the user experience. A clickable prototype was created and user tests were conducted to gather feedback and identify areas for improvement. Changes were made to the app’s design and functionality based on the feedback, and a second round of user testing was conducted.

The project provided an opportunity to enhance communication and teamwork skills. The small team facilitated quick iterations and open communication. Sharing progress within the team created a sense of unity and alignment. The project helped in developing the ability to work under pressure and make decisions quickly.

Overall, the project involved defining the target audience, conducting user research, creating personas, benchmarking against competitors, designing the web app, prototyping, testing, and refining the app based on feedback. The aim was to deliver a high-quality product that meets the needs of users and stakeholders.