kindle a more social way to read

KindleA more social way to read

Ellie McCarey, Manuel Capurso, Emily O’Byrne

It doesn’t matter how good or bad the product is, the fact is that people don’t read anymore.

“Steve JobsNew York Times, 2008

The brief:Increased customer engagement- People love reading, and talking about what they

read.

- They enjoy having access to books through the Amazon Kindle app.

- How can Amazon bring these two activities together, to create a more social and engaged reading experience?

The brief

Agenda

- Our research - Reader personas - Our prototype - Testing and evolution of the design - Conclusion and next steps

Our research

Talking to readers- 143 survey responses

- 8 interviews with book lovers to understand how they share and discuss books

Research

Research

ONLY read physical books

We need to think about how people can share and discuss all their books,

not just their eBooks

95% 30%Read physical books

Research

Consider review and recommendation on digital bookstores

People do love to discuss books, but mostly with people they know

79% 30%Get book

recommendations from friends

Research

of those who don’t, say ‘nothing can encourage me to join one

While some people love book groups, informal discussion is popular with

most readers

89% 27%Don’t currently

belong to a reading group

We looked at other sites and apps for sharing books, articles and music

Research

GoodReads Spotify WhatsApp

Simple tasks left readers feeling frustrated

Research

Reader personas

A 30 year old personal trainer with

a passion for fantasy and sci-fi.

Reads to relax and escape.

Reader personas

A 66 year old teacher who reads

every day.

Leads an online book group and enjoys the lively

discussions.

A 44 year old IT manager, always

pursuing new interests.

Builds her network by sharing book

recommendations.

Tom Bob Jane

TomA personal trainer with a passion for fantasy and sci-fi.

• Reads novels in the evenings to relax and escape, and so prefers physical books.

• Likes browsing in his local bookstore but checks out reviews and recommendations on line.

• Not currently in a book group. More likely to discuss books as part of everyday conversation with friends and clients.

Reader personas

Meet the social Kindle app

Scan physical books

Chat with fellow readers

Share the books you love

Tom, talking to his friend Adam

Reader personas

Tom meets his friend Adam for a drink. They’re chatting about books.

Tom shares a book with Adam via the Kindle App

Adam replies to Tom, asking for more book ideas

Tom invites Adam to a fantasy reading group he belongs to.

Adam joins the group. He sees they’ve discussed loads of books he’s not read.

Protoype

http://invis.io/N22T6JPW9

Scan a book to share from anywhere in the app

The prototype

Scanning Sharing

Testing and evolution of the design

The share featureEvolving the design

Version 1 Version 2 Version 3

Usability testing• The modular design

was easy to learn.

• The app needed to be aware of context and only offer relevant features.

• Scanning needed to be simpler and faster. A revised version worked better in a second test.

Evolving the design

Conclusion

Your social Kindle

Scan physical books

Chat with fellow readers

Share the books you love

Conclusion

Next: features for face to face book groups?

Organise book groups

Vote on book suggestions

Conclusion

Thankyou