
topbait
A Fishing License and Information App
Roles: Researcher, Data Analyst, User Screener, Graphic Designer, Visual Designer, and User Experience Designer
Date / Time: Three Weeks. April 2020 – May 2020
Tools: Adobe Illustrator, Figma, Miro, Mobbin, Zeplin, and Lookback
The Challenge
The previous National National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation had an increase of near 20%. I want to create a strong experience moving forward for the growing number of fishermen coming to the sport.
To achieve this, making the purchasing process more streamlined and more accessible is vital. There are a number of fishermen that still do not use digital products or services to conduct their purchases or research.
Discovery & Research Analysis
Nearly a third of respondents use digital tools and platforms for the sport of fishing. Yet, all of the survey responders do not purchase tackle or fishing needs online.
“I usually go to the Walmart and get my license there. It was busy because the were several people in front of me. One guy was getting a gun and I had to wait for an hour.” – Participant 2


Competitive Analysis
Through my findings the main issue is that the applications do not have clear avenues for obtaining a fishing license. The experience is different from state to state leaving no familiarity between the product.
Although a neighboring state such as South Carolina may accept a Georgia fishing license, the apps used between both states vary differently. Apps also point towards online sites instead of being native to the application itself.


Concepts & Insights
Make an accessible interface and minimal interface
By providing a design that is minimal, users can achieve their goals more effectively.
Provide only the information users actually need before they fish
It is not reliable to be on a fishing trip and depend on a cellular device. Fishing trips can be long.
Users need to find their fishing stores
When it comes down to it fishermen still rely heavily to get their information, tackle, and bait from a physical location.
Prototyping
Development regarding login and accessibility was a concern for many of the fishermen in the surveys and interviews. The low fidelity prototype reflects these concerns and aims to remedy the issue before moving into the other functions.



Validation, Usability, Feedback
Usability
Participants attended a self user test with instructions to test usability.
Feedback
“What I need from this app is my license. I do not want to wait so long.” – From a participant that felt as if the application was unclear.
“I don’t need the app looking like a game.” – From a participant that expressed frustration
Insights
Sending off the low-fidelity designs gave more information regarding the flow of the design. An insight gained is that fishermen need a quick way to identify their needs, otherwise they lose interest.
Style Guide
Colors
Fonts
- Montserrat Alternates, Bold, Black
- Roboto, Regular, Medium, Black
Let’s Connect
Solution & Impact
Topbait provides a clearer and easier flow and accessibility for all types of users. The impact of having an application with this much ease of use can increase the amount of new fishermen for the upcoming years.
