Project introduction

This new app, designed to help families in Sri Lanka rent toys for their children at an affordable price. As the cost of living rises, buying toys has become more difficult for many parents. Our app offers a simple solution by letting families rent toys for a fraction of the cost, making sure every child can enjoy a wide range of toys.

Toys are more than just fun, they play an important role in a child's early learning and growth. Through play, children develop important skills like creativity, problem-solving, and hand-eye coordination. They also engage in pretend play, which helps them grow socially and emotionally, setting the stage for future learning. By making toys more accessible, our app supports children's overall development, ensuring they have what they need to thrive, even during tough economic times.

Problem statement

Many parents in Sri Lanka are finding it hard to buy toys for their children because of rising costs and higher taxes in the current economy. As toys become more expensive, it limits children's access to important educational and developmental tools. This financial burden affects families' ability to give their kids the resources they need to grow and learn. Solving this problem is essential to make sure all children have the chance to learn and develop through play.

User research to the problem

A Google form is designed and distributed among the Parents to gather data and understand their pains, needs. Down below are the assumptions designed before sending out the Google form.

Assumptions

• Sri Lankan parents think that the toys in the current economy are expensive

• Kids do not use toys for more than 2 weeks

• Kids tend to break their toys after using them

• Parents think about the hygiene/cleanliness of the items they for the kids

• Kids toys are helpful for the kids to learn new things

• Kids toys are harmful for the kids

• Parents think spending in toys are waste of money

• Kids see the toys of other neighbors and asks their parents to buy one of them to them

• Kids ask buy toys from their parents each month

• Parents have toys their kid is not using anymore

Questions

1. Your name

2. Your age

3. Do you have a kid?

4. Have you ever bought kids toys in Sri Lanka?

5. How often do you buy toys for your kid?

6. I think kids toys are too expensive in this economy

7. I have bought toys for my kid despite them being expensive

8. My kid do not use a bought toy for more than 2-3 weeks

9. My kid damages or breaks the bought toys after using

10. I get disappointed when my kid does not use the bought toy after a while

11. I get disappointed when my kid damages  the bought toy after a while

12. I think the kids toys should be clean when buying

13. I think kids toys are helpful for them to learn something new

14. I think kids toys are harmful for them

15. I think buying kids toys are waste of time

16. My kid has seen toys of other neighbors and had asked me to buy one of them 

17. I have many toys that my kid is not using anymore

Collected data

Do you have a kid?

Have you ever bought kids toys in Sri Lanka?

How often do you buy toys for your kid?

I think kids toys are too expensive in this economy

I have bought toys for my kid despite them being expensive

My kid do not use a bought toy for more than 2-3 weeks

My kid damages or breaks the bought toys after using

I get disappointed when my kid does not use the bought toy after a while

I get disappointed when my kid damages  the bought toy after a while

I think the kids toys should be clean when buying

I think kids toys are helpful for them to learn something new

I think kids toys are harmful for them

I think buying kids toys are waste of time

My kid has seen toys of other neighbors and had asked me to buy one of them

I have many toys that my kid is not using anymore

User Persona

Based on the collected a user persona is designed to understand the user. Down below is the designed user persona.

Empathy map

Based on the collected data an Empathy map is designed to understand the user. Down below is the designed Empathy map.

User journey map

Based on the collected data a Journey map is designed to understand the user. Down below is the designed Journey map.

Insights from the research

With the research data collected, I have concluded the below insights

• Sri Lankan parents think toys are expensive, but still they buy them for their kids for them. This is good, ShareHouse provides lets toys to be rented for affordable price.

• They are neatural about their kids destroying or not using the toys after buying, so which means kids do not look for always the same toy, ShareHouse lets rental toys, so correlation works.

• Parents want clean & hygienic toys, in a rental toy network, the rented toys might get damaged, so it is important to design User Experience to ensure the quality of the toys.

• Parents say they buy toy often, so the ToyMart should have User Experience design to borrow multiple toys at the same time/have multiple toys at the same time.

My solution to the problem

As a UX Designer, I propose creating an app that helps parents easily borrow toys for their children aged 2 to 5 years. With this app, parents can borrow toys for a set period, return them, and then pick new ones for their kids. The app will offer several convenient pickup and return locations, showing all the toys available at each spot. It will also keep track of the toys parents have, remind them when to return the toys, and use a scanning system to make borrowing and returning quick and easy. To get started, parents simply need to download the app and sign up.

Main objectives to achieve

• View The Complete Inventory of toys available at each ToyMart location.

• Browse and borrow age-appropriate toys for children aged between 2 to 5 Years.

• Parents able to check the quality of the toys.

• Parents to return any damaged toys to the ToyMart

• Access Multiple pickup and return locations to facilitate easy toy transactions.

• Implement a scanning and validation mechanism for seamless toy borrowing and return processes.

What I am tasked with

1. To research and analyze the users, products related to.

2. To draw conclusions and design requirements for the product designing.

3. To design a user-friendly interface to facilitate seamless toy browsing, borrowing, and returning processes.

4. To design the Integration of a scanning feature to validate toy borrow and return transactions.

5. To design wireframe, user interface & prototype of the application

Product & competitive research

Based on the collected data and conclusions drawn, applications that are similar to the solution I have designed are found. Down below is research conducted on them. The collected information of the application is summarized due to the study being short and sweet.

1. Baby Quip App - Toy rental

Make travel with little ones a breeze and create a home-like experience wherever you go. BabyQuip is the #1 baby equipment rental service and marketplace, offering thousands of clean, safe, and insured baby gear items to families who don't want to haul bulky gear while traveling.

With the BabyQuip App, you can:

• Book: Browse and rent baby and toddler gear in over 1,000 cities across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Australia anywhere, anytime.

• View: Quickly access all of your upcoming reservations.

• Manage: Have you forgotten to add an item, did your plans change or do you need to extend your dates? No problem! You can modify existing reservations right in the app.

• Message: Easily contact your Quality Provider (who owns, rents, and delivers the gear) on the go.

2. EleFant- Toy rental

EleFant is an online toy library that offers a cost-effective and sustainable substitute for buying toys. From our diverse collection of toys, you can subscribe and order toys on rent for your child's creative learning and growth. If your little one gets bored easily and you are tired of buying new toys, then don't worry; EleFant can ease this hassle. You can pick innovative toys from our collection, rent toys online, and swap them once your child is outgrown or bored. It's not just an app; it's a thoughtful, sustainable, and enjoyable approach to ensure your children get the right toys to play with while saving both space and money.

Key Features:

• Toys for different age groups.

• Easy and convenient.

• Sustainable play.

• Safe and hygienic.

• Affordable play.

3. Yalla Toys - Toys buy

Yallatoys is Qatar’s most celebrated online toy store, with a distinguished way of delivering state-of-the-art toys and kid's accessories across the nation. Our products are designed to enrich your child’s imagination and indulge them in wonder, adventure, excitement, and joy. 

Features of the app

• Buy toys, accessories, gears, nursery essentials, sensory toys, character costumes, and  much more.

• Find top brands like Lego, Bestway, Step2, Kidkraft, Plum Products, Hot Wheels, LOL Surprise, Barbie, NERF, and many more.

• Our app is equipped with smart filters to shop by brand, age, price, category, character, skills, gender, tags, discount, etc.

• Shop safely and quickly from home.

• Find a Yallatoys "toy shop near me" in Qatar. In-app alerts will notify you of any discounts, sales, or exciting offers.

• With this app, enjoy convenient shopping; save and edit addresses and payment details; track and manage orders; avail of free installation; and more.

• You can buy toys online based on your kid’s interests, growth level, and learning needs.

• Buy toys for all ages, including baby toys, sensory toys, baby gear, etc.

• Some of the categories are exclusive toys for girls, toys for boys, outdoor toys, sensory toys, soft toys, role-play toys, toddler toys, and much more.

Assumptions to consider

1. Scanning Requirement: The app assumes that users will not borrow and return toys without scanning the items.

2. The QR code will be attached with the toy itself.

3. Each Toy Is Unique To Each location.

4. Maxim 3 Toys In Position at any given time

User requirements of the product

1. User registration

   1. User shall register themselves on the app with their details or with Google account

   2. User should enter the OTP

   3. Users shall enter full name, birthday, password to create an account.

2. User login

   1. User shall enter their email & password or use google account to login

3. Toys display

   1. User shall view the toys available on the application

   2. User shall view toys under different category

   3. User shall view toys on map

4. Toy search

   1. User shall search for toys by entering the location, the date period they want

   2. User shall see the toys based on the location, date period given

5. Toy filter

   1. User shall filter the toy view and generated search results

   2. The filter inputs are

      1. By age

      2. By gender

      3. By quality

      4. By color

      5. By size

      6. Number of times owned

6. Toy description

   1. User shall view the description of the toy clicking it

   2. The toy description shall have following details

      1. Name

      2. Description

      3. Price

      4. Photos of the toy

      5. Number of times it owned

      6. Current owner

      7. Date duration

      8. Toy location with map

      9. Quality meter of the toy

      10. Toy review

      11. When the toy is available

      12. Reservation CTA

      13. Scanner CTA

7. Toy reservation

   1. User shall view the toy and reserve request by clicking a ‘CTA’

   2. The toy owner user shall receive the reservation request

   3. The toy owner shall accept the reservation request

   4. The toy owner shall mark the location on the map to pick up the toy

   5. User shall add online pay to pay for the toy

8. My toys

   1. The user shall view the toys they have reserved

9. Toy scanner

   1. The user shall scan the toy he receives on-site

   2. The user shall go to->my toys->toy description->click on toy scanner to scan

   3. User shall receive confirmation of scanning

10. Toy review

    1. User shall leave a review toy review

11. Toy quality

    1. The user shall update the quality of the received toy

    2. The user shall update in on 1-5 scale

12. Toy quality report

    1. The user shall return the toy to the ToyMart, if it is not quality

    2. User shall send a picture of the received toy for the ToyMart for evidence

    3. User shall send pickup location on map for ToyMart, for them to arrive exchange of another for a different price,

    4. The reserved toy description is updated, and user shall scan the new toy again and only extra price is deducted from the user

Wireframe design

For the design of the application wireframes are designed for all the interfaces. Down below are some of the wireframes designed.

Final designs

Many User Interfaces are designed for the application. Down below are the most importance screens of the application.

The above login screen lets the user to login with multiple option. Users can provide their email and contact details or use their Google, Apple account to get started. Adding Google login option improves sign ups.

The available toys are displayed on the home screen for the user, so they don't have to hustle around adding their location. Users can drag down interface to view the available toys on the map as well.

The home screen has a search for the user to search for toys to rent. Users can search by adding toy name, location and the duration they need their toy for. Based on the added search queries, the results are generated.

The generated results of the search inputs are shown on the screen as above. The users can filter the generated results, under different categories, such as; rating, age, quality etc.

The users can view the details of the toy they have reserved. They have options to view the pickup locations of the toy, and scan the toy when receiving for confirmation.

The pickup location is viewable for the users on the map. They can navigation the to the location by selecting a map app option.