The Brief

The brief was to create an app for the MySkiStar platform that would serve as a comprehensive information resource for guests during their stay ‘in-resort’. The existing platform was a responsive website accessible via web browsers, but SkiStar required a refresh of its dedicated app for both iPhone and Android devices.

The core functionality requested included:

A native app with integrated web views
Support for push notifications
Menus populated with data from the Epi-server platform
Display of information in both native and web views from Epi-server
Geo-fencing capabilities
Shared login with SkiStar's existing apps
A purchase flow directed to a web browser

Solution and process

Framna approached the request with a commitment to not only deliver on the brief, but also build the product that SkiStar needed. The team conducted interviews, carried out research, and benchmarked against other companies in the destination industry, such as TUI and Ving, to identify best practices that could be adapted for a winter destination app.

The primary objective was to create an app that would make the SkiStar resort experience as seamless and enjoyable as possible.

The initial brief presented a twofold challenge: firstly, to address the primary need of enabling users to purchase ski passes seamlessly through the app, thus eliminating the hassle of queuing at physical counters. Secondly, to transform the app into a comprehensive guide for ski resort visitors, providing essential information such as interactive slope maps, accommodation booking, digital keys, and even gamification elements that provide a fun, competitive element among the community of users, further enhancing engagement value. All of these elements were seamlessly integrated into the app.

Despite challenges related to legacy systems and back-end integrations (the original app was built by a different agency), Framna showcased its expertise in creating middleware layers to enhance app functionality, even in the face of outdated infrastructure. And such was Framna’s emphasis on user-centric design, it took the unique step of relocating the project team to the ski resort where they could live the experience and gather first-hand user feedback to identify areas where improvements could be made.

Design and development

Framna wanted to build an app that really helped the user on-site. The priority was to make the experience feel modern and interactive but also user friendly. Considering the app would be used outside in cold weather, it was important to create user flows that were quick and simple, with large touch areas. Photos of activities and webcams from the slopes were added to capture the atmosphere on being on-site and allow users to check weather conditions.

The key Framna ‘competence areas’ involved in the project included UX design, UI design, development for iOS and Android, and project management. The app’s design was led by a strong focus on UX and visual design, with key considerations including:

Ensuring user-friendliness, particularly in cold outdoor conditions, with fast user flows and large touch areas
Incorporating numerous photos of activities to convey the on-site atmosphere
Integrating existing webcams to visually display current weather conditions
Developing a native, interactive map of the slopes, replacing the previous static PDF map. This map provided detailed information about lifts, including their names, locations, and operational status, making it worth the effort for users to take off their gloves to use it

Crafting Seamless Experiences

UX design plays a pivotal role in ensuring that users can navigate and comprehend digital products with ease. Whether it's an occasional-use consumer app or a complex business tool, the user experience must align with customer expectations and usage patterns.

For lighter-use consumer apps, simplicity and ease of use are paramount. Users may only interact with these apps sporadically, so the focus is on providing a clean interface and intuitive navigation to ensure a smooth user experience. Conversely, intensive-use business apps demand more attention to detail from the user, with UX design tailored to support them through the tasks they need to perform during their working day.

Establishing brand identity

Visual design is crucially important because it acts as the primary carrier of a brand's identity within the digital landscape. In an era where digital interactions are partly or even fully replacing physical customer touchpoints, the design language of apps and websites becomes synonymous with brand perception.

A good example of this can be found in our work with Sweden's SEB bank where before the shift to digital products, the bank's customer touch points were solely in-branch via cashiers. We have helped to migrate those touch points to the digital landscape where the app is now the primary interface for customer interactions, and this necessitated a design language that was both visually appealing but also instilled trust and familiarity for users.

Compelling visual design also has the power to evoke emotions and create joyful user experiences. By incorporating what we call "delighters" – subtle touches and flourishes that add to the user experience – we are able to foster deeper personal connections between users and products, enhancing user satisfaction and loyalty.

These three design areas play a crucial role in shaping a brand's identity and establishing a trusted familiarity with its customer base. Equally important is consistency in design across the various digital touchpoints to inspire user confidence. As digital channels become increasingly integral to brand communication, the importance of product, UX, and visual design in conveying brand values and connecting to customers cannot be overstated.

Design is communication

It also clearly sends a message that the content or service offered is more important than its visual presentation. Thus, what may appear as a rather uninspiring design is, in fact, a deliberate and effective strategy that drives a desired outcome, in this case, recurring sales.

For more aspirational brands, the intention may be to evoke premium or luxurious messaging via the design language to build a different relationship between user and product.

Ultimately, design is communication, conveying the story of a brand’s product to users and helping them understand exactly what to expect from it and how to use it. By carefully crafting visual elements and specific user flows, a product’s design language can trigger the relevant emotions that influence desired user behaviour and engagement. When users have a positive experience with a product, they are more likely to develop an emotional connection with it, building trust and loyalty and leading to repeat purchases.

Responsible design and accessibility

Another area of importance lies in responsible design, which prioritises the best interests of users and creates experiences that are inclusive and accessible to all. Practices such as dark patterns, which aim to manipulate user behaviour, run contrary to responsible design principles and should be avoided. We believe that design should focus on making products intuitive and user-friendly, respecting users’ autonomy and choices. It’s something we care about deeply at Bontouch.

Accessibility is another essential aspect of responsible design, ensuring that products are usable by individuals with diverse needs and abilities. Companies that overlook accessibility considerations – for example, high contrast colours and larger font sizes for those that need them – risk alienating a significant portion of their potential customer base. It makes good business sense to factor these things in because it has an impact on usability and therefore revenue.

Who should own the responsibility for good design?

The problem organisations often have is that they don't see ‘development’ as part of the design process. Yet, the synergy between design and development teams is where the magic of great design truly unfolds. Developers know what's possible, what's feasible and the possibilities within the technology that design teams might not have considered. Designers can push it from another direction. But working together they can create truly innovative and inspiring things.

At Bontouch, a deep understanding of product, visual, and UX design is embedded within the organisation's culture. We have ‘competence areas’ containing specialist teams devoted to various areas of expertise, and the responsibility around design is shared among them right from the foundation stage of all projects. Fostering such collaboration from the outset of our work with partners is a key differentiator that facilitates the creation of truly standout innovations.

This was evident in our collaboration with PostNord, the Swedish Postal Service, on its shipment tracking app. Our development team identified an opportunity within the app’s interface to create animations enabling users to visualise the size and shape of parcels before they were delivered, completely transforming the user experience. In addition, our work on PostNord’s Postcards app was recognised as a gold winner in the 2020 Swedish Design Awards, an accolade that celebrates the very best of Swedish design across multiple disciplines.

This kind of unique innovation can only be realized within the collaborative environment that’s part of the Bontouch DNA, and this approach, driven by design and development specialists, has been the foundation of the success we create for our partners.

The digital design landscape is full of examples of how business strategy informs how things look and work. So, when we refer to ‘good design’, what we really mean is 'appropriate' design that serves an intended purpose effectively. For example, while Amazon's website may not be the most visually striking, it is undeniably well-designed in terms of functionality. Its focus is providing a seamless, accessible, and affordable service for its customers. The design serves the purpose of facilitating easy navigation and efficient purchasing processes, befitting the brand’s core purpose as an e-commerce marketplace.

It also clearly sends a message that the content or service offered is more important than its visual presentation. Thus, what may appear as a rather uninspiring design is, in fact, a deliberate and effective strategy that drives a desired outcome, in this case, recurring sales.

For more aspirational brands, the intention may be to evoke premium or luxurious messaging via the design language to build a different relationship between user and product.

Ultimately, design is communication, conveying the story of a brand’s product to users and helping them understand exactly what to expect from it and how to use it. By carefully crafting visual elements and specific user flows, a product’s design language can trigger the relevant emotions that influence desired user behaviour and engagement. When users have a positive experience with a product, they are more likely to develop an emotional connection with it, building trust and loyalty and leading to repeat purchases.