# Zappen - UX Feedback Requested

**URL:** <https://discourse.opensourcedesign.net/t/zappen-ux-feedback-requested/280>\
**Category:** Interaction design\
**Created:** [August 30, 2017, 7:48pm UTC](https://discourse.opensourcedesign.net/t/zappen-ux-feedback-requested/280 "2017-08-30T19:48:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![tessgadwa](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/discourse.opensourcedesign.net/tessgadwa/32/268_2.png) [@tessgadwa](https://discourse.opensourcedesign.net/u/tessgadwa)\
**Post date:** [August 30, 2017, 7:48pm UTC](https://discourse.opensourcedesign.net/t/zappen-ux-feedback-requested/280/1 "2017-08-30T19:48:18Z")

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Hi, I would love to get feedback on our new visual search app, Zappen.

The demo lets you upload your own images and create a “visual hyperlink.” In practice, it has about the same match rate as a QR code. Let me know what you think of the demo page and process flow – visually it is pretty barebones, but we wanted to just get something up there and let people play.

> **[Zappen](https://zappen.co/)**
>
> Zappen is an app that recognizes signs and logos via camera phone, allowing customers and fans to "bookmark reality" and connect with their favorite local businesses and artists online.

  

> **[Zappen](https://github.com/ZappenVDNS)**
>
> Zappen Visual Search and Visual DNS. Zappen has 2 repositories available. Follow their code on GitHub.

Demo at: [https://zappen.co/register-visual-domain/](https://zappen.co/register-visual-domain/)  
App Store: [https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/zappen/id1232796021?ls=1&mt=8](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/zappen/id1232796021?ls=1&mt=8)  
Google Play: [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.yesexactly.zappen&hl=en](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.yesexactly.zappen&hl=en)

Thanks for any feedback you can provide!

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**Author:** ![jdittrich](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/discourse.opensourcedesign.net/jdittrich/32/42_2.png) [@jdittrich](https://discourse.opensourcedesign.net/u/jdittrich)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 5:41pm UTC](https://discourse.opensourcedesign.net/t/zappen-ux-feedback-requested/280/2 "2017-09-01T17:41:25Z")

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**Assumption1:** The website should get people interested in Zappen and ideally make them use Visual Domains.  
**Assumption2:** The target audience focuses (but is not restricted to) relatively tech savvy people, web designers, programmers etc.

* * *

[context: user is on [zappen.co](http://zappen.co)]

1. orienting myself: Where am I?
  - I seem to be on… wait, there is no logo top left. Hmm… OK, mid-right there is one
  - They seem to offer a… well, there is an app. The main text is on visual domains.
  - What does the girl with the smart phone have to do with it?!

2. Reading the intro text:
  - Talks about DNS. I have a vague idea of what that means. Something with domains.
  - Something relatively abstract about what a visual domain is
  - “Visual Domain images may be logos, signs and posters, photographs, emoji, or custom consumer packaging” OK, that is more graspable…
  - I like the basic idea of using image instead of QR codes. This is something I can imagine and relate to.

3. Summary:
  - Make the intro text less abstract. Cut words.
  - Imagery: Reduce, only show images that have a clear meaning.
  - Design:
    - The design seems to combine flat and 3d-ish elements, of round and rectangular ones – I suggest to make that more coherent.
    - Colors: Both branding colors have about the same lightness. This constraints your design options: If you [squint-test](http://blog.usabilla.com/the-squint-test-how-quick-exposure-to-design-can-reveal-its-flaws/) the design, both colors blur into each other which makes using the colors together difficult.

Also: Financing and posture: I feel unsure of how Zappen is positioned business-wise.

- Is it a business that open-sources some parts of it’s infrastructure? (the website suggests this to me: The way it is written, the roles in the team etc.). If yes, how does the open source part fit in the infrastructure? Is it useful on its own? Or only if used with a proprietary system together?
- Is it a research project or an open source experiment (not much suggested by the website)

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**Author:** ![tessgadwa](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/discourse.opensourcedesign.net/tessgadwa/32/268_2.png) [@tessgadwa](https://discourse.opensourcedesign.net/u/tessgadwa)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 5:56pm UTC](https://discourse.opensourcedesign.net/t/zappen-ux-feedback-requested/280/3 "2017-09-01T17:56:13Z")

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Thank you, this is great feedback. I am not certain we will have time to  
act on your recommendations immediately, but I will forward to the entire  
team so that we can begin discussion.

FYI Zappen began life as a for-profit startup incubated by my company, Yes  
Exactly. We have chosen to make it open source.

Best,  
Tess

CEO, [yesexactly.com](http://yesexactly.com)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tessgadwa](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/discourse.opensourcedesign.net/tessgadwa/32/268_2.png) [@tessgadwa](https://discourse.opensourcedesign.net/u/tessgadwa)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 6:01pm UTC](https://discourse.opensourcedesign.net/t/zappen-ux-feedback-requested/280/4 "2017-09-01T18:01:19Z")

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Also wanted to make sure people know they are welcome to download the  
actual app and make comments on that as well as the website. : ) Thanks

> **[Zappen](https://zappen.co/)**
>
> Zappen is an app that recognizes signs and logos via camera phone, allowing customers and fans to "bookmark reality" and connect with their favorite local businesses and artists online.

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**Author:** ![pdurbin](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/discourse.opensourcedesign.net/pdurbin/32/3478_2.png) [@pdurbin](https://discourse.opensourcedesign.net/u/pdurbin)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2017, 2:12am UTC](https://discourse.opensourcedesign.net/t/zappen-ux-feedback-requested/280/5 "2017-09-12T02:12:16Z")

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The code is at [https://github.com/ZappenVDNS](https://github.com/ZappenVDNS) according to [https://medium.com/@Thematizer/zappen-is-open-source-visual-search-56034d7059de](https://medium.com/@Thematizer/zappen-is-open-source-visual-search-56034d7059de)