Kobo was selected as one of the first app developers for the Windows 8 operating system back in 2012. I worked on the team as the lead Information Architect, in charge of conceptualization, interaction design, and information architecture of the application.
The work shown in this post is for the Kobo app we submitted for the Windows 8 Developer Preview. It was the first e-reading application to be cretaed for the new platform during its release at Mobile World Congress 2012 in Barcelona.
Homepage, Library, Store
Wireframes of the hompeage, library and store that I created which were used to create mocks by our designers, define user stories by the product manager, and use as requirements by the dev and QA team.
Homepage of application - the user's library is shown as the first list, followed by dynamic merchandised lists from the Kobo store.
A very basic version of the Library was all that could be implemented for this first version of the library. Features like sorting and views were deprioritized.
Item Page - this application featured contextual buying, a first of its kind at Kobo. To purchase the book, the user clicks buy now and the entire column, including the synopsis, converts to a order summary. One more click, and the user has purchased the book, without ever leaving the item page.
Reading Experience
Wireframes of the reading experience that I created were used to create mocks by our designers, define user stories by the Product Manager, and used as requirements by the Dev and QA team.
The application offered both a one-page and two-page layout. This shows the one-page layout.
A simple swipe up from the bottom or swipe down from the top activates a menu with all the reading settings and options.
Here is an example of the Reading Settings dialog, where users can change font size, style, text alignment and more.
Sign In, Live Tiles, Charms
Wireframes of the sign in experience, live tiles, and charms that I created were used to create mocks by our designers, user stories by the Product Manager, and requirements by the Dev and QA team.
A kobo live tile, highlighting the 5 recently touched books in the user's library. This tile is one of the five tile templates that will show on the Kobo live tile.
The sign in page, simple and uncluttered.
Tapping on the Settings charm activates this flyout which houses all of the application settings. This flyout is a standard Windows 8 flyout.
Video demo of the Kobo application created for the Windows 8 Developer Preview.
