CIPHER

CIPHER is a series of cryptographic puzzles folding upon themselves, encased in articles on science, philosophy, art, history, and technology. It is a magazine for code-breakers, puzzle-solvers, and those who read in between the lines. Contained in each article are small clues that, when pieced together, solve to a single word or phrase. CIPHER pushes its design in unique ways from other magazines, adding layers of meaning through layout alone. Not for the casual reader; it rewards those who do double-takes and delve into details.

User Research

The user research I conducted for this project revealed that many users feel dissatisfied with the lack of personalization options for content. These users value seeing content that they actively want to see, and they get frustrated by algorithms pushing them things they don't have any interest in. They also felt that with other apps of the same kind, it was too difficult to manage subscription options. Many users also expressed wanting a tiered subscription options, rather than an "all-in or all-out" model.

User Research

The user research I conducted for this project revealed that many users feel dissatisfied with the lack of personalization options for content. These users value seeing content that they actively want to see, and they get frustrated by algorithms pushing them things they don't have any interest in. They also felt that with other apps of the same kind, it was too difficult to manage subscription options. Many users also expressed wanting tiered subscription options, rather than an "all-in or all-out" model.

Prototype

During the onboarding process, users are asked for their email and password, and then they are asked to enter in a 4-digit code. Then, users may enter a name (or nickname) and choose content preferences, describing their skill level of solving ciphers and their main interests. Finally, they can select a subscription level that best suits their needs.

After entering in payment details and confirming a subscription, users are redirecte to the login page.

The design is minimal, and uses the icon system from the magazine in the nav bar to represent the home button, profile settings, game centre, and the discovery page. In the profile settings, users are able to manage their subscription, and set content preferences. The home page displays highlighted articles. In the game centre, users may complete daily, weekly, or unlimited puzzles, depending on their level of subscription.

The Solution

This app design is an example of adapting a solution from one medium to another. Because of the difference between print and digital mediums, a direct recreation of the layout and style of the magazine would not have functioned. For that reason, I had to adapt the feeling of the magazine into the app, and think about what subscribers to the magazine would find useful. The final design, although minimal, supports the print edition quite well.