Moleskine Studio:
An E-journaling iOS App
Project Overview
Moleskine: a manufacturer based in Italy, known for luxury notebooks, planners, and sketchbooks.
Moleskine Studio: a suite of creative and organizational iOS apps, currently offered as a bundle.
The team was given 2 weeks to deliver one high-fidelity prototype for a new Moleskine Studio feature.
We focused on combining and enhancing these apps to create an all-in-one digital journaling experience.
The Team
Allegra Sodi
UI Designer
Contributed to UX Research
Christin Leem
UI Designer
Contributed to UX Research
Kelsey Buckley
UX Researcher
Contributed to UI Design
Whitney Roberts
UX Researcher
Contributed to UI Design
Process
We began by conducting 7 user interviews
After analyzing user interview insights, the team identified a problem different from the original brief.
Trends From User Interviews
“I seek motivation and inspiration to grow as a creator”
“I like having a feature that allows me to organize my thoughts”
“I keep separate journals for different purposes”
“I like journals that are customizable and I can plan what to write”
We analyzed competitors in the e-journaling industry, and took inspiration on how their UI addresses
At this phase we also found elements of competitor’s UI that makes the tools more usable.
Market research included GoodNotes, Notion, iOS Notes, and google drive. We also were inspired by the design of the original moleskine hero product- their physical notebooks.
GoodNotes allows users to index their content for easy access.
Notes has icons that communicate what action users are about to take, minimizing confusion.
Problem
The Problem: Most users view journaling as a personal activity, but currently rely on multiple platforms—Flow, Timepage, and Actions—for planning, sketching, and writing. This fragmented process lacks the mindfulness, accessibility, and customization of traditional paper journaling.
Solution
The NEW Moleskine Journal will…
Simplify the journaling process
Index user-generated content & automate file categorization
Blend new and existing creative tools
Users are able to:
Plan, sketch, and write on one platform
Combine various forms of written & visual media
Focus on the creative process & freedom of expression
Below: our new sitemap
This is how the content will be organized.
Prototype
Prototype begins on Moleskine Studio’s landing page/Home screen
App generates a date stamp when user opens the app
Reflection
In the end, we developed a clean, efficient prototype that proved intuitive during the final round of usability testing. The design seamlessly integrated all three Moleskine apps into a single UI, giving users greater control over their content.
This was my first experience working with a team of four designers. Initially, delegating tasks was challenging without a designated leader.
By the end of the design sprint, our team learned to work collaboratively while allowing every person to “own” part of the end product. Communicating frequently and documenting design changes kept the project aligned and minimized redundancy.
Next Steps
Revise “draw” feature & build out “pen” feature.
Add “Prompts” and “On This Day” features.
Onboarding tips to walk new users through features.
Below: a conceptual sketch made to demonstrate the look of the “draw” feature
