Donno
Donno is a hybrid app that helps simplify the movie recomendations due to the smart filters and additional features
Problem
Finding a movie to watch has become more frustrating than enjoyable. Viewers spend too much time scrolling through endless, unorganized libraries where mainstream films dominate visibility. The current rating systems are often influenced by large distribution companies, leaving independent and international films — especially those from smaller or underrepresented countries — buried and undiscovered. As a result, audiences miss out on diverse stories, and talented filmmakers lose their opportunity to reach a global audience.
Solution
Developing the platform introduces an unbiased, preference-based discovery system that helps users find films tailored to their unique tastes — by genre, theme, country, or even year. This allows people to explore cinema from any corner of the world, experience new perspectives, and satisfy their mood with stories that truly resonate.
Supported by a comprehensive film database and AI-driven recommendations, the search experience becomes increasingly precise and intuitive. Users can save their searches, create custom folders, and access a personalized home page designed for effortless exploration. The Discover section highlights curated collections and quick-access folders — offering a faster, more meaningful way to uncover hidden gems without endless scrolling.
Part 1 — Market Research
To understand the film discovery landscape, I researched user needs, existing solutions, and industry trends. My focus wasn’t on the largest databases, but on platforms with smart filtering and innovative discovery features that make exploring films intuitive and enjoyable.
I tested the most popular film apps, evaluating how they handled filtering, categorization, personalization, and gamification to enhance engagement.
Key questions included:
Who are the users and what are their needs?
What’s the market size and demand for Donno?
What cultural or economic factors shape user behavior?
Which platforms do users rely on today?
What would they pay for a fair, unbiased recommendation tool?
The findings revealed clear gaps and opportunities, forming the foundation for Donno’s design strategy.
Part 2 — Competitor Research
I conducted a competitor audit of 12+ apps and 6 websites to understand how platforms approach film discovery and identify opportunities for Donno to stand out. Both direct competitors (similar recommendation services) and indirect competitors (alternative entertainment discovery tools) were analyzed.
Key dimensions included:
Features & Value: Comparison of functionality, quality, and usability.
Strengths & Weaknesses: Documented in a comparative table.
Pricing & Positioning: Free, freemium, or premium; target audience segments.
Marketing & Communication: Messaging, channels, and online presence.
Distribution & Customer Experience: Sales methods, user reviews, and support.
The analysis revealed gaps in personalized discovery, cultural diversity, and user control, informing Donno’s positioning as a platform focused on fair visibility, intelligent recommendations, and meaningful exploration.
Part 3 — Creating Persona
After synthesizing insights from market and competitor research, I developed a primary user persona to represent the core audience for Donno — a film enthusiast who values shared experiences and effortless discovery.
Persona: The Social Film Lover
Name: Emma (representative persona)
Age: 22
Gender: Female (can vary)
Occupation: College Student
About Emma
Emma is a passionate movie lover who enjoys watching films with her friends, discussing them online, and organizing weekend movie nights. She often becomes the “planner” in her group — the one responsible for finding something everyone will enjoy. With a busy academic schedule and limited free time, she’s constantly looking for ways to discover new movies quickly and easily.
Interests
Watching and reviewing films with friends
Engaging with online film communities and social media discussions
Curating and sharing movie lists
Exploring international and independent cinema
Frustrations
Too much time spent scrolling through unorganized film platforms
Limited social features for sharing and group viewing
Poor or repetitive recommendations that don’t suit group preferences
Pain Points
Difficulty coordinating movie nights with friends
Lack of features to save or organize movie ideas
Few platforms that encourage social interaction around films
Goals & Ambitions
To quickly find films that appeal to a group
To share recommendations and movie lists seamlessly with friends
To use a platform that feels social, personal, and inclusive
Key Insight
Emma represents a generation that views movie watching as a shared social experience rather than a solitary one. Designing for her means focusing on community-driven discovery, personalized curation, and a sense of connection through film.
Part 4 — Demand Validation
To validate user interest in Donno, I ran smoke tests, surveys, and interviews to measure demand and identify which features mattered most.
Smoke Test & Landing Page
I promoted a landing page via my X (formerly Twitter) account (4,000+ followers) and Instagram. Within 24 hours, 7,000+ users visited the page and joined the waiting list. I tracked CTR and conversion rates, and collected anonymized cookies to analyze device type, age, gender, and location — helping define Donno’s early audience.
Surveys & Polls
I conducted Google Forms surveys and social media polls to understand users’ current habits and preferences:
Which apps do you use to find movies?
What do you like or dislike about them?
Would you use Donno and how much would you pay?
Which features would you value most?
Any additional feedback or suggestions?
User Interviews
I also held 5 in-person and 2 online interviews to explore user motivations, pain points, and desired features.
Key Findings
Strong demand for fair, personalized movie recommendations.
Users value social and collaborative features (shared lists, group recommendations).
Existing platforms frustrate users with mainstream-biased suggestions.
High early sign-ups confirmed Donno’s concept resonates with the target audience.
Part 5 — Sitemap
After gathering insights from interviews and analytics, I defined the project scope from business, design, and technical perspectives. I then mapped user journeys to visualize how users interact with Donno to reach their goals.
Next, I created a sitemap — a clear, hierarchical structure of the platform. This helped organize content, prioritize features, and streamline navigation.
Features were grouped by priority:
Core: Search, filters, recommendations, and personalized home.
Secondary: Social sharing, folders, and AI discovery.
Nice-to-have: Gamification and cross-platform sync.
This structure ensured focus on the most valuable features for the MVP while keeping scalability in mind.
Part 6 — Wireframes
Using the sitemap as a guide, I designed low-fidelity wireframes to test the main user flow. The prototype included the first layer of filters — genre, theme, country, year, and mood — to verify whether they accurately captured user preferences.
I tested how intuitive the navigation felt, whether filters overlapped, and if users preferred a skip option during setup.
Findings:
• Navigation was clear and filters were distinct.
• Improvements included adding a skip button, top navigation for filters, and refining AI-driven suggestions for better accuracy.
These adjustments informed the next step: moving into high-fidelity prototypes and refining the user experience.
Part 7 — Branding
I defined the visual direction by selecting a color palette, typography, and imagery that reflect Donno’s values and personality. The design follows a minimalistic style with dark tones, while different colors represent specific movie genres. Imagery relies on realistic visuals, such as movie posters or generated characters.
Part 8 — Design System
Using Figma and Atomic Design principles, I created a design system defining colors, typography, spacing, shadows, and radii. Starting with small components, the system evolved as the app took shape. Establishing it early ensured consistency and allowed rapid adjustments across the interface.
Part 9 — High-Fidelity Design & Prototyping
I applied the design system to create high-fidelity screens, ensuring:
Readable typography and color contrast
Responsive layouts
Defined component states (hover, click, disabled)
Consistent iconography
Interactions and animations were defined in high-fidelity prototypes to simulate real user experience.
Part 10 — Usability Testing
I conducted moderated and unmoderated tests using FullStory and Hotjar with five users on the high-fidelity prototype. Key questions:
Are page descriptions clear?
Are the filters relevant?
Any confusing elements?
Findings:
Navigation was intuitive and visually appealing
Personalized filters improved search accuracy
Customizable folders enhanced engagement and social sharing
Part 11 — Technical Check, Documentation & Analytics
I reviewed constraints and localization requirements with engineers, defining data flow and database structure, which formed the basis for source documentation. Analytics events were determined prior to MVP launch to track user behavior and performance.
Part 12 — Launch & Monitoring
Post-launch, I monitored KPIs through Google Analytics, Hotjar, and server metrics while collecting user feedback for iterative improvements.
Part 13 — Frontend
As a design engineer, I implemented the frontend myself, bridging design and functionality for better control over user experience.
Part 14 — Conclusion
This personal project allowed me to explore three roles: Project Manager, Designer, and Frontend Developer. Despite challenges understanding the vector database and data retrieval, I am proud of the results.
Key Lessons:
Diving into the data structure informs better design and feature decisions
User testing revealed unclear areas, emphasizing the importance of proper guidance
Improvements & Next Steps:
Refine features without distracting users from the main flow
Ensure intuitive use through progressive disclosure
Test with users pursuing different goals: single viewers, groups, or casual explorers
Iterate based on feedback, update the design system, and share learnings with stakeholders
