Timeline:
5 Weeks
Client:
Student Project
Role:
UX / UI Design,
Branding,
Art Direction
Unbound Books
Overview:
Unbound Books is a digital platform that helps users explore banned or challenged books, understand where and why they are restricted, and find accessible ways to read them.
Problem
Book bans restrict diverse voices, and users lack an accessible way to see where these bans occur or how to access the books.
Solution
Create a clear, user-friendly way for readers to understand which books are banned in the U.S. and easily access reliable information all in one place.
Research Methods
Interviews
6 Students from my hometown in Ohio
Conducted on Google Forms
Interview Findings
Limited Access After Removal
Access to a title becomes difficult after it is removed from local libraries and resources
Inconsistent Information
Information is inconsistent, with no one tool that is used for finding and access banned status on a title.
Limited Access After Removal
Reasons for bans are unclear, leaving users unaware of why a book was challenged in the first place.
Opportunity
A centralized platform that helps readers navigate U.S. book bans by making censorship data clear and easy to find, encouraging users to stay informed and continue accessing meaningful stories.
Search
A straightforward way for users to find a specific title.
Explore by Region
To encourage users to learn about regional divides in the US, users can browse titles by region, and identify specific themes and titles.
Where to Access
Located on the book detail page, gives users various options on how best they would want to access their specific title.
Logo Design
The name "Unbound Books" plays on the idea of books being unbanned and unrestricted to readers. It intends to reflect the idea of free information and strengthen the idea of making challenged stories accessible.
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Timeline:
5 Weeks
Client
Student Project
Role:
UX / UI Design, Branding
Art Direction
Unbound Books
Overview:
Unbound Books is a digital platform that helps users explore banned or challenged books, understand where and why they are restricted, and find accessible ways to read them.
Problem
Book bans restrict diverse voices, and users lack an accessible way to see where these bans occur or how to access the books.
Solution
Create a clear, user-friendly way for readers to understand which books are banned in the U.S. and easily access reliable information all in one place.
Research Methods
Interviews
6 Students from my hometown in Ohio
Conducted on Google Forms
Interview Findings
Limited Access After Removal
Access to a title becomes difficult after it is removed from local libraries and resources
Inconsistent Information
Information is inconsistent, with no one tool that is used for finding and access banned status on a title.
Limited Access After Removal
Reasons for bans are unclear, leaving users unaware of why a book was challenged in the first place.
Opportunity
A centralized platform that helps readers navigate U.S. book bans by making censorship data clear and easy to find, encouraging users to stay informed and continue accessing meaningful stories.
Search
A straightforward way for users to find a specific title.
Explore by Region
To encourage users to learn about regional divides in the US, users can browse titles by region, and identify specific themes and titles.
Where to Access
Located on the book detail page, gives users various options on how best they would want to access their specific title.
Logo Design
The name "Unbound Books" plays on the idea of books being unbanned and unrestricted to readers. It intends to reflect the idea of free information and strengthen the idea of making challenged stories accessible.
My Process
The following sections of the case study break down each stage of the design process, from defining the problem to ideation, testing, and refining, showing how the concept evolved into the final prototype.
Mid-Fi Wireframes
User Flow Map
To emphasize the goal of discovery and access, I mapped how users would move from the homepage to finding a specific book or exploring regional censored titles. With this user flow as a starting point, I explored how different entry points, such as search, featured titles, or regional browsing, might affect the paths users take to reach book details, understand ban reasons, and find ways to access each title.
Testing and Refining
While the timeline for my class didn’t allow for full usability testing, I incorporated informal feedback from peers using the site throughout the design phase. These quick check-ins helped me refine key decisions and ensure the experience remained intuitive.
Interactive Prototype
Impact
Unbound Books helps users quickly understand which books are banned, why, and where, giving them clear directions to access these titles. It makes complicated censorship information easier to understand, supporting informed and empowered reading.
Reflection
This project emphasized the importance of designing for sensitive topics and presenting information in a digestible way for all users. I also learned how early feedback and simplified flows can clarify complex data for everyday users. In the future, I would conduct more thorough user testing to enforce interactions, expand the dataset to cover more titles and regions, and add features like saved book lists, alerts for new bans, or personalized recommendations to make the experience even more engaging and actionable.
Fall 2025
Timeline:
5 Weeks
Client
Student Project
Role:
UX / UI Design, Branding, Art Direction
Unbound Books
Overview
Unbound Books is a digital platform that helps users explore banned or challenged books, understand where and why they are restricted, and find accessible ways to read them.
Problem
Book bans restrict diverse voices, and users lack an accessible way to see where these bans occur or how to access the books.
Solution
Create a clear, user-friendly way for readers to understand which books are banned in the U.S. and easily access reliable information all in one place.
Research Methods
Interviews
6 Students from my hometown in Ohio
Conducted on Google Forms
Interview Findings
Limited Access After Removal
Access to a title becomes difficult after it is removed from local libraries and resources
Inconsistent Information
Information is inconsistent, with no one tool that is used for finding and access banned status on a title.
Limited Access After Removal
Reasons for bans are unclear, leaving users unaware of why a book was challenged in the first place.
Opportunity
A centralized platform that helps readers navigate U.S. book bans by making censorship data clear and easy to find, encouraging users to stay informed and continue accessing meaningful stories.
Search
A straightforward way for users to find a specific title.
Explore by Region
To encourage users to learn about regional divides in the US, users can browse titles by region, and identify specific themes and titles.
Where to Access
Located on the book detail page, gives users various options on how best they would want to access their specific title.
Logo Design
The name "Unbound Books" plays on the idea of books being unbanned and unrestricted to readers. It intends to reflect the idea of free information and strengthen the idea of making challenged stories accessible.
My Process
The following sections of the case study break down each stage of the design process, from defining the problem to ideation, testing, and refining, showing how the concept evolved into the final prototype.
Mid-Fi Wireframes
User Flow Map
To emphasize the goal of discovery and access, I mapped how users would move from the homepage to finding a specific book or exploring regional censored titles. With this user flow as a starting point, I explored how different entry points, such as search, featured titles, or regional browsing, might affect the paths users take to reach book details, understand ban reasons, and find ways to access each title.
Testing and Refining
While the timeline for my class didn’t allow for full usability testing, I incorporated informal feedback from peers using the site throughout the design phase. These quick check-ins helped me refine key decisions and ensure the experience remained intuitive.
Interactive Prototype
Impact
Unbound Books helps users quickly understand which books are banned, why, and where, giving them clear directions to access these titles. It makes complicated censorship information easier to understand, supporting informed and empowered reading.
Reflection
This project emphasized the importance of designing for sensitive topics and presenting information in a digestible way for all users. I also learned how early feedback and simplified flows can clarify complex data for everyday users. In the future, I would conduct more thorough user testing to enforce interactions, expand the dataset to cover more titles and regions, and add features like saved book lists, alerts for new bans, or personalized recommendations to make the experience even more engaging and actionable.
Fall 2025