SILA App: Helping 2.2M Book Lovers Navigate Algeria’s Largest Cultural Event

Client: Netfer Smart Solutions + SILA Organizers
Event: International Book Fair of Algiers (SILA 2018)
Users: Book fair visitors (young readers, parents, clubs)
Timeline: 2 week for design
Role: Solo UX/UI Designer
Live Usage: Used during 2018 book fair (2.2M attendees)

What is SILA 2018?

SILA is the international book fair of Algiers, held annually to bring together book exhibitors, authors, bloggers, journalists, and readers from around the world to buy, sell, and share books while attending conferences. The event is heavily marketed across social networks, television, radio, and billboards, contributing to its popularity, bringing:

I designed and delivered a mobile app for the International Book Fair of Algiers in just 12 days, serving 2.2 million attendees with improved navigation, search, and personalization features that addressed critical user pain points from the previous year’s app.

My Role at SILA

• Collaborated with Netfer Smart Solutions and SILA organizers under extreme timeline pressure
• Solo UX/UI Designer for Algeria’s largest cultural event mobile app
• Led end-to-end design process from research to final delivery
• Conducted user research with previous app users and book club members
• Delivered tested, production-ready designs for immediate development

The Challenge

Design a mobile app for 2.2 million book fair visitors in under 12 days, without access to book images, exhibitor logos, or real-time data. The previous app was cluttered, outdated, and created user frustration with poor navigation and overwhelming sponsor visuals.

Previous App core UX problems:

• Visitors struggled to navigate the overcrowded fair
• Exhibitors and trending books were hard to find
• The previous app was cluttered, outdated, and unloved
• No way to save or share books and events

Competitive Research

Analyzed apps from London Book Fair, Bologna, and Riyadh and found 3 key patterns:

• Big, persistent search bar
• Clear categorization by author, title, exhibitor
• Bookmarking and social sharing options

User Research Insights

Target Users: Book club members, parents with children, avid readers attending Algeria’s premier cultural event

🧍‍♂️ Persona 1: Salim, 28 – Book Club Member

🧍‍♀️ Persona 2: Farah, 32 – Parent Visiting with Kids

Critical Pain Points Identified

• Navigation confusion in overcrowded fair environment
• Search limitations – no way to find books by author or exhibitor
• No personalization – couldn’t save favorite books or exhibitors
• Visual overload from sponsor clutter reducing usability
• Sharing gaps – no way to share discoveries with friends

Research Methods: 6 user interviews (4 online, 2 in-person), competitive analysis of London, Bologna, and Riyadh book fair apps, usability testing with 4 users on wireframes.

Key Design Solutions

Streamlined Search & Discovery

• Persistent search bar with filters by book title, author, and exhibitor
• Clean, sponsor-free interface to reduce visual overload
• Quick book preview via popup modal instead of full-screen pages

Enhanced Personalization

• Favorite books and exhibitors functionality
• Social sharing for books and exhibitors
• Calendar integration for event activities

Improved Navigation

Designed for quick interactions while walking

Sketches

Once I had a clear understanding of users’ needs, pain points, and expectations, I translated those insights into quick hand-drawn sketches. These early concepts helped visualize how the app could solve real user problems and allowed me to explore layout ideas rapidly before moving into wireframes.

Low Fidelity Design Testing & Iteration

Lo-Fi Design Testing Results (4 users)

• Switched from full-screen to popup book details for faster browsing
• Added author and exhibitor search filters based on user demand
• Extended favorites to include exhibitors, not just books
• Introduced social sharing functionality

High Fidelity Design

After wireframe testing and user feedback,I developed the visual design system optimized for quick interactions in a crowded, high-stress fair environment.

• Clean, minimal interface eliminating sponsor clutter that overwhelmed previous app users
• Typography: Clean, readable fonts with strong hierarchy for rapid scanning
• Color Palette: Minimal color scheme to reduce visual noise and sponsor clutter
• Iconography: Simple, universally recognizable icons for search, favorites, and sharing

Mobile-First Considerations Designed for one-handed use while walking through crowded fair aisles, with thumb-friendly interaction zones and clear visual feedback for all user actions.

Impact & Results

• Event Scale: Successfully deployed for 2.2M attendees
• Timeline Achievement: Designed, tested, and delivered in 12 days
• User Experience: Addressed all major complaints from 2017 version
• Feature Adoption: Clean UI with personalization features delivered clutter-free experience
• Process Validation: Proved rapid user-centered design possible under extreme constraints

Key Learnings

Speed + Process = Success: Focused, user-centered approach delivered production-ready design in one week while maintaining quality and usability standards.

Context-Driven Design: Most valuable insights came from understanding previous app failures rather than assumptions, emphasizing importance of user feedback in redesign projects.

The SILA app project was challenging but very rewarding. Creating a solution for millions of book lovers at Algeria’s biggest cultural event in just two weeks showed the power of good design and teamwork. This project highlighted how important thoughtful UX design is for large events.