A smart bilingual directory connecting Qatar's businesses and communities.
Platform
iOS & Android
Market
Qatar
Role
Lead Product Designer
Languages
English · Arabic (RTL)
Features
Hala
Qatar Directory
Choose Language
Premium Space
Book your Space
Browse Categories
Choose Plan
Select your subscription
QAR 29/mo
01 / Overview
Hala is a Qatar-based mobile application that bridges businesses and consumers through a smart, bilingual directory and premium advertising platform. Companies list their services and book premium placement spaces. Users discover local businesses by category — in both Arabic and English, seamlessly.
20+
Screens Designed
2
Languages · EN + AR
3
Subscription Tiers
02 / The Problem
Qatar's businesses had no mobile-first platform to reach their audience — in their language.
Qatar's diverse, multilingual population needs a single trusted platform to discover and engage with local businesses — in both Arabic and English. Most existing apps had poor RTL support or inconsistent visual hierarchy when switching languages. Both sides of the market were underserved.
Businesses
Lacked a centralized, mobile-first platform to showcase their services and reach targeted local audiences in Qatar.
- List services in directory
- Book premium ad spaces
- Choose subscription plan (Platinum / Gold / Silver)
Consumers
Had no single app to browse vetted local services by category, language preference, or location — leading to fragmented discovery experiences.
- Discover businesses by category
- Call or get directions instantly
- Switch between English and Arabic effortlessly
03 / Design Process
From dual-user research to bilingual, high-fidelity screens.
“The language toggle was not a feature — it was the first UX decision. The moment a user picks their language, the entire app speaks their world.”
Discovery & Research
Analyzed competitor apps in the MENA region and identified a critical gap: most apps either had poor RTL support or inconsistent visual hierarchy when switching languages. Mapped out both business-side and consumer-side user journeys to understand divergent needs within a single product.
IA & Flows
Structured two core flows — onboarding & registration (for businesses and users) and the discovery & engagement flow. Defined the plan selection screen (Platinum, Gold, Silver) as the key business conversion touchpoint, requiring focused hierarchy and pricing clarity.
Visual Design
Built the UI around a deep navy blue (#1A1A6E) and golden yellow (#F7B500) palette — evoking Qatar's authoritative, premium market feel. High contrast ensured readability across Arabic and English text at all sizes. Coral-red icons created clear, warm category signifiers.
NAVY BLUE
#1A1A6E
GOLDEN
#F7B500
CORAL
#E05A5A
Bilingual UX
Designed language selection as the very first interaction — giving users immediate agency before entering any flow. Every screen was built with RTL/LTR mirroring in mind. Text alignment, icon placement, and navigation direction all adapt to the selected language, creating a truly native experience in both directions.
Prototyping & Handoff
Delivered high-fidelity prototypes covering all user flows. Developer handoff included annotated Figma files with spacing, component states, and bilingual layout notes — ensuring the engineering team could implement both language directions without guesswork.
04 / Key Screens
Eight screens. Every touchpoint in the user journey, considered.
Splash & Language Selection
Bold navy canvas with the golden Hala logo. A bilingual toggle lets users choose English or Arabic before entering the app — the entire experience localizes from the first tap.
Login Screen
Clean, minimal login on dark navy. A golden CTA button draws the eye immediately. Reset password and register links reduce friction for users who land here by mistake.
Registration Screen
Business registration collects personal then professional identity in a single scrollable form — mirroring natural onboarding logic for a zero-friction sign-up.
Home / Premium Space
Leads with a "Premium Space" banner showcasing partner brand logos — immediately communicating value to businesses. A "Book your Space" CTA drives the core business action. The category search grid follows for consumer discovery.
Category Search
Six bold tiles (Medical, Food, Car, Electronic, Travel, Education) with coral-red circular icons. A search bar above serves both browse and intent-driven users in a single view.
Plan Selection
Platinum expanded by default, pricing (QAR 29) and "Book Now" CTA prominently placed. A conversion-focused touchpoint designed with clear hierarchy, pricing transparency, and minimal cognitive load.
Category Listing
"Premium" tags on select listings create a visual hierarchy rewarding businesses who invest in the platform — and signaling quality to users browsing the directory.
Location / Map View
Embedded map with a "Drive" CTA — reducing the steps from discovery to navigation to a single tap. Business name displayed clearly above the action button.
05 / Key UX Decisions
Four decisions that made the difference.
Language-First Onboarding
Placing language selection before login or registration ensures that every subsequent interaction — from form labels to navigation direction — feels native to the user's preferred language. It's not a setting buried in a menu. It's the first screen. The first handshake between the app and the user.
Premium Tier Visual Hierarchy
"Premium" tags on listings create a clear two-tier system that motivates businesses to upgrade their plans — while helping users identify top-quality, verified listings instantly. The badge does dual work: it's a business growth incentive and a consumer quality signal in a single design element.
One-Tap Navigation
The map view with a "Drive" CTA reduces the user journey from discovery to physical navigation to a single action. Removing this friction at the most critical moment of intent — when a user has found what they're looking for — was a deliberate conversion decision.
B2B Conversion Focus
The home screen's "Book your Space" and the plan selection screen were treated as primary business conversion surfaces — designed with clear hierarchy, pricing transparency (QAR 29 front and center), and minimal cognitive load. The Platinum plan expands by default, anchoring the user's perception of value before they consider lower tiers.
06 / Outcome
“A bilingual B2B directory and premium space booking platform designed to connect Qatar's businesses and communities — with clarity, trust, and purpose.”
20+
Screens
EN + AR
LTR + RTL
3
Plan Tiers
Authority
Deep navy palette commands trust in a premium market — the right visual language for Qatar's B2B context.
Warmth
Coral-red category icons and golden accents create approachability — turning a directory into an experience people want to use.
Clarity
High contrast typography and consistent components across 20+ screens and two language directions — zero hierarchy confusion in any language.
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