Research

Domain research findings

In order to gain a more accurate representation of the problem space, we started with digging into the domain and examined the competition. This initial research showed us that:

Competitive analysis findings

Having conducted a thorough competitive analysis proved an influx of products in the market where services are mostly focused on data (gathered via surveys) and employer-centric. As summarised in the diagram below, this research brought to our attention that not many competitors have a people-oriented service offering.

In a market that appears to be very saturated, we identified providing a platform that encourages communication, community and inclusivity aspect of the spectrum could be an opportunity for our product.

User interviews and survey findings

With a purpose to understand our users, their needs and pain points, we contacted a number of full-time employees (55 to be precise) of a range of professional backgrounds and are in various seniority levels. This allowed us to understand the problem from their perspective.

The results showed that:

A detailed version of the research plan could be viewed here.

User personas

From this study and findings we gathered, we brought our users into life in two personas, Gemma - an ambitious trailblazer, and Gus - a concerned colleague. Combined with empathy maps, we identified their need as an inclusive platform for trusted and open communication because they want to feel empowered, valued and engaged at work.

Ideation

With Gus and Gemma in mind, we individually drew out our ideas using the 6-8-5 sketching method. These sketches allowed us to diverge and explore what different solutions would relate to the goals of the user as well as the business individually.

After several rounds of ideation and guerrilla testing, we narrowed our focus down to 4 key features that could serve to help Gus and Gemma. With our high-fidelity designs, we wanted to make sure users can fully trust our platform while feeling included and welcome. We wanted to allow them to have complete autonomy in their sense of privacy. It was also a key metric for us to make sure no one feels excluded based on their level of ability. 

Usability testing

Testing

Utilising our high fidelity screens, we created a clickable prototype which we tested with 8 users whom we asked to complete 6 tasks, with a purpose to;

• validate our assumed benefits to the users

• assess overall usability of our product

• identify areas of improvement

Click here to download the full testing plan.

Findings

Of the 8 people we interviewed, 7 expressed that our product would bring value, and they would use this platform to meet like-minded people. They mentioned it being useful if they were to change jobs, or when searching for events and connecting with colleagues.

Despite the overall positive sentiment though, some users also directed us to areas of improvement albeit being minor. We identified the points of the highest importance as below for further iteration;

• Lack of visual interest - Some users expressed that community pages on the platform didn’t appear as visually appealing as others on the platform. In order to address this and make the platform more coherent, we introduced a similar visual structure on all child pages (i.e. LGBTQI+ community page)

• Confusing navigation indicator - For users to be able to confirm where they are in the platform, we now introduced a navigation tracker highlighted in blue.

• Usability issues with new post/feedback tool - We improved the usability by re-arranging the field and submit buttons.

Iterated prototype

Based on our findings above, we iterated our prototype to improve its usability. During this stage, we also worked on mobile screens too. See below clickable prototype of web version together with a quick glimpse of the mobile designs.

Key takeaways

Managing client expectations - My past experience proved useful when managing client expectations. I strived for full transparency with the client and pushed the team to clearly communicate what to expect in different stages throughout the process.

Prioritising based on user needs  – We found that it is very important to prioritise the user experience over features/concepts based on test findings. Some of the concepts sounded brilliant at first but during concept testing, we found out that the users had different needs and priorities. 

Importance of teamwork and collaboration – Despite some issues, with great teamwork and collaboration, the project was delivered successfully. Given my experience in managing multiple stakeholders on projects with tight deadlines, I encouraged the team to achieve this with open, honest and continuous communication.