PROJECT BACKGROUND
Cinoca is on a mission to create an online platform to provide answers to users’ questions about specific websites. The company’s founder recognizes a need for providing online users assistance in navigating unfamiliar or cumbersome websites. The idea for ReeVueIt is still in an early stage and Cinoca was looking for a UX design strategy to help uncover how to best address their vision and business goals. The design team was presented with many wishes and feature requests by the client, which informed the team that the first step to delivering a successful MVP was to help the client understand the purpose and value of UX design.
DISCOVER
The first step was to better understand the value of ReeVuelt within the current online landscape. The team began with research gathering and my part was to conduct a business analysis of the evolution of knowledge-sharing platforms, from the early forms of Q&A platforms to the present movement towards online platforms providing a space for individuals to write and share their expert knowledge.
This analysis informed us that the current landscape provided users numerous options to ask and find information from an online community, with a growing trend towards connecting and building trust from informed peers.
In order to position ReeVuelt among the Q&A landscape as a strong and valuable contender for asking and sharing content, I began asking what could help set apart this product from Quora or Reddit. Was it entirely features and UI, as indicated by the client? Or could the content be the key driver to attract and retain users to ReeVuelt? In my research I learned that users value connection and trustworthy content online and this is reflected in the trend towards shared experiences that people receive from Medium, HubPages, and LinkedIn articles.
DEFINE
From conducting user interviews and usability testing of the current ReeVuelt website, our data was synthesized to uncover what current online users viewed as important for them. The responses reveal that users see value in a website that provide a trusting community.
INSIGHTS FROM USER INTERVIEWS
Users Want:
a visually appealing site
responsive customer service
connection with people/shared interests
search by keywords
feel validated
authentic content
PERSONAS
Personas were created to initiate the start of the design journey. Based on our user interviews the three personas reflect distinct scenarios of users finding a common purpose in utilizing ReeVuelt.
PROBLEM STATEMENTS
With three personas, three problem statements were determined. As Design Project Manager, I suggested that the design should now include the needs of the three personas in order to fully address and develop key issues and structure for ReeVuelt.
DESIGN HYPOTHESES
I created the following HMW statements and design hypotheses to explore the design and evolve features and elements in thoughtful detail. With a short schedule and a number of key items to design, each of the hypotheses were addressed during three agile sprint cycles. Final deliverables will include a functioning high-fidelity prototype, but in order to help the client understand the results of the prototype, I wanted to be able to demonstrate a thorough exploration of addressing user needs and business goals. The full ideation process was a team effort can be viewed in the Process Deck.
HYPOTHESIS 1:
We believe that by making information easy to find Olivia will achieve return visits to the website.
HYPOTHESIS 2:
We believe that by giving choices in topics and notifications Drew will achieve interest in participating to share information.
HYPOTHESIS 3:
We believe that highlighting relevant information for Peter will help connect users with shared interests.
USER FLOW CHART
DESIGN SYSTEM
I took on the role to establish a design system and enforce consistency throughout the project. By establishing a guidance of standards for the interface design, the client is provided with another level of structure for future development of ReeVuelt. Further details of standards can be viewed in the Design System.
ESTABLISHING STRUCTURE
Through my initial sketches, a clear organization was determined for the key features and components.
By placing the main content cards at the center of the page, visitors to the website are immediately drawn to the key feature and promotes interaction.
TYPOGRAPHY
Recognizing that text would be dominant on the website, I established the typography and hierarchy of text.
The use of a modern Serif for the main header sets importance of the subject. A Sans Serif font was chosen for clear legibility and balance with the main subject.
Both font types are Google fonts, providing the client with font selections that are accessible and suitable for responsive web design.
COMPONENTS
With numerous features being considered and developed I also took the time analyzing whether the design communicates clear intention of function, as well as consistency.
Examples at right show the iterations for two types of components.
COLOR
Several color themes and concepts were explored, including several mood boards. The client's request was to have a website with a soul.
Color application became the canvas representing the life of the online community. The main features remained the primary focus and rests above the color background.
DELIVERABLES
A working prototype was presented to Cinoca demonstrating a wire flow outlining the steps addressing the needs/goals of the three user personas, and outlined for each design hypothesis.
NEXT STEPS & RECOMMENDATIONS
The current prototype achieved the goal of defining and giving structure to Cinoca's online search platform ReeVuelt. With an establish strategy to define and deliver user needs and business goals, it is a first step to further develop the website and purpose.
Some areas for next iterations include:
1. Continue clarifying the structure of the main content cards.
2. Examine redundancy of icons "comments" and "scroll arrow"
3. Further develop the navigation bar
4. Determine features and function for user profile pages
CONCLUSION
The challenge of creating a UX design strategy for an early stage product idea provided an opportunity to learn about a business to help determine the best possible steps forward to bring ReeVuelt to reality. For my role as Design Project Manager, it was to help Cinoca recognize and prioritize the UX design processes they would need to better understand their product and users. This included showing the current market trends among current competitors and comparative companies that are influencing the direction of knowledge sharing, as well as analyzing design decisions throughout the project to support the overall purpose of ReeVuelt.
The founder of Cinoca, Eric Yang, believes his product will help provide an online space for community and learning. With this first iteration and set of deliverables, the early foundation has been established for Cinoca to continue building upon their product and mission goals for an online community of knowledge.