The Product
Mobile app for people to connect with local vendors during the COVID.
Project Duration
10 weeks
Role
User Experience Researcher/Designer
(Individual Project)
Responsibilities
Empathy Maps, User Stories, User Research, Wireframing, Low fidelity prototype, and High fidelity prototype, and Usability testing
The User Problem
During COVID, it was difficult for people to connect with local small businesses as people were scared to step out of their places. Local shops/Crafters were also not getting many customers because of the same problem. The connection between the people and the local vendors was missing.
User Research
To know more about the problem and the ways in which people were affected by it, I started interviewing the users with the following goals in mind:
-
Understand how people feel about an app to connect with local small businesses/Crafters.
-
Understand what they represent and their behavior.
-
Find out if they are having any problems and the reason behind those problems.
-
the current status of local shopping during COVID-19, and how we can improve it.
User Interview
Some of the questions that I asked-
1) What kind of products do you prefer buying from local shop businesses?
2) When was your last purchase from a local shop?
3) Why do you like shopping from local shop businesses?
4) Do you worry about products being of bad quality?
5) Which other app do you use for local shopping?
Participants
7 participants
4 males and 3 females (Age group 25 – 35 years)
Methodology
45 minutes
​
semi-structured interview
​
U.S, In-person
​
​
Empathizing with the users
To gain deeper insights into user's mindsets, how they feel, what do they see, their behavior around those products
02
Project Name
POV Statements
03
Crafting a Solution
These sketches are freehand drawings on paper that give an essential representation of my application. They are beneficial during any design process as they can provide better initial visualization of an application.
“Sketching is quick, easy, and everyone can see what you mean.”
Wireframes/ Low Fidelity Prototype
Usability Testing
User Interviews
Goals
Focus on how well is the User-centered approach of the app.
Does this app suffice for the purpose of connecting local small vendors with people during covid?
Introduction
​
If you don’t mind, I would like to jot down your inputs while using the app.
General questions
Capture some information about your users, demographics, what products they use.
-
Hello, How are you?
-
Do you use any app for DIY Products?
-
If yes, which ones?
-
If not, would you be interested in using this?
-
Is there anything you would like to tell regarding this application?
Tasks and Questions
A list of tasks that will get your participant to interact with your new features.
Questions will help me understand how the users feel about the feature.
Task 1-
Using this app, how was the product search experience?
How well was the product list? Were you able to find what you were looking for?
Task 2-
Using this app, customer experience increased by using shopping experts.
How was the experience while using shopping experts for different occasions?
How helpful or not helpful was the recommendations section?
​
Task 3- How was the navigation through the application?
​
​
Retrospective questions
-
What did you like or dislike?
-
What was the most memorable part?
-
Would you recommend an app like this to your friends or family?
-
From 1 to 10, what will you rate the user-centered experience?
-
Visually, do you like the design of the app?
-
Any suggestions, that you feel should be an important part of the app?
User Test Results
Takeaways
Impact
​
-
Users highly appreciated the connection between local vendors and them.
-
As COVID-19 impacted everyone's life, this application could benefit small local shop businesses as they are the ones who suffered the most.
-
The option of having an expert to guide users while shopping is an amazing feature.
Improvements
​
-
Users would like to see local events happening nearby.
-
Some users need more guidance and product details while shopping.