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Project Overview
Expert is an app designed to help users find expert advice in a variety of fields. This project was created as part of the UX Immersion course at CareerFoundry.
My Responsibilities
Research, UX/UI Design
Project Duration
7 months: discovery/ideation, prototyping, and designing the final UI.
The Problem
Due to the overabundance of unverified information online, users need a product that connects them to trusted experts in a variety of fields. This product will do the difficult work of curating a selection of the highest caliber experts around for users to benefit from.
The Process
Design
Task Flow
Wireframes & Prototypes
Style Guide & Logo
Test
Usability Testing
Improvements
Research
Competitive Analyses
User Interviews
Personas
1. Research
The research phase began with conducting competitive analyses in order to develop a better understanding of the UX in existing apps of this type. In doing so, I was able to pinpoint the favorable features and areas for improvement.
Competitive Analyses
My investigations led me to three features which I knew I wanted to implement in my app:
1. Simple, intuitive UI which places the attention on the experts themselves
2. The inclusion of ratings/reviews, since those are paramount in today's digital age
3. Supplemental resources for users who want to learn, but aren't looking for paid calls
User Interviews
In order to develop empathy with users and identify their pain points, I needed to ask a series of open-ended questions. Here are three of the ones I used:
1. Think about your experience with contractors/hired workers. Is there anything specific you can point to which helps you determine whether someone is well-qualified to do work for you?
2. Do you have a suggestion for a category to include for the different types of expert advice? What's something you'd like to see represented in an app like this?
3. Are you the type of person to leave a review about an experience with a service? How likely are you to be impacted by reading reviews?
Personas
Using the information I obtained from my user interviews, I created these two personas. As I moved ahead in the project, I wanted each of my decisions to connect back to these.
2. Design
Now that I had defined my users I began to iterate on the app, starting with task flows to help me chart out the steps a user would take in order to complete each task.
Wireframes
Beginning with rudimentary mockups and moving into mid-fidelity versions, I kept usability and intuitive flow at the top of my mind.
Style Guide
Having completed the research phase and low to mid-fidelity prototypes, I got to work on the branding of Expert, which included a simple logo and a color palette.
Logo
I ultimately decided to keep the logo for Expert very simple, in order to try and keep the focus on the experts themselves. The phrase "Level up your skillset" was added as a catchy way to evoke a playful and gamified spirit for the app.
Color Palette
#5B7165
#4F67C7
#707070
#000000
#FFFFFF
Iconography
Usability Testing
A crucial part of my success in this project hinged upon my ability to digest my users' perspective as they experienced my app. This process highlighted the places where I was on track, and more importantly, where there was room for improvement. Each of my test participants were asked to try to perform a few scenario-specific tasks and vocalize their impressions as they moved through.
Takeaways
Highlights
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The overall flow felt intuitive and the icons were relatable
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The navigation was improved as compared to earlier versions
Room for Growth
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Many users suggested a reviews/testimonials section
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Multiple expert categories could be added to represent more users' needs
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There were some questions about accessibility/contrast
Implementation:
Based on my users' feedback, I made the following changes:
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Added a reviews/testimonials section on the home screen
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Tweaked some of the colors used to ensure WCAG compliance, and put a screen reader tool on the tutorial pages
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Included all of the suggestions for expert categories made by users, and came up with a few more myself
Finished Product
Booking a session with an expert
A very familiar sequence will benefit the user as they move through this flow of tasks.
Hiring an expert to complete work for you
This feature was my own creative addition. Similar apps do not include this option.
A Gmail-style message portal ensures that the UI is intuitive and user-centered.
Swipe-through coachmark
tutorial screens
The first time a new user opens the app, this tutorial sequence will help them get familiar with the bottom navigation bar.
Conclusion
Challenges
One of the main challenges I faced during this project was deciding how to simplify the bottom navigation bar. I needed to figure out one-word titles for the buttons which would make sense, as well as choose icons which would be relatable enough for the average user to make a connection with them. It took several iterations for me to really flesh out those choices, and I think in the future it could be better if it were pared down and simplified more from a features standpoint.
Areas for Improvement
In the future, I want to make sure my designs are as minimal as they can be. One of the biggest insights I had from this experience are just how different each user's mental model is for what they are trying to accomplish. In general, sticking to the foundational stuff at this stage in my career seems like the right path.
I would have liked to have conducted some more usability testing and user interviews on this app, because it really is so enlightening to see firsthand what users would change about an experience. Improving with each new offering is what Expert is all about!
Thank you for checking out this case study!
If you'd like to get in contact with me to collaborate, share feedback, or just to connect, send me a message here:
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