Client:Hurify
Project:Design and conduct research on IoT platform for skills matching, Project Management, and e-commerce utilizing ethereum technology.
Identity Verification helper screen, shown when KYC/AML photo was rejected.
Negotiation of payment before contract enters block chain
Project Summary: Open ended contract
As the solo UX Designer, I provided direction and facilitated all areas of design from stakeholder interviews, persona creation, journey map creation, user flows, site map, user research, competitive analysis, led design studios, created and conducted usability testing, iterations. High fidelity screens were handed off to developers with redlines and annotation; I then conducted acceptance tests and the heuristics of site.
Problem Statement: Create a platform to facilitate the development of Internet of Things (IoT) projects, including the matching of project owners with project managers and project development subcontractors, and hardware vendors within the IoT ecosystem. Each contract created will be protected by block chain technology and paid for using cryptocurrency.
High Fidelity Wireframe
Screen showing users which projects match their specific skill set.
Methods:
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User Research:
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Stakeholder interviews
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potential user screening & interviews
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Affinity diagraming
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Moscow method for feature prioritization
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Usability testing within every design phase
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A/B Testing
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Once site went live, I conducted:
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actual user surveys
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user interviews
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new users acquisition testing
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Competitive Analysis: Compared 3 sites for feature use, ease of use, and information gathering
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Persona Creation: Based on potential and actual user interviews and user surveys
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Design studio with key stakeholders (CEO & COO)
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Wireframes & iterations based on user testing
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User Journey Mapping
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Usability testing: paper prototypes, mid-high fidelity prototypes, guerilla testing, A/B testing.
Tools:
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Google survey, Invision, Sketch, Adobe, sticky notes, large paper, Power Point, OneNote, notebook & pens, whiteboards
Deliverables:
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User flows, site map, high fidelity screens, competitive analysis, personas, style guide, user journey map, research analysis
User Research
Competitive Analysis, Feature Inventory, & Site summary
Key insights:
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All free, some had paid upgrade features
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Majority of sites included user bio, current location, avatar/photo, and rate. Rate could be a range or hourly.
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One website did not include employment history or past projects, however it did have space for a video, link to users portfolio, and the ability to take tests and certifications through the site.
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Hurify offering the most diverse functionality
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job seeker/ contractor and project manager communication opportunities exist
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Verification at sign up seems to be important
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Rate, location, and photo are important
Feature Inventory of similar sites with different target audiences
Card Sorting & data from potential user, user, & IoT community surveys (over 6 months):
Key insights:
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Freelancers may be concerned about being paid in cryptocurrency.
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Potential users work mainly on a computer or laptop
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Wide range of experience across potential users
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People want to work with others who are in or around their same time zone
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90% of users are part of 2 or more work related social platforms such as GitHub, LinkedIn, & Discord
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52% of the user we surveyed have 1-3 year experience with IoT or Blockchain.
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Because of these themes, we chose a web based design first, highlighting time user time zones, and spoken languages, along with information and easy of use on-boarding about Etherium. We built in ways for users to earn tokens to break down barriers users may have towards using crypto currency.
Personas
From my screening, surveys, and interviews I created 5 personas to encompass all user types.
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Senior Developer
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Developer
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Experienced Project Owner
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Project Owner
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Project Architect
Key Insights:
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Location and spoken language is important
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Want a platform that is specifically for IoT projects
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Skills matching was highly sought after
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Detest sites that link them with users without the skills they need
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Freelances are frustrated with contractors who don't know which skills are needed- Our solution was to create project architect persona to act as a project manager and guide project owners and developers together.
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Contractors frustrated with freelances who lie about their skill level
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Need to be able to have written and verbal communication.
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Many users don't understand smart contracts
Due to these themes, I highlighted the location and spoken languages on users profiles. I also created an informative smart contract walk through. Users will sign a smart contract before it enters the block chain. Hurify plans to put certification and testing on the site.
User Testing:
Built into design sprints and conducted every 2 weeks.
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Guerrilla testing conducted at Hack-a-thons
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A/B testing: information placed within compressed view of user profile, project profile, and KYC information page
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Some User flows tested in InVision:
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Sign up/Log in
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Create HUR Wallet
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Create Profile
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Create project
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Find project
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Find developer
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E-commerce check out
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KYC (Know your Customer)/ AML (anti-money laundering) required by EU
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Changing project milestones
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Negotiating contract
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Screenshot of InVision with negotiation prototype
User Experience
Information Architecture:
I created a site map as a visual guide for myself, development team in India, and the Bellevue team to ensure consistency and placement of screens
Site map for Hurify
One of multiple user flows created for Hurify.
User flows were created for every instance to ensure the correct pages were designed, non missed, and developers knew how the flow was intended to work.
Journey Mapping:
From screening, surveys, and interviews, Hurify compiled 5 main goals for users when launching the platform
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Buy Hardware (using HUR tokens)
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Find work/contract
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Find Workers
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Simple contracts- one person
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Complex contracts- teams
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Build Skills
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Earn HUR tokens
Journey mapping in action using sticky notes and a white board
Prototypes
Version 1- MidFidelity wireframs
Version 1:
Designed with minimal changes to navigation previously created. Mid- fi
User Test Results:
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Side and top navigation confusing
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Too many icons on the side
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Boxes looked unrefined and unprofessional
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Color changes not enough for color blind vision
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Drop down menu for find projects not intuitive
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Search function working for products only is confusing
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Logout does not need to be as easy to access
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Submitting a bid does not allow for negotiation, only proposing terms. Project owner and developers want to be able to negotiate terms of an agreement
Version 2- MidFidelity wireframs
Version 2: Navigation change to top only
User Testing Results:
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Grayed out boxed need better indicator that they are locked/ coming soon
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Users don't understand what they are "spending" and "earning"
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Searching for projects needs less filter
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Icon for hiding and viewing a project is confusing
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Frustrating to have to create a separate profile for developer and project owner if user is both
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Negotiation pages: users expect to only see what the project owner is offering, and makes changes
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Having each area with a separate call to action button is too many clicks
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Too many possibilities given
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Looks like a PDF, but acts like a website
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Percentage taken for Hurify looks like input boxes, not being able make changes within them is confusing
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Clear that Hurify gets a certain percentage
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Not clear how much 1 HUR is equivalent too in US dollars
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Version 3- Mid to High Fidelity screens
Version 3: New Logo, colors & font changes, Simplified design
Next Steps:
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A/B test negotiation pages
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Determine how to add certifications and skills tests to site
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Indicate a HUR to dollar equivalent
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Design and test Project architect user flows
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Improve skills matching
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Create and test better on boarding