Share it

The core value of this case study was to go throughout the whole UX process, starting from UX research to usability tests. It was a one-year postgraduate course project, performed within a 5-person team. Following the problem that as humans we sink in an overflow of things in our houses, and going through every stage of UX process, I was able to create a clickable app prototype which addressed the initial problem. It allowed me to graduate my UX course with the highest mark.

#UXProcess

#Research

#Strategy

#UserFlows

#Benchmarking

#Prototyping

#PaperPrototyping

#UsabilityTests

#AxureRP

#MobileAppDesign

SWPS University Project on the User Experience Design/Product Design 1-year postgraduate course

2020

Let me introduce you, what exactly Share it is!

Imagine yourself at home where the things you buy daily start to overflow your personal space. You realise that some of them you don't need anymore. They are either in a good condition or broken but with a potential to be fixed up for someone who knows how to do it. There is that half of the jar of a white wall paint and a phone charger to your very first mobile phone. Of course you have a newer model now, which has a usb C, not a micro USB cable. Useless? For you - for sure. For someone there in your neighbourhood who's just run out of their white wall paint but there is a piece of the wall still not painted, as they bought too little paint container - sounds like a perfect deal! No need to buy the whole jar anymore, which is quite expensive for them, but they have found your listing in that share it app, and you're happy to give it away for free!

Research

Problem to explore: As humans, we have too many things we don't use anymore.

Initially, me and my team identified five areas for development:

1. What is the level of awareness among individuals regarding less waste, the sharing economy, and similar concepts?
2. How do individuals utilise the offered technology?
3. What methods do individuals employ to share their belongings with others?
4. What drives their motivations?
5. What are their primary challenges and habits?

During a desk research, I conducted preliminary data collection to assess the scale and trends of the problem in Poland. This information facilitated the selection of individuals for in-depth interviews. Subsequently, I developed a screener questionnaire and shared it through social media groups or utilised the snowball method to identify potential respondents.

In-depth interviews were conducted with the respondents, who were asked approximately 60 questions across similar apps. Additionally, when the respondents utilised swap-things applications, their interactions with these applications were observed.

All collected data was recorded and thoroughly analysed, enabling me to derive insights for subsequent phases. Based on this analysis, we created two personas:

Magda: A female individual who collects diverse items but is willing to share them with others. She is committed to minimising waste.
Lukasz: A male young adult who is technologically proficient. The economy holds significant importance for him regarding his possessions.

Strategy

To gain a comprehensive understanding of the processes involved in acquiring and sharing no longer needed by them things, I developed Experience Journey Maps that outline the stages users encounter, the activities they engage in, and the emotions they experience.

Having acquired this comprehensive information, I commenced the development of the value proposition using the Value Proposition Canvas. This tool enabled me to clearly define how I can address the future needs and pain points of my target audience.

Additionally, I conducted a competitive analysis and benchmarking study, not only within the share-it app category but also across various other solutions that possess features that I believe could be integrated into our mobile application. Among these notable examples are Facebook, Amazon, Vinted, and Tinder.

I defined the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) features and key performance indicators (KPIs) to facilitate the evaluation of the app’s progress.

‍My guiding principle for this process was to create a product that fosters a sense of community among internet users who are overwhelmed by the abundance of their belongings. The primary objective of the product was to address the most significant challenges and frustrations experienced by users while utilising similar solutions offered by other companies.

User-snearios, user-flows & paper prototyping

To further explore the diverse contexts of usage, I developed user scenarios. These scenarios guided the creation of user flow diagrams, which clarified the specific steps users may take to accomplish their objectives. Subsequently, upon completing the user flows, I employed the paper prototyping method to visualise the transitions between various screens.

Prototyping in Axure RP

Throughout each iteration of the project, I gained valuable insights that ultimately guided the formulation of crucial project decisions:

1. Introducing our platform to new users in a user-friendly and intuitive manner.
2. Cultivating an informed community.
3. Defining the essential features of our application.
4. Developing an intuitive navigation system.
5. Identifying the most impactful interactions we wish to implement.
6. Implementing our design system effectively.

The application prototype was meticulously designed using Axure RP. Our team adhered to our established design system, ensuring consistency throughout the design process. All designs were executed in a grayscale palette, with a single dominant colour highlighting the primary actions, buttons, and information.

To enhance our understanding of the user experience, I conducted usability tests on the prototyped application utilising the Loop11 tool. These tests provided valuable feedback, enabling us to identify areas for improvement and refine our approach for future iterations.

Go to the whole Axure RP prototype