A Design Sprint from a Team of One
This case study is a story about my process while creating solutions with a guided structure provided by a modified GV-style design sprint. To learn more about GV sprints, read more on their website “here” or you may click on any “GV sprint”.
My Role:
UX/UI Designer + Researcher + Decision Maker = A Team of One
My Responsibilities:
Research, Low-Fidelity Website Prototype, Problem Solving, Usability Testing
Homepage example of “The Shelter Pet Project.”
Background
CityPups is a new website start-up that focuses on helping people who live in the city find their perfect dog to adopt. Once a user decides to adopt, they get sent to a third-party contact to start the adoption process. CityPups is a part of The Shelter Pet Project. You may read about them on their website by clicking “here”, or click on any “The Shelter Pet Project.”
Why did I work with CityPups?
It’s a challenge for people living in the city to find the right dog to adopt due to their unique needs and lifestyles. From small living spaces to limited access to outdoor spaces, my goal for these city people was to use the pain points of searching for a perfect dog to create a simple solution. In other words, help the user intuitively complete their goal; find their perfect dog. If I can improve the experience for people while they search for a dog, then CityPups is one step closer to creating a useful website.
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Questions to answer
In order to find these city people a perfect match, the dog(s) must check off the specific needs of a potential owner before becoming a roommate. Research provided to me by CityPups proves that these individuals need detailed information about the dog before purchasing in order to feel confident about the adoption. This is the case because the potential owners already know their living situation isn’t ideal for most dogs, and in order to maintain a healthy living environment, everyone’s needs must be met.
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HMW help the potential buyers feel confident about which dog to adopt?
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HMW we show the personality of a dog (instead of just describing it) to pull those viewers in?
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HMW gain the viewer’s trust with the information provided about the dogs?
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HMW help a potential buyer who doesn’t want to spend a huge adoption fee?
At this point, I became certain of one thing; filtering options needed to be included when researching for a suitable dog. How might I include important details in a useful, scannable way? I began thinking of how I might carefully craft this journey. Keeping in mind the pain points of the adoption process for these city people and their city-specific needs.
Early Ideation
The map above shows my thinking process of the ideal routes at the beginning of the week for this design sprint. One route takes you through the filtering system where the user will plug in key information about the kind of dog they would prefer. After applying filters and scanning through eligible and suitable dogs, the user would find one they like and complete the journey by applying for adoption.
The other route seemed like the ideal route, at first. With this journey, the user would take a quiz (about 10 detailed questions) to find their perfect match. After completing the quiz, the user would search through related dog profiles, find one they match with, and then apply for adoption. I designed this route for the confused user in mind who might be unsure what exactly they’re looking for, but as I studied the target persona’s goals and constraints, it became clear that giving the user two different routes on the homepage wouldn’t be an intuitive design at all. It would actually leave the user feeling confused about which route they would need to take.
I solved this issue by conducting the secondary research. That is when I confirmed that one CTA for the homepage was essential, especially for my persona Ellie who wants to feel confident about the dog she adopts.
Research example above helps prove point; Iit’s confusing which route to take. Example from Petango,.
Early Ideation Continued: Crazy 8’s
Even after conducting some secondary research, I wanted to be sure I was making the right decision to have one detailed route with one CTA on the homepage. This is the part in the design sprint process when Crazy 8’s comes into play. I spent only 8 minutes sketching out my ideas for solving the user’s concerns of finding that perfect fit. After the 8 minutes of exploring different variations for CityPup screens, I was able to look at which ideas stood up the most.
3 Panel Storyboard
To eliminate clicks and screen changes, I designed the CTA “Search” on the homepage in an organized way after filling out the text fields above. This way, I can give the user a clear path towards finding their new companion. In this three-panel board shown below, screen 1 has the critical decisions here that’ll shape the results, and journey the user will take. Once the user is finished filling in the fields, they will hit the CTA “Search!” which will send them to screen 2.
Now on screen 2, where the user can see the results from the previous information along with the viewing ability to look at the filter options near the left of the screen. The user still has the control to “uncheck” anything they decided on this page they didn’t want anymore, or even add if needed.
Finally, screen 3 is what a user will see when they click on a match from the second screen. Here on screen 3 we can view the pet’s details information and read a little about them. The goal is to connect the user to the advertised dog. Hopefully creating a successful match. From here, the user can hit the CTA “Adopt” to complete their goal; find a good dog fit for them
Sketching a Solution
My critical process is explained to the right of the web-screen examples showing screens 1-7 below.
Designing the CityPup Prototype
I was hoping to learn any other user goals and frustrations from usability testing. After all, I’m here to help the user find a dog and feel confident about how great of a fit they’ll be.
The prototype must:
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Be easy to scan and understand information
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Provide enough information to help the user feel confident
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Include MVP components
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Responsive, and engaging
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Achieve user goal: finding the best dog
How Was the User’s Journey Improved?
Achieving a goal can be simple, we just need to understand them properly. I improved the user flow by:
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From the beginning of the user flow, there is a clear CTA
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This clear direction helps us gain trust from the user
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By including more filter options improves the user’s confidence in us and them finding their perfect match
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Information architecture gives a clear direction for eye tracking
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Screenshots of my critical prototype screens below.
Screen 1
Screen 4
Screen 7
How Did the Users Response?
I recruited a total of 5 potential users to test out my prototype. Out of 5, 4 users tested out my prototype online while I watched on Zoom using the research tool usability testing, and 1 user tested my prototype in a coffee shop close to home. I constantly reminded them all the apply the “think out loud” method.
Although the tester’s actions seemed to flow smoothly and felt them feeling pleased about what they just viewed; they were vocal about “eyesores” or “little fixes” that could improve the overall flow for each route.
Below is a comparison of two screens: the old and the new and improved screen.
Old Screen 3.
I’ll explain below why this screen had a few pain points.
Improved Screen 3
As I watched for patterns with each user, I noticed them paying extra attention to the filter screen to the left. When I reminded them to think out loud, they let me know that if they were to uncheck a box, how would it be applied?
I was missing a CTA for this part of the flow. I was more focused on the user searching for their perfect fit, and I left out an MVP component. Once I applied the CTA, I wanted to change the color to indicate that the CTA is disabled until a checkbox is unchecked. Only then will the CTA allow for the user to click on it.
Another 2 of my testers mentioned that there was no way to “save” a dog listing they liked. What they wanted was a feature that would allow them the view the listing they found earlier, in an easier way. Just like saving it for later. With these two adjustments, I was really able to improve the user experience.
Was My Design Sprint A Success?
I learned how rapidly producing ideals within a structured week can speed up the creative process and for me, allow myself to dive deeper into those novel ideals that simply improve the flow for the user. In other words, design sprints are great shortcuts to learning without exhausting a budget. Happy designer, happy clients.