SPUR Connect Case Study
Usability research and Prototyping
Summary
SPUR Connect is a new app that helps business owners and entrepreneurs establish meaningful business relationships through spur-of-the-moment meetings all while keeping their business organized. The app is in its early phase of development and the SPUR Connect team was interested in learning about the experiences of business owners and entrepreneurs as they network, especially while traveling, and try to keep their business notes and receipts organized. Our team conducted a cognitive walkthrough of the current minimally viable product (MVP) app before interviewing a potential user and watching user interviews. We synthesized that research and individually developed user stories. Based on my three user stories, I created the app’s information architecture and sketched low-fidelity wireframes before moving into digital tools to increase the wireframe fidelity and create an interactive prototype. My proposed app redesign improves the functionality of saving, organizing, and exporting receipt receipts; provides advancing search filtering options; and allows users to see their degree of separation from other users to alleviate the feeling of “cold calling” when trying to connect and setup meetings. In addition to improving the functionality, the app’s visual design was simplified and refreshed with design elements that are consistent with a user’s experience with other apps.
Role
Usability Researcher
User Experience Designer
DELIVERABLES
Research Team
Colleen Borgendale
Brennan Kempston
Nicole Neumann
TOOLS
Zoom
Figma
Google Sheets
Pen and paper
Post-its
Quicktime
iMovie
METHODS
Cognitive Walkthrough
Primary User Research using Contextual Inquiry Protocol
Affinity Diagramming
User Stories
Information Architecture
Low-fidelity Sketched Wireframes
High-fidelity Digital wireframes
Interactive Prototype
The Problem
The SPUR Connect team wants to continue adding features and app integrations to its MVP, but they are unsure about the usability of the current features and design or what new features to prioritize in the next phase of development.
Research
Cognitive walkthrough
My team and I started our research by conducting a cognitive walkthrough. In the project brief, the SPUR Connect team identified the nine main tasks that a user should be able to accomplish within their app. Using the MVP prototype, my team conducted a cognitive walkthrough of these user tasks recording the task and action steps in a spreadsheet along with recommendations. Screenshots were also taken to show the app screens required to accomplish a task.
Click to view a PDF of the cognitive walkthrough.
Primary user research
My team and I conducted primary user research by interviewing a business owner using contextual inquiry protocol and viewing interviews conducted by other usability research teams for the same project. We asked the user about their day-to-day life as a business owner, experiences networking, the tools they use to network, what its like to travel as a business owner, and their experience running the administrative side of their business, such as dealing with business receipts.
Research Findings and Synthesis
Affinity Diagramming
Using the research from the four primary user interviews, my team and I synthesized our data and created an affinity diagram. We organized our findings into five categories.
Users’ frustrations and concerns
App Expectations
SPUR Connect Photos (on its MVP app)
Expectations for the SPUR Connect app
Feedback on the SPUR Connect MVP app
User information and their current tools
Our team’s affinity diagram. Click to view a PDF.
Findings and Prototype Plan
Summary overview
I summarized the findings from the research and affinity diagramming into a few bullet points. From there, I created three user stories that would be the focus of my wireframes, prototypes, and recommendations.
If users are going to use a new app, they want it to integrate with apps and services they already use.
Users want an app whose functionality is consistent with what they would expect from certain actions, like uploading or taking a photo
Users want an app that cares about their safety
Users want an app that other people actually use
Users want an app that allows multiple filtering in a search
Users want an app that shows their connections to others.
User stories
Based on the summary and what I learned in the user interviews, user stories were developed to help identify the user, their goal, and how they would benefit from the app.
User Story 1:
As an independent consultant, I want to save, organize, and export my receipts from business meetings so that tax season is easier.
1A: As an independent consultant, I want my organized receipts to export to the tax software of my choice so that I don’t get audited by the IRS.
User Story 2:
As a business owner, I want an app that allows multiple filters when searching so I can find the right people.
User Story 3:
As a business owner, I want an app that shows another user’s degree of separation from me so that it doesn’t feel like I’m cold calling.
Information Architecture and Wireframes
Based on the data summary and user stories, low-fidelity wireframes were sketched and the information architecture for the app was created. These created the framework for the app redesign and the recommended changes that would be my priority for the interactive prototype.
Information Architecture
Low-fidelity Wireframes
High-Fidelity Digital Prototypes
User Story 1: Receipt organization
As an independent consultant, I want to save, organize, and export my receipts from business meetings so that tax season is easier.
During our team's research, we heard and observed users struggling with knowing where to look for receipts in the current prototype. One user expressed excitement about the receipt organizing, saving, and exporting functionality in this app because she currently saves receipts in her wallet. The receipt homepage gives users an easy way to glance at their receipts, add new receipts, make edits to their receipts, and select receipts for quick receipt exporting, categorizing, and deleting.
“If I showed you my wallet right now, it is a handful of receipts”
-Kristy,* Small business owner
User Story 2: Advanced search filters
As a business owner, I want an app that allows multiple filters when searching, so I can find the right people.
During our user research, users expressed a desire to be able to apply multiple filters when searching for a user. This search gives users the functionality to do basic or more advanced searches depending on who or what they are searching for within the app. Users are able to filter by several pieces of criteria to ensure the desired search results. With a focus on spurring connections with nearby people, Search results first display people nearby to help promote that function.
user story 3: Users’ degrees of separation
As a business owner, I want an app that shows another user’s degree of separation from me so that it doesn’t feel like I’m cold calling.
Interviewed users expressed a desire to be able to easily view another user's degree of separation, so they don't feel like they are "cold calling." Interviewed users expressed a desire to be able to easily view another user's degree of separation, so they don't feel like they are "cold calling." Throughout the app, there are multiple ways another user’s degree of separation is displayed. This is a core feature on the map where you can search based on a person’s connection or it allows the user to open up their nearby search to any SPUR connect members. As a pillar of the app, the map gives users that unique experience of searching for connections nearby, while also offering the privacy or openness they desire at that moment.
Interactive Prototype
The high-fidelity wireframes were made into an interactive prototype to show different flows and screens. Test out the prototype to get a better understanding of the app.
*Users’ names changed to protect their identity .