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POST UP

Design sprint for an e-commerce platform: Find the best location to work from for freelancers and remote workers.

Project Context

Overview

Postup is a new startup where freelancers and remote workers share tips and advice. Recently, PostUp has seen lots of feedback and discussions about how to find good public places to work from. PostUp wants to make it easier for remote workers to find great public places to work from. (Prompt provided by Springboard)
 

Problem

Whether they’re a freelancer, remote worker, or on a business trip, sometimes users need to find some good public places to get their work done. It often takes time to find the right places with the basic amenities users need to do their job.

Challenge

  • Need to create a mobile app.

  • PostUp wants to help users find places that already exist.

  • PostUp wants to charge a monthly fee to users in exchange for access to PostUp information.

Goals

I applied a customized Google Ventures Design Sprint methodology to examine the provided research, design solutions, and conduct testing, all within a 5-day timeframe. This initiative aimed to assist freelancers and remote workers in identifying appropriate workspaces. The objectives were to:

  • Quick access to information.

  • Improve mobile experience.

  • Create community bonds with freelance/remote workers.

MY ROLE

Solo

UX/UI Designer

DURATION

5 days

DELIVERABLES

  • Solution Ideation

  • Task flow

  • Sketching

  • Wireframe

  • Prototype

  • Usability Testing

PLATFORM

  • Figma

  • Pen & Paper

Process

Discover

Day 1 / MAP

Research

Insightful quotes from user research

“I definitely look for places that aren’t too crowded, especially if
I’m trying to get a lot of work
done in a short amount of time”
— Evelyn

“If a place has Wi-Fi, outlets, and bathrooms- that’s all I need. If I need to buy some
food or coffee to stay there,
I really don’t mind.
— Claire

“Wi-Fi and bathrooms are the most important things I look for, especially if I plan on working there for a full day”
— Jane

“I usually look at pictures of the place before I go, just to make sure there’s enough room for me and my coworker to take a table without feeling guilty.”
— Adam

“I like to know how crowded a place is. If I’m meeting clients

or coworkers there, I want to

be sure we can get a place to

sit and talk for a bit”
— James

“ I know a lot of places to go near me, but I’m often in other parts of the city and need a place nearby to post up for an hour or two between meetings”
— Rhonda

Persona

User Insights

NEEDS

  • Minimizing the time spent searching for suitable public workspaces.

  • Assessing the reliability of the Wi-Fi signal.

  • Verifying the availability of restrooms and power outlets for use.

  • Determining the availability of an adequate number of tables.

  • Evaluating whether the locations are crowded or noisy.

GOALS

  • Swiftly locate an ideal workspace.

  • Confirm the presence of essential amenities (Wi-Fi, power outlets, restrooms) for work.

  • Identify peak crowd times.

Map

To kick off the project, I created a flowchart of the app to visualize a potential end-to-end user experience with PostUp. The diagram illustrates how users can successfully navigate to their desired destination, serving as a preliminary prototype of the final solution.

DAY 2 / SKETCH

Lightning Map

I chose the apps of Tripadvisor, Yelp, and google for inspiration and to see what competitors and other similar apps in the space are doing. They all feature many reviews, information, and similar layouts, but they are slightly different. While Trip advisor and google separate information by categories into individual screens, Yelp has a long scroll down the page. I like the search experience from Yelp and google and the overall layouts from Tripadvisor.

Google

Trip Advisor

Yelp

CRAZY 8'S

In order to select the most critical screen, I did crazy8’s with the shop overview/amenities page which has the most information-packed and important screen that users will be looking for. The highlight of designing this key screen will be to lay out the information in the most intuitive and efficient way for users to skim through.

Solution Sketch

Once the optimal layout was chosen from the Crazy 8's exercise, I proceeded to sketch the critical screen, which is the most pivotal screen in the app.

 

The initial screen serves as an overview, allowing users to swiftly scan the shop. It presents essential information in a concise format and also provides crowd information to help users make quick decisions.

The middle screen offers more in-depth shop details, catering to users seeking specific amenities.

The third screen provides additional information regarding food details, catering to the preferences of some users.

DAY 3 / DECIDE

Storyboard

I created a storyboard outlining the user actions required to complete the red route, drawing inspiration from user insights. My primary focus was on effectively communicating all the information users seek. I sketched a sequence of 8 screens that encompass various stages of the flow, including filter options, the filtered-out listings page, an overview, details on amenities, menu and review pages, and a map for navigation.

DAY 4 / PROTOTYPE

After completing my storyboard sketch, I guided my design choices by drawing insights from the provided user persona, user needs, and goals. In keeping with the platform's purpose of enabling users to share their tips and advice freely, I opted for a casual and user-friendly UI design.

DAY 5 / TEST

Testing with Users

I recruited 5 usability testing participants from the networking slack channel. I conducted it remotely over zoom. Participants were able to interact with the Figma prototype on their computers while sharing their screen view.

MAIN ISSUES:

#1. The color of the "most popular timelines" is causing confusion.

#2. Users prefer having the option to view "my current location" in the filter menu.

#3. Users prefer to have consistent "call/direction/website" icons on the overview page.

#4. Labels on the amenities bars are unnecessary, according to user feedback.

ITERATIONS TO SOLVE TO PROBLEM:

#1. Redesigned the graph layout and included clear labels to signify the "busy" indicator.

#2. Integrated the "my current location" feature into the filter page.

#3. Introduced call, direction, and website icons for consistency on the overview page.

#4. Eliminated labels from the amenities bar graph based on user feedback.

Final Adjustments

I meticulously refined every element to address all user concerns, ensuring that the application remains accessible and user-friendly.

Reflection 

Creating this mobile app in just 5 days has been an enriching learning experience.

 

During the project, I found the Crazy8's method particularly valuable; it allowed me to concentrate and brainstorm ideas effectively within a limited timeframe. Setting a tight deadline for myself proved to be an excellent strategy, as it helped me maintain focus and seamlessly transition into the next day's tasks.

 

While the overall process was undeniably challenging, I successfully delivered the project and learned to make swift decisions and work efficiently.

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