Roles:
UX Designer, UX Researcher, UI Designer, Information Architect
Background
Sparrow, a local startup, needed help sorting out how to fix their prototype app that was receiving a 97% drop-off rate during the onboarding process. Mechanical Turk results showed users were failing to enter their bank account information and abandoning the app before they even got to the home screen.
They approached me to work out some of the kinks and improve the retention rate.
Approach
Diving into a heuristic review of the app revealed that there were a number of usability problems from the outset:
- Unclear user mental model on how the app would work
- no transparency on what personal information was needed or how it is used.
- asking for unnecessary and too much information too early on.
- uncommon and ambiguous usage patterns for app functionality
All of these issues resulted in an air of distrust of the app.
I started off by interviewing the stakeholders to gain a consensus and a clear understanding of their objectives for the app. I then started collecting and organizing the abundant yet disorganized information they had of their target users and compiling some personas for future reference.
I then addressed the most important issues with the functionality of the app. I started prototyping some wireframes followed up with usability testing by applying guerrilla tactics at coffee shops and cafes, targeted loosely around our target demographic.
Early Task Flows and Wireframe Iterations
We then iterated the designs based on the results. Testing revealed IA problems, which guided us to rethink key points in the onboarding process.
Onboarding Redesign of Rules Function
We continued on the cycle to achieve solid positive testing results and a much more compelling customer journey.
Actions on this project
- UX Heuristic Review of prototype app
- Persona Development
- Stakeholder Interviews
- Information Architecture/HCD
- Task Flow Creation
- Competitive Analysis
- User Interface Layout & Design
- User Research (Guerrilla User Testing, Card Sort)
Guerrilla Usability Testing
Challenge
Conduct usability testing on wireframes and task flows with limited resources and funding.
Solution: Apply the Kindness of Strangers!
I needed to run a series of usability tests (including the one above) to gain feedback on our designs and to make sure that I was heading in the right direction. I very easy and inexpensive way to achieve that was to apply the powerful technique of Guerrilla usability testing.
Guerrilla Usability Test
(Check out a sample of the testing session here)
I prepared by exporting an interactive mockup from Invision App to my Android home screen using Chrome. This worked great for viewing/using the mockup without having all of Chrome’s window chrome getting in the way of the test. Then I would print up a copy of the script that I wanted to test from and make sure that I had the screen recording app installed. I would also jump into my phone’s developer options and turn on the “show touches” that displays a little circle where the screen is touched.
Now that I am all set and ready to test, I would head on over to the local coffee shop, supermarket or farmer’s market, wherever my target users might reside. Then it’s just a matter of asking for people’s help and opinions. It’s great, because people in general are super helpful when it comes to this type of interaction and if they don’t have to time, they tell you pretty quick so no one’s time is wasted.
In my experience, testing results are very helpful and have really proved to be a terrific means to great insights.
Project Results
- Set user expectations early to enhance trust building.
- Strengthened the user’s understanding of the app’s purpose and features.
- Increased app retention rate through an improved onboarding experience.
- Clarified the ambiguous functionality of the app based on user interactions and feedback.
- Informed the design of the MVP currently under development.