Week 3: Who are our Users?

User Flow

Doing this for an existing process that I’m familiar with showed me just how many options there are for users when completing the task. It also highlighted the extra steps involved with certain routes and how visualising them in this way effectively compares the different user experiences. In doing this through Miro, I like the ability to add text to the connecting lines and arrows to further simplify and clarify the process.

Competitive Analysis

I used the pluses and deltas method to compare three similar/competitor products. I wasn’t expecting to see massive differences between the products but was surprised to learn of the sometimes stark differences upon closer inspection. This tool helped draw my focus towards features consistent across each platform, as well as features that are specific to each (DaSilva 2020). Having thought of various features that could work for my artefact, it was useful to see what elements of these had been implemented by other platforms and where I could potentially close a feature gap in the market.

Competitive Analysis against similar apps

User Persona

In creating my user persona, I got caught up in how I should present/design my persona preview. I’d initially wanted to use a persona template but ended up designing my own from scratch so I could legitimately use it for assessment purposes. I’ve briefly used Figma during this module and, in creating this persona, experienced what felt like a steep learning curve toward understanding how it works. Luckily, I’ve used graphic design software before and Figma incorporates all the features I’m used to, but it certainly took me a while to get used to the UI and figure out the basics. I’m partway through watching a Figma for UX Design tutorial and plan on continuing this to develop my skills with a view to using the software to create my prototype for this module. Having created my template, I was able to develop my user persona which I found helpful in building empathy for the users I interviewed. Having a persona that incorporates most of the traits, needs and wants identified in my research was very useful when ideating.

Persona based on my user research (subject to change). Image of man in orange jacket: Unsplash (2020).

Going forward…

My plan is to continually develop my personas and refine them through further research. Once I have a better idea of the features and solutions I’d like to pursue, I’ll construct a wireflow to demonstrate the user’s journey graphically. Finally, I’ve just downloaded Pablo Stanley’s hand-drawn illustration library, Open Peeps, and am considering using storyboarding as a visual aid or alternative to the user scenarios technique. This is somewhat out of my comfort zone, but I’m willing to give it a go.

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References

DASILVA, Jill. 2020. ‘A Guide to Competitive Analysis for UX Design | Adobe XD Ideas’. Ideas [online]. Available at: https://xd.adobe.com/ideas/process/user-research/guide-to-competitive-analysis-ux-design/ [accessed 18 May 2022].

DZIUBINSKA, Anna. 2014. London Underground Atrium. Available at: https://unsplash.com/photos/mVhd5QVlDWw [accessed 26 Jan 2022].

UNSPLASH. 2020. Man in Black and Orange Zip up Jacket Smiling. Photo by Dhaya Eddine Bentaleb on Unsplash. Available at: https://unsplash.com/photos/6ZLrCWI3Ink [accessed 12 Mar 2022].