UX was Here
UX was Here is a community-based platform focused on connecting and uniting UX enthusiasts across the globe. The platform consists of various features including an explore page, community forum, job listing board, events page and more in hopes to engage users and create a space for likeminded designers. Since this was for the Eunoia UX Design Jam, we only had 5 days to explore, research, design and present an innovative solution.
Context
Framing Our Research
Due to the current issue of low participation, a need to understand the motivations and incentives that drives users to join and engage actively is necessary in order to increase further retention. By addressing this challenge, we will ultimately be able to fulfill UX was Here’s mission to create an active community for designers to connect and network within.
Uncovering our target demographic
We wanted to start by understanding common behavioural themes among certain groups of UX designers to select the most promising intervention space defined by a particular demographic.
With 29 survey respondents, we discovered that 72.4% were junior designers with little to no experience in the field, as such we decided to focus on this demographic granted that we were provided the most data for them.
Framing the Problem
01
The community-based platform was observing a high turnover rate and low engagement among its users.
02
There was an incomplete understanding of the diverse needs and preferences of its target audience.
Discover
Competitor Analysis
We carried out competitive analysis in order to distinguish UX was Here from others in the market and to understand the various strengths and weaknesses in these communities. Forming questions revolving around these design communities would help us investigate users’ perspectives in depth and help us develop questions for focused user interviews.
Our competitive analysis started off with taking a look at seven different design communities in order to explore commonly sought after functionalities (some examples include Design Buddies, Vancouver Design Community and Creative Tokyo). The four most prominent functionalities we discovered included having some sort of feedback-providing service, being flexible, convenient to use and having a supportive community.
Key Takeaways
From these four functionalities, we were able to narrow down and form the baseline of focused questions which would help us explore junior designers’ deeper underlying thoughts through anecdotal interviews. We wanted to understand the different appeals of networking in either large or smaller communities as well as understand how this demographic would rank certain features in terms of importance.
Key Features
User Survey & User Interview Results
We received 29 survey responses and conducted 3 user interviews with junior designers that had less than 2 years of experience.
Reasons to stay active in a design community
A) 75% of user survey respondents stated that they stayed active most commonly due to a driving motivation of networking with other designers.
B) 79% of user survey respondents wanted a sense of belonging in order to stay active.
“I feel more connected and find it easier talking to other designers when they share similar experiences and interests with me.”
Main barriers stopping junior designers from reaching out to other UX practitioners
A) 68% of user survey respondents felt intimidated/lacked confidence.
B) 80% of user survey respondents were unsure how to initiate conversation.
“I feel intimidated and a sense of pressure to say the perfect thing when attempting to connect with UX professionals; I don’t know how to initiate a conversation and I end up stopping in my attempts to network.”
Most engaging and disengaging activity on these platforms
A) 57% of user survey respondents felt that networking was the most engaging activity.
B) 39% of user survey respondents felt that a lack of relevant and engaging content was the reason for their disengagement within design communities.
Final Solution
Designing A Solution
For our solution, we wanted to ensure that we would be forming tangible interventions that would be feasible in the timeframe that was provided to us. We employed Walt Disney’s Creative Strategy of ideating as a dreamer, commenting as a realist, and analysing strengths of design solutions as critics to form solutions within the constraints and scope of our problem space.
Key Insights
- Junior designers feel more comfortable connecting and engaging with other designers within smaller communities.
- Junior designers find it less intimidating to approach and converse with other UX professionals when they learn about their personal hobbies and interests.
Key Interventions
- “Spaces” or subcommunities where designers with similar interests could get to know each other in a casual, smaller setting.
- Personalized user profiles with options for adding interests and hobbies for designers to connect and bond over.
Structuring & Wireframing
Discussion boards covering various topics within hobbyists spaces provides junior designers with the opportunity to engage in casual discussion with other designers. Lastly, by connecting with designers through the use of spaces, this intervention seeks to foster stronger bonds between designers in order to elicit genuine conversations and authentic connections. This allows a secondary option for users to easily find those who share similar passions within the space.
Starting from the setup page, users are able to showcase their hobbies and interests on their profiles. As a secondary feature, they can create their own illustrated avatars in order to showcase their unique personality. From there, they can create or join spaces where designers with similar personal or professional interests can gather and bond with one another. This also allows a more intimate connection to flourish and fosters a deeper sense of belonging through their shared interests.
Prototyping
For the final prototype, we only had enough time to develop our solution on the mobile format and we wanted to start with mobile since the majority of users participating in design communities were joining through mobile devices.
Visual Design
Developing the Visual Identity
Since our goal was to humanize UX was Here, we decided to redesign the brand to better convey their values of community and to give off a friendlier and warmer appearance to our target demographic. By using simplified avatar representations or illustrations, we wanted to tie in the idea of creating a welcoming environment where interactions and connections between community members are encouraged. Our brand refresh was centered around emulating a sense of community and to connect it with UX was Here.
Deliver
Final Takeaways
Results
Having the opportunity to work with the client directly was a privilege since my previous academic project was focused solely on secondary research due to both time constraints and the constraints of the project itself. Although the time frame provided to us was extremely short, I am proud of the final product and the amount of primary research we were able to gather in such a short amount of time. Working as one of the Visual Designers was an incredibly rewarding experience as well, since we were able to take this chance to restructure the brand completely to align with our project vision. From font decisions, to colour palette choices, it was difficult given this was only my second time working on branding, but with the help of my peers and mentor we were able to create a product that I am proud to present!
We wanted to make sure that our design decisions were airtight and that the final solution was feasible for implementation. Even though my group was not able to place, I believe that our final prototype and research were well thought out and I am happy to be able to present this project. Huge shout out and thanks to my group members and our group mentor for all of their hard work and perseverance during this design jam!
