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The Ideation

From my research, I gathered some key findings that helped dictate my ideation process:
1. Seasoned online daters often value communication and personality over physical attraction when it comes to their ideal partner match. This is less true for casual hook-ups, but is still common.

2. Cat-fishing and data privacy are huge risk factors to potentially negative dating experiences.

3. Large differences in online perception and real-life first impressions contribute to match disconnect.

Using my key findings, I began working on user flow for the app. The biggest challenge in this process was to introduce all of the different functions without overwhelming a first-time user. One way to solve that was separating the dashboard information into separate scrollable screens for easier navigation.

After having a rough outline of flow, I began site mapping in Figma before the wireframing process began. It was important to keep in mind the MVP dating values found in my research as primary traits emphasized across app. This was done through the voice-chat feature and a descriptive instructional copy to guide users on potential ways to start the conversation.

Pain Point: First Message

[Retrospect] One solution I wish I considered is beefing up the onboarding process. This could potentially decrease user error by introducing them to the features and ways to use them before (or while) signing up.

One thing was clear: I wanted to eliminate photos and bios from the beginning portion of the match-finding experience. This is to ensure user MVP's, such as personality and communication, are given center stage. This can also buffer cat-fishing, as users do no have the option to view match photos until given permission. However, this created a greater concern: ice-breaking. Silly bios or interesting photos are great conversation starters. How will the user know how to start conversation with someone they know nothing about?

Solution: Gamification

Think back to your first day in high school. What did every teacher do to get us to start talking to each other? Ice breaker games! Ice breakers exist in every realm of our social life. How come we don't reflect this thinking in our dating?

I decided to create 2 voice-chat games that users can engage in to facilitate conversation: Improv and Karaoke

Financial Charting Tool

Making technical analysts' research process easier

DATE JUNE-NOVEMBER 2022

DURATION 6 MONTHS

ROLE UX DESIGNER

The Solution

Two unique goals presented themselves through the initial call:

1. Optimize the user experience for new and existing clients through online transformation.

2. Increase presence through brand strategy development and implementation.

 

With these goals in mind, the client and I agreed to build a website for Wax Vanlee for new and existing customers to be able to view important service information, book appointments, and join loyalty programs. Additionally, we worked to refine Wax Vanlee's visual brand to create consistency in message across media.

User Interviews

I interviewed two groups for this research
1. Existing WaxVanlee customers that have booked atleast twice.

2. Potential customers that have booked services with other waxing businesses.

The Research

I conducted user interviews with a handful of customers as well as competitive analysis of existing waxing service platforms

to help in the website ideation stage.

Key Questions for Individuals

Existing - Walk me through your booking process with Wax Vanlee.

Existing - Why are you a customer with us?

Can you describe a time where you had an amazing wax booking experience?

What parts do you NOT love about waxing services? Why?

Observing Individuals

I will be scouting out pain points in the booking service experiences that participants share with me. I will also observe their general attitudes toward online service bookings for my secondary competitive research.

Competitors

Last part of the research process involved creating a competitive analysis chart of established online waxing service websites.

Some of the key aspects I observed included:
1. Service booking flow

2. Navigation & content

3. User retention - sign ups, e-mail offerings, etc

Some key findings from this research included:

1. Competitors focus on booking as their primary CTA.

2. Websites with limited access to menus and prices were more difficult to book with.

3. Location of service can gravely impact users coming in. Users who are too far away will rarely ever book an appointment.

The Current Problem

Stansberry Research prides itself in the plethora of financial research options that are offered to consumers. However, while there is a lot of written content around technical analysis of stocks, interactivity with such content is lacking for users.

"How can we better nurture our technical analysts?”

The Results

What could be improved...

While I was able to gather user data, I wish I could have spent more time observing individuals while using datings apps. Although I did this for a few interviewees, having multiple voices walk me through their match-finding process would have facilitated the ideation process.

Additionally, my prototype definitely needs to go through rounds of usability testing to ensure that the interface is functional and concise. I also think that not including a "swipe left/right" feature can lead to less success in terms of "convenience," since this was prevalent in my competitive research.

Aside from these improvement, I learned that mobile-first design is most often a great way to approach app and website building. It allows for filtering out any unnecessary design detail that would not fit the screen, which ultimately makes larger versions appear cleaner. Mobile interfaces are also perfect for online dating for users who are constantly busy with everyday errands.

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