THE PROBLEM
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It is a smart app marketplace that changes how designers and architects discover and engage with construction products. The website hosts a series of apps that automate design tasks such as 3D modelling a stair or a building façade system.
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It is a 3D modelling web app that helps designers select products, compare options, customise designs, export designs into other software packages, create screenshots of their work, and share projects with teammates.
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Product suppliers will be interested in how they can use Stroy to:
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Process project quotes coming in from architects
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Communicate with architects digitally (chat, 3D comment bubbles, sharing project links, modify files)
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Export project data for manufacturing and procurement
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Architects will be often looking for information on how the product looks, and what sizes, colours, and materials are available. They will be also looking for things like lead-in times and sustainability metrics.
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The web app would consider young technical design professionals who will be servicing 3D projects, as well as supplier project managers who will be using it as a communication tool when talking to clients.
MY ROLE
My role in this project was ideation of the app, doing desk research, conducting surveys,
interviewing people, making user persona, journey mapping, branding, making wireframes, designing high fidelity prototype and usability testing.
UNDERSTANDING THE USER
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Creating an online web app for product suppliers, architects, and interior designers to interact over a plan, modify it and have conversations. Give them an opportunity to share with the other friend when they finish using the app.
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Intention to make tasks be performed in a much more easier and a friendly manner.
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I did survey with 7 potential users in combination with interviews from individual conversation to know their views, experience and to collect quantitive and qualitative data. The target audience were product suppliers, architects and interior designers.
Target Users
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Product suppliers
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Architects
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interior designers
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User working in construction industry
BREAKING DOWN THE PROCESS
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The UX design process consists of five key phases: Empathise, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and User Testing.
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Started the Empathise phase first. In which I took time to understand the user by interview and survey method.
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Followed with a Define phase in which, I made the user persona, empathy maps, affinity maps, user journey and task flows based on the understanding that was obtained from the first step.
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Continued to the step of making Paper Wireframes, Low Fi and High Fi Screen designs which is the Ideation phase.
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Once done with the Screen designs, I linked those to make it a Prototype which was the next phase.
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I moved on to the final phase to know the design changes, feedbacks, corrections. The method I used to do this is referred as Usability Testing.
LESSONS LEARNED
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This UX case study has been a challenging and rewarding experience for me. I was overwhelmed by the idea of a web-app for product suppliers and architects. However, it turned out to be an amazing experience to understand users and find out what makes the tick.
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My task brief was challenging to comprehend and get through. I confronted difficulties to contact my main target group - Product suppliers from the construction industry. My stakeholder was profoundly fulfilled, appreciated me on my efforts, understanding of the users, and design of the application.
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I m happy that my stakeholder found my insights significant & colossal step in the right direction for his business.
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I am glad to learn that even by making small changes, we are able to yield big impacts and create a great experience for users. Also, it is so important to always validate our assumptions through testing.