The Problem
Startup App - Community based (B2C)
Background and Challenges
Unskilled labor and Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) make up two-thirds of the South African labor market. However, they often face barriers to fair access in the marketplace, primarily due to a lack of trust. This lack of trust stems from factors such as limited education and the absence of a digital presence.
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The Konektd Solution
SMMEs and unskilled laborers typically don’t have the time or resources to market themselves effectively. This is where Konektd steps in, helping to address these critical challenges.
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Customer Perspective
From a customer standpoint, local residents are often eager to support nearby services and businesses, but they struggle with limited access—particularly in terms of verification and direct communication with these providers.
Ux Research
Understanding the product at hand
App Audit - Heuristic & NPCI Analysis
Naming conventions and copy issues were prevalent throughout the app, but these were relatively easy to resolve.
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A more challenging issue was the unintuitive navigation, which made it difficult for users to understand. This required a complete overhaul of the Information Architecture (IA) from the ground up.
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While the User Interface issues were mostly cosmetic and easy to fix, I focused more on refining the IA and overall user experience, as these were the more complex challenges to address.
Customer Profile and Value Map
These exercises helped us define the scope and key focus areas. While it's common to start with the vision of serving everyone, we quickly realized we needed to narrow down to a more specific, niche audience.
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Not all users were willing to trust service providers who weren’t listed or qualified. We had to identify the type of user who would be open to this and find ways to build traction with them.
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Additionally, we needed to understand the kinds of service providers who would list themselves. The technology also had to accommodate users with non-smartphones and slow loading times, so optimization became a critical factor.
User Personas
We created three user personas based on the current and prospective user base. The primary persona best represents the target customer Konektd aims to engage.
User Flows
The user flow helps designers visualize the path from entering the app/site to completing a purchase and becoming a customer. Konektd's user flows needed simplification for better ease of use and navigation.
User Testing - Mental Model Themes
We used a guerrilla testing approach, testing 7 users for 20 minutes each, with a Starbucks voucher as an incentive. The first 10 minutes focused on mental model questions to understand user perceptions, followed by testing the app in production. These are the key themes that emerged.
User Testing - As-is Screens
Users provided valuable insights on how they understood the page and their expectations for next steps. These were documented in a user testing report, including observations, quotes, and actionable recommendations.
The Results (Outcomes)
Redesigned Structure and U.i
We redesigned the Information Architecture (IA) to improve navigation and findability within the app. The logo was simplified for better legibility and to avoid customer confusion. Although changing the app’s name wasn’t allowed, its unique name would still enhance discoverability on the app store and Google.
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We also updated the app’s look and feel to a more modern design. The previous bright orange was distracting, so we switched to a softer pastel orange to keep users focused. The next step is to create a functional design system for the development and design teams to use.
App landing page
Chat feature
Expanded dasboard and homescreen
Request process screens
Customer using app
Moving forward...
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Validate current designs through formative testing to understand user mental models and perceptions of using digital apps for service requests.
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Create a "how-to guide" for Konektd’s design system to be shared with developers and designers.
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Develop a product roadmap and UX strategy tailored to client needs.
