Project Breakdown
Background
For the final capstone of my bootcamp, I was tasked with developing an MVP from concept to a high-fidelity prototype based on user research. Free to develop anything where there was a user case, I was determined to discover untapped potential within the app community.
Timeline
Tools
My Role
Scope
Challenge
When having discussions amongst friends and skateboarding enthusiasts at the skatepark, it was uncovered that there is a lack of applications designed for skateboarders. Having no known skateboarding apps, the development of a skateboarding prototype required building from the ground up.
results per our users
As far as spot information is concerned, it is the best I have ever seen.
Lou
I think it is really cool, I think a lot of people could get use out of it... I think it could add a lot of value.
Nate
Opportunities
Through observational research and user interviews opportunities were discovered within the skateboarding community.
Skateboarders face a deficiency in a well-defined system for discovering skateboarding locations.
Skateboarding lacks resources in the community to discover other enthusiasts.
Skateboarders have difficulties aligning schedules with other enthusiasts.
Opportunity #1: Skateboarders face a deficiency in a well-defined system for discovering new locations.
Location discovery
Spot details
Filtering system
Spot details from users
Video/photo sharing of spots
Opportunity #2: Skateboarding lacks resources in the community to discover other enthusiasts.
Community resources
Finding friends
Friend cards
Messaging system
Opportunity #3: Skateboarders experience issues aligning schedules with other enthusiasts.
Schedule alignment
Available free time
Empathizing with our users through Observational Research and User Interviews.
To discover opportunities and shared ideas, I...
Visited Skateparks
Interacted with Reddit and Instagram skate feeds
Spoke with people within the community
5-open ended interviews with users
Interview run-down
Who were my interview participants?
Kevin "Warren"
35 years old and skateboarding for 23 years.
Chris "Goot"
35 years old and skateboarding for 23 years.
Kevin
38 years old and skateboarding for 30 years.
Scott
38 years old and skateboarding for ~30 years.
Brandon
30 years old and skateboarding for 16 years.
What were the interview goals?
Tailor my design
Understand user needs, wants, goals, and frustrations.
Understand progression
Determine if there is a commonality in skateboarders learning tricks.
Resources
Find any resources that participants use to enhance their skateboarding experience.
Spots and Trends
Uncover any commonalities in skateboarding trends and locations.
How did I pick participants?
What were some sample questions?
Research Findings
I anticipated encountering more challenges from participants related to learning and improving skateboarding tricks. It quickly became apparent that this is an issue for novice skateboarders.
What consistently emerged from conversations was the difficulty of coordinating with friends for skateboarding sessions and the challenge of discovering new spots.
Comraderie
Friendships and community are a large part of skateboarding.
Self-taught
Most skateboarders train themselves and don’t have instructors or classes.
Scheduling issues
Scheduling time skateboarding with friends can be time consuming.
Spot discovery
Skate spots are self-discovered from videos or through word of mouth.
Interview quotes
My brain is always looking around and scouting spots.
Kevin "Warren"
That's why I have every friend that I have... is skateboarding. It would be really cool to skate with everybody even if we're not doing anything.
Chris "Goot"
To organize design concepts effectively and collect feedback, wireframes were created based on earlier sitemaps, user flows, and task flows.
Building a prototype to evaluate our solutions.
developing our users needs through empathy
Security
Many spots aren't intended for skateboarding, leading to restricted access
Crowd
The size of the crowd significantly influences the access of obstacles
Rollability
The smoothness of the ground affects both the ease of rolling and the severity of potential falls
Local Vibes
Different spots will have different subcultures - not all are welcoming to outsiders
Skill Level
Difficulty can vary significantly between different spots
the prototype was tested with our users to ensure it meets design needs and functions as intended.
Onboarding flow.
Users were tasked to open the app as if they just downloaded it and proceed through the Onboarding Screens.
Task flow.
Users were tasked with creating a "Skate Alert" to discover new friends within the area who were looking to skateboard right now.
Task flow
Users were tasked to find their friend Joseph in the area and 'Meet Up' with him.
Task flow
Users were instructed to find a skate spot near their current location and navigate to it.
Task flow
Users were given the main task of creating a 'Session' for a given date and time then invite their friends who were currently online.
Usability breakdown
Who were my 5 users?
Nate
35 years old and skateboarding for 22 years.
Aaron "Ernie"
37 years old and skateboarding for 27 years.
Lou
36 years old and skateboarding for 24 years.
Jason
35 years old and skateboarding for 23 years.
John
29 years old and skateboarding for 2 years.
What were the usability goals?
Validation of design
Determine if the app meets the user's needs and wants.
Ease of use
Discover if the users can operate the flows without pain points.
Understanding UI
Do the users enjoy the custom UI, language and icons?
Maximum fuctionality
Uncover any features are lacking within the prototype.
How did I pick participants?
key findings
ironing out usability
The testing revealed pain points and frustrations with the first prototype.
Onboarding confusion
80% of participants weren't able to navigate the onboarding walk-though as intended.
User speculation
While all participants navigated finding friends and locations successfully, 60% of participants used a "best guess" to complete.
Cognitive friction
60% of participants initially navigated task 2 incorrectly and 60% of participants voiced confusion of the CTA "Join".
Usability issues
All participants had problems creating a time slot in the "Create a Session" task.
Refining the design through user testing results and peer feedback.
Video of the Prototype
reflecting on the case study
what can be learned?
Never Assume
Let's not forget the golden rule: assuming makes an "a**" out of "u" and "me," right? No matter how confident you feel about understanding your users or topic, never jump to conclusions without asking the right questions first.
Stay agile
Remaining adaptable is crucial because there will be unforeseen challenges when designing anything, but especially designing for users. Being adaptable enables you to pivot when needed, ultimately leading to better results.
Next steps
future decisions
Real world usage
Conduct usability tests in a city familiar to skateboarders to gauge the effectiveness of solutions in their natural environment.
Cast a wider net
Investigate challenges faced by younger skateboarders, especially those under 25 (who make up 57% of all skateboarders), to determine if they encounter similar or distinct issues compared to older skateboarders.
