UX Research/ UX Design / user testing
Increased usability by 400%
My task was to refine the application's pre-designed structure, taking into account user paths. I was also responsible for designing the app's UI and conducting user testing to help identify design flaws in the photo sharing path.
Business objective
Create a mobile app to take and share photos without saving them on the device. Encrypted photos are uploaded to the zero-knowledge server.
Research & Ideation
The app project came out of the initiative of the Project Owner, who came up with an idea for how the app would function. My task at this stage was to create user research (empathy map, use case). Together with the business team, we came to the conclusion that the application would be aimed at people that value digital privacy and want to quickly and easly share photos without using external cloud spaces.
UX Audit
My first task for the project was to conduct a UX audit of the structure and flows previously designed by part of the team. During the audit, I noticed that the photo selecting feature was designed very differently from most other solutions. I realized that this could potentially be a problem for the user and strongly impact the experience of using the app.
Most popular photo selecting solutions work in the following way: the user selects the images they want to send and then presses the "Send" option. This is how the Android and iPhone systems operate.
However, in our application, the user did not select the photos they wanted to share. The "Send" button would send all the taken photos. So, in order to send only specific photos, the user had to select the photos they didn't want to send, delete them, and then send everything that was left.
I sugested changes in flow & early usability testing
I noticed that this could create significant problems. Therefore, I asked management to change current flow, explaining potential problems and proposed to conduct usability testing early using wireframes to test the structure and flows. I wanted to gain an in-depth understanding of the problems I noticed during the audit. However, I did not receive approval from the decision makers to change the flow or conduct early tests, so the subsequent steps were performed on an untested architecture.
Main issues with this user flow:
- Users are unable to choose the specific photos they want to send, leading to frustration.
- Users must delete unwanted photos from the gallery instead of simply leaving them there, impacting their freedom of choice.
- The user flow is lengthy and complex, making it difficult for users to perform tasks efficiently.
Advantages of the redesigned flow:
- Intuitive sending process allows users to perform the action they have in mind.
- Photos can stay in the gallery, allowing users to decide whether to send or delete later.
- User flow is much quicker and simpler.
Design phase
Next, my task was to design lo-fi and hi-fi wireframes that reflected the structure and functionality of the application. Together with UX Writer, we created relevant messaging, onboarding and empty states. Finally, I created an interactive prototype using ProtoPie.
Testing Phase
After creating the prototype, I conducted a usability study following Nielsen's discount usability framework. The study involved 5 users, as this number allows for the detection of a significant number of problems while being cost-effective. The study took the form of a participatory observation focusing on user behavior. It included tasks to test the navigation and functionality of the product and to verify any potential problems found during the audit.
First round of testing
When testing the app, most people had trouble uploading photos to the album, with only 1 in 5 able to do it successfully. Two users sent all their photos, including the unwanted ones, because the process required them to delete unwanted photos first. When asked, users mentioned that they thought the app would only send the photos they had selected.
Solution
In the next step, I designed the interface changes based on the test results and previously redesigned the user flow.
Testing the solution
Development
By working with developers at an early design stage, we were able to identify technical limitations and UX issues that arise during implementation. During this stage, we made sure that all user interactions with the interface were properly labeled. We took care of the registration process, changing passwords and sending access for other users.
