5 Weeks... and lots of coffee
My Bachelor thesis was dedicated the company Waste-Outlet for whom I developed a concept for a mobile application based on their existing auction website where B2B and B2G customers with a large number of recyclable scrap materials are enabled to trade.
The developed concept for the mobile application gives Waste-Outlets customers the opportunity to monitor and react to changes in the auction processes they are involved in, to enhance the overall user experience when trading materials.
Rough framework of my process
Research, Online survey, Requirement specifications, Sketching and ideation, Information Architecture, Low-fidelity prototyping, Creation of user paths and scenarios, Think Aloud test #1,
Feedback of potential users, High-fidelity prototype #1, Think Aloud test #2, Readjustments High-fidelity prototype #2, Feedback of potential users, Final High- fidelity prototype.
Paths through a User :: Interface
The following section showcases the main user interface of Waste-Outlets mobile app and describes parts of the decision made when developing the UI.
Login Section
The following section showcases the main user interface of Waste-Outlets mobile app and describes parts of the decision made when developing the UI. The login section of Waste-Outlets mobile application comes with two options: a basic form and a login with the fingerprint. A conducted think Aloud test, with 5 test candidates revealed, that the login with fingerprint has been the preferred method when logging into their account since they evaluated it as a safe process! So this functionality has been kept until the final prototype version.
Bidder Scenario
The overall case scenario generated for the mobile application has been the most complex possible: a customer which both has the role of a bidder and as a seller. This, in turn, forced the UI containing one landing page when entering the app. Through colored labels, the user should easily and quickly be able to assign provided information to its related type (bid or sell materials). In general, it has been very important to me, that a user path is as short as possible and all provided information should, therefore, be reachable in not more than one tabs. An online questionnaire revealed a user involved in a bid process wants to have as much control as possible, with the opportunity to act upon changes due to an auctions progress, as it's best in real-time. In terms of functionality, this meant implementing a bottom menu panel in a users ergonomic comfort zone, which enables to quickly change his bid entry, for example, has been necessary to implement. Interesting has been, that respondents highly believed a mobile application would be capable to solve this demand, which probably comes due to the nature of the device itself. However, this meant for the structure of the UI to be as flat as possible, with a layout consisting of clear shapes and easy to decode color hierarchies.
Seller Scenario
The overall case scenario generated for the mobile application has been the most complex possible: a customer which both has the role of a bidder and as a seller. This, in turn, forced the UI containing one landing page when entering the app. Through colored labels, the user should easily and quickly be able to assign provided information to its related type (bid or sell materials). In general, it has been very important to me, that a user path is as short as possible and all provided information should, therefore, be reachable in not more than two clicks. An online questionnaire revealed a user involved in a bid process wants to have as much control as possible, with the opportunity to act upon changes due to an auctions progress, as it's best in real-time. In terms of functionality, this meant implementing a bottom menu panel in a users ergonomic comfort zone, which enables to quickly change his bid entry, for example, has been necessary to implement. Interesting has been, that respondents highly believed a mobile application would be capable to solve this demand, which probably comes due to the nature of the device itself. However, this meant for the structure of the UI to be as flat as possible, with a layout consisting of clear shapes and easy to decode color hierarchies.
Message Scenario
In regards to Waste-Outlet communication between seller and buyer is an essential part of the business behavior. Through the mobile applications message feature users are enabled to discuss and clarify detailed delivery conditions or material color or quality for example. Especially when it comes to the term of material color and quality- it can be considered that descriptions through words at times can be misleading or not exact enough. That's why it is intended to connect the app to a mobile devices camera functionality. The camera feature enables both seller and buyer to clarify questions visually and in an easy and quick manner. In general, the message area of the application barely differs from our mental model of how messaging, in general, should behave and look like. This has been done by purpose– rather than forcing Waste-Outlets users to learn to use a new system, which they're probably not being willing to do, they can interact with something they already know. Simply put, they can do what they came for.
Global Settings
The area of global settings and navigation, also related to a Users Experience, has contributed to flatten the overall complexity when interacting with the mobile application. Through the fixed hamburger drop-down menu, a user is able to reach the demanded site/ functionality with one tab– this saves a user time and from an overall perspective: money. Both Survey and Think Aloud Test revealed that notifications when auction conditions change such as being outbid– or new bid entries for example happens, will contribute to a users experience when trading on the Waste-Outlet platform. Through the feature of global settings, the mobile applications user is enabled to specify notification intervals or conditions if changes within an auction occur. The settings can be set both globally, which means it affects all involved auctions, or locally for only specific auctions.
I am sorry but you can't view this site in landscape mode! I might be forgiven :-)...