SUMMARY
Simplifying Local Discovery in Durango: A T8do Case Study
T8DO is a user-centered mobile application designed to transform how underserved communities engage with essential local services and resources. Through intuitive visual iconography and thoughtful in-app features, T8DO simplifies navigation and discovery, fostering stronger connections within the community.
This case study explores the design process, user research insights, and innovative solutions that brought the T8DO experience to life.
What I did:
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Carried out extensive user research including surveys and interviews to uncover pain points and preferences with the T8do app. Synthesized learnings into actionable insights.
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Created detailed user personas and journey maps illuminating key behaviors, motivations, and barriers.
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Designed new intuitive but functional app flows and high-fidelity interactive prototypes addressing core user needs around event discovery, transportation, and services.
What I learned:
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The immense value of qualitative user insights to drive design decisions. Allowed me to empathize with users and align features to their goals.
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Effective translation of research into concrete design requirements and creative solutions.
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Striking the right balance between usability and utility based on user expectations.
What I would do differently:
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Dedicate additional time to task analysis for priority user flows related to core app functionality.
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Incorporate usability testing earlier on to refine designs based on user feedback.
Team:
As team lead, I managed all aspects of the project, including UX research, design, project management, and full-stack development. While I occasionally sought advice from Pawel Magdański and Federico Somaschini, I spearheaded the majority of the work, ensuring the solution addressed real user needs through agile collaboration and inclusive design
Hipótesis:
Local residents struggle to discover the full range of nearby entertainment, events, and service offerings due to fragmented visibility across multiple resources. An opportunity exists to enhance localized discovery into these hyperlocal experiences. Improved access would enable residents to readily tap into existing community value while promoting retention of social and economic benefits.
Benchmark:
I conducted a comparative analysis across five apps specialized in the same field, covering two US-based apps, one China-based, one India-based, and one Switzerland-based.
Upon examining each app's user experience, I observed some had unnecessary steps in their interfaces, generating user frustration. One common weakness I uncovered was a lack of intuitive navigation, making it difficult for users to smoothly move backwards or forwards without obstacles. This lack of flexible navigation could lead to a less satisfying experience, ultimately impacting audience retention and loyalty.
Personas:
Key user insights emerged during interviews that influenced our design strategy. First, convenience and efficiency clearly matter greatly to our users. They want quick, streamlined access to a wide range of products and services. This need for convenience guided us in creating a platform that centralizes multiple services, easing both discovery and transactions.
Additionally, we found many users rely on word-of-mouth to find service providers, but this method is not always effective. In fact, 7 in 10 interviewees expressed regret in solely depending on this discovery approach. This revelation highlighted the importance of giving users a reliable, convenient alternative to discover services. It inspired our platform design not only to offer variety, but also ensure quality and dependability of featured providers.
Methodology
8 participants were interviewed, 3 by phone and 5 through online video. Participants took part in a moderated interview aimed at uncovering skills and motivations that could influence user behaviors.
Survey
What items do you commonly purchase online?
What websites/apps do you use to make those purchases?
What was the last online purchase you made?
What are the advantages of using that app/website?
Have you ever sold something or offered any service online?
User Journey
This detailed understanding of the current user experience highlighted key areas to improve our digital product. Insights gained from assessing user frustrations and pain points enabled us to prioritize more intuitive features and designs directly focused on solving those problems.
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Juan just moved to Durango and wants to find a new hobby and meet people.
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He searches online but hobby group results seem outdated and spread across sites, frustrating and overwhelming Juan.
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He sees lively Facebook groups for hobbies in Durango and gets excited.
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But browsing multiple sites for current details on events is tiresome for Juan.
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Finally Juan downloads "t8do Durango" organizing local hobby happenings. Making a profile gives Juan hope to integrate into a community.
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Juan eagerly browses upcoming events on t8do and decides to check some out, optimistic to immerse in a new hobby scene.
Wireframes
The wireframes you see here are the result of a user-centered design process, where I utilized benchmarking findings to inform my decisions. By closely studying competitor apps, I identified opportunities to enhance usability and user experience in T8do.
I incorporated principles of intuitive, accessible design, keeping top of mind the need to craft an overwhelming-free experience for users of the city app. The wireframes reflect a clean, clear layout with simplified navigation and functionalities aligned to user expectations and needs in Durango.
Arquitectura de Información
Research Findings | Validation
Based on the conducted research, it is evident that fragmentation challenges exist in accessing local events and activities within the city or municipality. Residents expressed frustration with the lack of centralized information and the difficulty in finding diverse offerings in their community.
The research confirmed that residents have a genuine need for easier access to local events and activities. They expressed a desire for a more convenient and comprehensive solution to discover and engage with their community's offerings.
Specific pain points and obstacles hindering residents from fully exploring their local environment were identified. These included limited visibility of events, inadequate promotion, and difficulty navigating multiple sources of information.
Insights gleaned from the research provide valuable guidance on potential solutions to address the identified challenges and meet user needs. Developing a centralized platform or app that aggregates information about local events, enhances discoverability, and facilitates participation emerges as a promising approach.
Overall, the research findings demonstrate a clear opportunity for improvement in the infrastructure supporting local event discovery and access. By addressing fragmentation and enhancing the user experience, there is potential to unlock greater engagement, satisfaction, and participation within the local community.
UX Research Plan
BACKGROUND
My objective was to evaluate the usefulness of the app's features for a specific community by creating a low-fidelity prototype. My approach focused on observing user interactions to identify and address any weaknesses in the user experience.
Research Goals
Evaluate the usability and intuitiveness of the application, with the ultimate goal of eliminating potential weak points and increasing usability and efficiency for both users and clients.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
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How long does it take a user to find a suitable service provider and book an appointment in this app?
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What can we learn from the user flow or steps users take to book a doctor’s appointment?
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Are there parts of the user flow where users get stuck?
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Are there additional features users would like to experience in this app?
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Do users think the app is easy or hard to use?
KPIs
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dentifying KPI Progress Towards Our Ultimate Goal
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Task Time
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Can participants find X, Y, Z in the current prototype?
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How long do participants take to find tools X, Y, Z under these circumstances?
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User Frequency in Finding and Using the Navigation/Search Option
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What can we learn from the structure and query patterns?
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User Error Rates
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Return Rates
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Conversion Metrics
METHODOLOGY
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Usability Study Moderated
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Location: Durango, Mexico
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Date: 01/03/2022
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Duration: Each session will last 5 to 10 minutes according to the instruction list
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Compensation: $25 gift card
PARTICIPANTS
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Participants include all demographic data
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Two men, two women, and one non-binary individual aged between 20 and 75 years old, with one participant having a visual impairment.
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The study is accessible for users with screen readers and switch devices.
Digital Wireframes
They reflect specific design decisions aimed at enhancing the user experience, based on user feedback and usability principles learned during the UX study. From these digital wireframes, the first prototype was created, marking a significant milestone in the iterative design process.
Qualitative tasks
The script was written taking into account the insights from Nielsen Norman's qualitative usability tasks
1. Discoverability
Issue: Users struggle to discover all the features and services available within the application due to its design and navigation.
UX Synthesis:
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Conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the information architecture and navigation structure of the application.
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Implement a more intuitive menu system or navigation flow to prominently highlight key features.
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Utilize visual cues such as icons or color codes to guide users to relevant sections of the application.
t8do City App: Service Provider Card Design Optimization
January 2025
Test Overview
We conducted an A/B test comparing two card design approaches for displaying service providers in t8do's delivery services section:
Version B (New Design)
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Large white cards
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Full-width layout
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Expanded spacing
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Prominent CTAs
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Clear visual hierarchy
Version A (Original Design)
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Compact layout
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Side-aligned icons
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Integrated CTAs
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Denser information display
B
A
Test Results
The expanded card design (Version B) showed significant improvements:
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Higher tap accuracy rates
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Better content comprehension
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Increased engagement with contact buttons
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Improved visual scanning of multiple providers
Key Learnings
1. Visual Hierarchy Matters
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White space isn't wasted space – it actively helps users process information
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Clear separation between providers reduces cognitive load
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Consistent spacing patterns help users build mental models of the interface
2. Mobile Interaction Patterns
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Larger touch targets significantly improve user confidence
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Full-width buttons are more comfortable to interact with
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Clear visual boundaries reduce accidental taps
3. Content Display
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Prominent display of business hours and location improves user decision-making
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Dedicated space for promotional content (like the breast cancer awareness campaign) doesn't compromise usability
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Clear separation of contact options encourages engagement
Personal Growth
This A/B test taught me valuable lessons about:
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The importance of data-driven design decisions
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How subtle design changes can significantly impact user behavior
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The balance between information density and usability
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The value of systematic testing in validating design hypotheses
Impact
The optimized card design led to:
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More efficient user navigation
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Higher engagement rates with service providers
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Improved user satisfaction with the platform
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A scalable template for displaying service provider information
Iconography Benchmark
I strived to create a coherent and familiar experience for users by using elements and icons that are recognizable and easy to understand. When selecting design elements, I relied on the information gathered from users, ensuring to incorporate elements that were familiar and comfortable for them. The image you see here showcases some of the elements and icons used in the application. These elements were carefully selected to reflect design conventions established by popular apps and to ensure an intuitive and frictionless experience for users.
Exploring Initial UI Concepts
This video provides an insight into the initial stages of the app's UI design, followed by iterative studies aimed at enhancing its visual appeal and usability. Subsequent to this case study, a newer version was developed, reflecting further refinements. Furthermore, the live app has undergone periodic updates to align with evolving visual trends.
2. Ease of Use
Issue: Although the application is generally intuitive, users encounter difficulties in certain tasks, such as refining search results or customizing preferences.
UX Synthesis:
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Simplify complex tasks by breaking them down into smaller, more manageable steps.
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Continuously iterate on the application design based on user feedback to optimize interactions and enhance overall usability.
Priority coding
As part of my UX design process, I conducted an extensive problem prioritization workshop where I mapped out the main user issues (P1, P2, P3). We identified that the complex onboarding problem (P1) has the most significant negative impact on user adoption and retention.
We followed a collaborative process to align on addressing the P1 problem first, then tackling P2 and P3 in future phases. Defining this prioritization roadmap allowed me to establish a UX design plan focused on effectively addressing the primary user pain points, starting with the identified P1 problem.
MVP
In conclusion, our research identified significant barriers hindering residents' access to local events and activities. By applying user-centric design principles, we developed solutions that address these challenges. User testing validated the effectiveness of our approach, resulting in improved discoverability and user satisfaction. This project highlights the power of UX research and design in creating impactful solutions that enhance community engagement and quality of life
CONLCUSION
