A fictitious application that allows users to set reminders and create lists

all in one place.

The ChallengeSince successfully launching reminderX over a year ago, Vera and Jorge are

looking to branch out from a typical to-do list and reminder app by seeking

other ways to offer content to thier active users.

In order to move the redesign of reminderX in a new and exciting direction, they

asked me to gather information about their target audience’s behaviors and

feelings toward their app, search for any problems and/or concerns users may

have while using it, and lastly, assist with the redesign of reminderX in order to

create a foothold in a competetive marketplace.

www.davidcoffield.com

VeraCo-founder of reminderX

Product Manager & Marketing Leader

JorgeCo-founder of reminderX

Engineering

The DiscoveryOnce the final interview was conducted, I analyzed my notes and listened to

the playback for any similarities and findings that would help develop a target

persona and finalize the design principles for reminderX.

JOT IT DOWNAll four participants handwrite

to-do lists in one form or another.

POWER TO THE PEOPLEParticipants felt a sense of

accomplishment and self-assurance when crossing items off of their lists.

DIVIDE ‘EM UPParticipants divide their lists

into categories and subcategories.

NOT FOR MENone of the participants prioritized their handwritten lists, most would highlight

or circle what was most important.

!

-Daniel

OUT OF SIGHTParticipants did not want to see

completed tasks once they checkedor crossed them off.

TOTAL CONTROLParticipants wanted more customization

and cross platform compatibility.

THERE’S AN APP FOR THATAll of the participants used multiple

apps with similar functions.

MEET THE PARTICIPANTS

WHAT KIND OF QUESTIONS DID I ASK THEM?

Physical List Questions• How do you keep yourself

organized?

• What is the best way you

remember things?

• How often do you use handwritten

lists?

• How do you lay it out?

• How do you prioritize your lists?

• How do you mark completed tasks?

Current To-Do App Questions• What methods do you use to fill

out lists? Shorthand, typing or

voice?

• What are some features you wish

your current app included?

• What does your app do well? Poor?

• How would you prefer notifications

for reminders?

• How do you set reoccuring tasks?

The Approach

The first question I thought to myself was, “Who is our target audience”? I felt the best way to answer that question was by recruiting participants who meet these two simple requirements:

TECH SAVVYParticipants must own a smartphone

that can connect to the Internet.

CHECK AND CHECKParticipants must make lists on paper

or digitally using their smartphone.

The TargetAfter I analyzed my notes and the data, I was able to create the target persona for

reminderX – Sarah Wade. Sarah’s characteristics and personality will be used exten-

sively as a guide to steer the redesigns into the right direction, and in the process

help us prioritize the expectations and pontential behaviors users may have while

using reminderX.

SAY HELLO!

The Design PrinciplesWith the redesign taking shape and the target audience established, reminderX needed design principles in place to ensure future updates do not loose track of its

vision and core audience.

CUSTOMIZABLE PROFILEMANAGEMENT

THIRD-PARTYSYNC

VOICERECOGNITION

FEATURE

CROSS PLATFORMCAPABILITIES

PRIORITIZINGTASKS

ADVANCE SEARCHOPTIONS

CALENDARFUNCTION

COMPLETEDTASKSPAGE

NOTIFICATIONOPTIONS

CATEGORIES&

SUBCATEGORIES

The Test

USABILITY TESTING

I conducted four usability tests using a paper prototype of reminderX. Each test

consisted of one moderator, one participant, seven scenarios, an audio recording

device, and many hand drawn screen layouts and buttons. By conducting these

usability tests, we can improve on any lacking functionality and confusing design

elements by running through very specific scenarios.

Below are the seven scenarios used during the usability testing, along with some

of the strengths and shortcomings found after the data was analyzed.

StrengthsAll participants found the Completed button on the command bar, and stressed that they liked how each category was in its own seperate tab.

ShortcomingsMoving completed tasks to a desired location was confusing and lacking functionality.

StrengthsLogging out was not a problem for anyone.

ShortcomingsOne participant believed the log out option should have been within the profile management, not under the three-line button icon.

1. Login & Sign UpScenario: As a new user of reminderX, you are greeted with this welcome screen.

StrengthsAll users found the signing up to be simple and flow nicely between screens.

ShortcomingsOnly one participant signed in using Facebook, the other three used email.

2.Home Screen & Adding A ListScenario: You are throwing a party in three weeks for your brother’s 30th birthday. The venue is set and thirty-two people have RSVP’d. You must create a to-do list now in order to keep yourself organized and sane. How would you create this list?

4.Adding A Calendar EventScenario: You’re watching a new rock band perform on late night television. You dig the energy and sound, so naturally you check them out online, and notice they’re coming to your town. You check out the prices for tickets and they’re reasonably priced so you buy them for April 30th, 2016. After checkout, they send your tickets via email. You want to add the date to your calen-dar with the added note that your tickets are in your inbox. Also, you want to set up a reminder for April 23rd, 2016 that the concert is coming up in a week. How would you add the event to your calendar and set a reminder?

6.Search & Advance SearchScenario: Let’s now move forward in time a few months, and you can’t for the life of you what you called or labeled your brother’s 30th birthday party list. You looked through the lists, but you have so many that it would take you too long to find it. What would you do?

Scenario (Cont.): While using just the basic search bar, you come up empty handed, but you are almost positive you gave the list some tags that would help you find it. Search using tags

3.Adding A ReminderScenario: You’re walking into work when suddenly you remember that tomorrow is your nephew’s baseball game. You promised him that you wouldn’t miss it for the world, and you know children never forget. You have a few moments before clock-ing in to set a reminder for tomorrow morning at 10:00 am. How do you

5.Review Completed TasksScenario: You’re walking into work when suddenly you remember that tomorrow is your nephew’s baseball game. You promised him that you wouldn’t miss it for the world, and you know children never forget. You have a few moments before clock-ing in to set a reminder for tomorrow morning at 10:00 am. How do you set it up?

7. Logging OutScenario: You are taking your phone in to get your cracked screen fix, and you need to make sure all of your apps are completed closed out of just as a privacy precaution. A close friend recommended the extra security precaution. Please, log out of reminderX.

StrengthsAll participants used the calendar button on the command bar to set the reminder.

ShortcomingsThe keyboard got in the way for users to see the notification settings. Also, there was no option for how the user would like to receive notifications.

StrengthsAll participants felt the home screen and its icons were easy to understand their function and the overall layout.

ShortcomingsAll participants didn’t know or understand how to move or prioritize items within a list.

StrengthsOnce all the participants became comfort-able with the layout and navigation of the app, they completed adding an event with minimum effort.

ShortcomingsAdd event was missing a title option.

The keyboard, once again, was in the way for users to notice the notification settings.

Two of the four participants felt there should be a button that would allow the user to view the entire months of the year on one screen.

StrengthsWhen participants couldn’t find the search result they were looking for, they continued their search efforts by using the advance search option.

ShortcomingsAll participants ignored searching “tags” and didn’t find tags usefull. Also, they felt that it was an unnecessary feature.

One participant pointed out that there was no easy way of viewing all lists, events or reminders.

The AppTaking into account all of the recorded strengths and shortcomings from the

usability tests, I was able to adjust key features and other recommendations that

would make the best experience for our target users and the best application

possible.

Below are the final sketches that our programmers and engineers would use to

develop and finalize reminderX.

Organize your life all in one place.

Want to see a digital mockup? Visit this website.

https://marvelapp.com/1ig9ei0

The Framework

WORKFLOWS & WIREFRAMES

The first step in developing reminderX’s framework is to allow Sarah’s persona to

guide the direction of the workflows. And by putting Sarah in real world situations,

the workflows demand wireframes, which are sketches of the application, to show

and justify her actions.

Home Screen

AddEvent Reminder

ListTitle

Content

Lists ShoppingList

Edit

Rearranges

Sarah needs to make a to-do list titled “Things To Buy” for an upcoming shopping trip.

AssociatedTags

After saving her new list, Sarah realizes she

wants to move some of the list around to better

suit her shopping trip.

Save

Done

Stop

Go

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The Lessons LearnedI learned four valuable lessons while working on reminderX.

UX Design isn’t as simple as solving an issue the client brings to the table, it goes

much deeper than that. It’s about breaking down the problem to its basic ideas

and understanding how and why the problem exists, then developing ways to

improve the issue, and testing to see if the solution works.

Listening and objective observation are two extremely important skills all UX

Designer must have in order to design a user experience that is both universal

and simplistic.

The more prepared you are for prototype testing, the more you get out of the

test and the more you will learn about your product. The initial preparations will

help you change functionality that you may have overlooked and in the long

run, save your client a considerable amount of time and money as well.

Having a clear and concise objective and proposal are key to successfully

completing a project on time and within budget.