Background
Boxy Niche was created to help busy individuals get organized and find time to pack during a move.
This app enables the user to take a questionnaire to find available time in their schedule for packing. It then provides the ability to organize each box with items of the user's choice. Finally, the app offers a feature to generate a QR code that can be placed on each box. This allows the user to keep track of the items in each box by accessing them on their phone rather than having to open the box to view its contents.
On average, nearly 28 million households in America move each year. During their lifetime, individuals tend to move around 11.7 times. A four-bedroom house requires approximately 8-10 hours of packing time with a three-member crew.
However, most people do not have this kind of assistance, and consequently, the process takes longer. This added stress can result in misplaced or forgotten items, a lack of motivation to complete the task, and an overall slower process.
Design process
User Research
Affinity Mapping
User Personas
Define the Problem
Research Methods
Defining the problem
On average, a person has 11.7 moves in their lifetime, a significant amount of time.
Competitive Research
I conducted comparative and competitive research to analyze pricing and marketing differences among MoveAdviser, TaskRabbit, and Zillow.
Key Interview Findings
The average time for relocation was 8 in their lifetime.
Movers said they would prefer to have movers vs doing it themselves.
Synthesizing the research
Affinity Map
After collecting all the research data, I created an affinity map to identify the major themes regarding the difficulties faced by users and their top priorities. Based on my research findings, I was able to refine my ideas for a moving app.
Let’s get personal…
Mobile App
User Flows
Branding
Wireframes/Prototyping
Develop and Design
Usability Testing
Analysis of Results
Iterate Product
How can we make this process less stressful and more organized, without being a burden on our schedule?
Test and Iterate
User Interviews
5 total participants were interviewed
Male and female participants.
Ages 30-46 years old
During the interviews, I aimed to understand the pain points, emotions and needs of individuals throughout the moving process.
Overall, stress was the main emotion during the move.
8/10 was the average rating for being opened to using an app to ease their move.
User personas were developed as a way to summarize the findings of my research, gain a better visual understanding of the users, and focus my design efforts on ultimately addressing the users' challenges. By utilizing insights gained from user interviews, I was able to outline the goals, needs, and pain points of the personas.
Persona’s
How might we….
How might we help movers to ensure they have everything packed and do not miss anything or leave things behind?
How might we help movers organize boxes to help keep everything in order?
Goals
Business Goals
Stand out from competitors by offering a unique experience.
Positive user experience.
Create an app to help movers.
User Goals
Reduce stress before, during and after move.
Personalize their app to meet their specific needs.
Be able to schedule out time in the day to pack and organize.
Common Goals
Efficient and reliable services.
Easy to navigate layout.
Up to date services
Designing a solution
After conducting user research and reviewing user and business goals, I brainstormed features that aligned with the insights gained.
I created a site map based on my research findings to determine potential features for the app.
I wanted to include a questionnaire to help users identify the best time in their day to pack and also to let the app know which rooms/items needed to be packed.
Additionally, I wanted to incorporate a feature that would allow users to scan their boxes and easily identify the items inside them.
After visualizing how users will navigate the Site Map and considering the content and information required to accomplish their goals, I began building user flows.
Wireframes
These wireframes were then transformed into a high fidelity prototype, which displays the full functionality of the user flow and the visual brand identity of Boxy Niche.
Before testing, some changes were made, such as adjusting the layout and size of certain elements.
Branding and UI Kit
Usability Testing
Task flow 1:
Questionnaire to assist with scheduling time for packing.
Users will be asked a series of questions with varied dropdown menus, yes or no response and input section.
Task flow 2:
Accessing QR codes and printing them. Following this they will have the option to assign this QR code to an existing box/room.
Users will access the QR code and be prompted to print this code if needed. After the code is printed they will be able to assign the QR code to a box or room they have created.
Task flow 3:
Login in
Users will begin at a welcome screen and scroll through how the app works. At the end of this they will be taken to the login screen with prompts to create username and password.
Task Detail Report:
Difficulty holding participants to time scheduled to perform task due to life events, work, forgetting.
100% completion from participants.
User feedback for iterations where technical input, color choices, wording of questions, and button sizes.
Users enjoyed color choice, ease of task completion and simplicity of app.
The Results
Lets unpack all that information…
Introducing our detailed questionnaire designed to address all your moving needs and help you plan your packing schedule effectively.
With a step-by-step process and easy-to-select answers, you won't have to spend extra time figuring out when to pack. Boxy Niche takes care of finding the time for you!
Not sure what's in each box? Simply scan the QR code from your phone.
You also have the option to conveniently print box labels from your phone or printer. All QR codes are stored in the app so you can keep track of everything.
Prepare to pack with ease! Each room you need to organize will be conveniently set up for you.
Easily add or edit as many items as you need to each box you pack. View everything you have in each box to ensure that nothing is left behind, and you can access items when you need to.
Introducing the back button for seamless navigation through days and months.
Selected time for each moving task is highlighted in your calendar.
Ability to view and edit your calendar at any time.
Reflection
Through this project, I gained valuable insights. My research enabled me to identify effective methods for prioritizing and packing based on significance and value. Additionally, I acquired knowledge about creating and adjusting schedules based on user feedback, which played a crucial role in enhancing the app. However, to further improve the app, I believe that conducting more extensive user testing with a larger number of participants would provide valuable insights into their preferences and areas for improvement.