Background

In 2020, the F&B industry took a hit due to the government-introduced dining restrictions to minimise the spread of COVID-19. As a result, more consumers were hesitant to purchase Burpple Beyond, the staple yearly membership that allowed users to access food deals at a fixed price. Burpple thus sought to develop a more flexible, cash voucher program to allow users to purchase food deals on the go.

I took on the role of Product Manager to conduct user research, prioritise features and design user flows, and partner with Business Development teams on the onboarding of restaurants.

User Research

“Maybe the discount is not so significant.. like a $5-off only, but at least I can offset a bit of the bill”

User interviews were conducted among 7 users, all of whom have bought a food deal in the past 3 months. Key insights found were:​

• The most common deal apps used were Chope, Eatigo, Fave, and Shopback
• Users purchase vouchers typically (1) At higher-end restaurants during special occasions, or when buying small snacks (2) A few days before the visit, in fears that their friends may bailout (3) At restaurants that appeal to them, mainly by the size of the discount, and location
• Users might consider switching platforms if there’s a loyalty program or a big sign-up bonus
• Compared to Burpple Beyond, most users prefer vouchers as they have less commitment and more certainty of using the deals​

Best practices from competitors

We conducted a competitor analysis across 7 other platforms that users frequent when purchasing food deals. The analysis found that:​

• Most apps (5 of 7) use vouchers to encourage customer loyalty through the use of cashback spending & loyalty points
• Several apps (4 of 7) allow users to successfully redeem a voucher from a restaurant, without verification from the restaurant’s end
• Several apps (3 of 7) offer merchants multiple ways of verifying a voucher redemption, presumably to cater to restaurant’s preferences or app bugs
• Of the 7 competitors, only Chope and Eatigo specialise in offering dining/restaurant vouchers only

Wireframing & Testing​

Before

While testing the initial sketch, we found that users mainly looked out for the voucher terms, location, and size of the discount. The rest of the information (reviews, cuisine) was secondary.

No restaurant verification was necessary to reduce the number of steps needed for users to redeem a voucher.

After

In the final design, we streamlined the search filters and placed the most important voucher info on the top fold to reduce cognitive overload.

We introduced a pin-code verification to support more accurate payments to restaurants, whilst keeping the UX simple and intuitive.

Key takeaways

• Despite several voucher programs in the market, user research was essential to ensure that the new vouchers did not cannibalise the existing membership program.
• User research also informed us that though the market for food deals was competitive, we could attract price-sensitive users by offering competitive discounts and loyalty programs to gain market share.
• Accounting and payment invoices to restaurants proved to be the most tricky task, as we had to factor in various scenarios if the vouchers were eventually used, expired, or refunded to users. Eventually, we used the initial launch to pilot a manual payout to restaurants, while exploring automated invoicing in the longer term.

Launched in Sep 2021, Burpple Bites helps make dining-out affordable with its attractive food deals!

Visit the website

Customer feedback

“The process of buying and redeeming a voucher was really simple, I like that it highlights a lot of important info upfront. And the fact that I don’t need to be some premium account holder to use it.”

“I think it’s a very smooth process, I just know what to click on, I don’t have to give much thought. I have to click one button after another.”

“It’s a bit like what they have on Shopee and other platforms, but your food is much more interesting. On e-commerce platforms, you’ll find bubble tea, Mr bean, Old Chang Kee, those not so interesting things. But these places (on burpple), there might be actual food places kind of deals. I see it as the more upgraded version, more ‘atas’ version of flash deals”

Background​

In 2016, Workforce Singapore’s Careers Connect (WSG CC) underwent a rebranding exercise with the goal of increasing the centre’s relevance to mature PMETs. Since then, WSG CC has undertaken a series of efforts to digitalise and transform its services to support the larger public to find a job and grow in their careers.

My role was a Project Manager and Content designer, where I partnered with an agency to redesign the app, and worked with in-house Career Coaches to write content on job search advice.

From native to content management system

The first attempt to digitalise our resources was via a native application, deployed on large interactive screens and computers at the Career Centres. As the nature of the content required regular updates, this became a problem for operation managers. We also observed that the app had a low viewership rate due to these reasons:

• People were unaware that the app was interactive, and did not think to touch the large panel display
• Job-seekers were concerned about privacy and disliked using the app in an open space
• Overall image of the app seemed kiddy and basic, where many job-seekers felt the career advice and tips were basic

Against this backdrop, we sought to build a CMS and redesign the screens and content display.

Understanding our end-users

User research was done through 4 key phases, built on prior research conducted by WSG with their clients.

• In-depth interviews with 8 job-seekers to understand user’s motivations, goals and pain-points
• Interviews with 4 front-line staff to understand mental models and map out the customer journey
• Surveys with 255 members of the public to see their understanding of Career Coaching and content preferences
• Surveys with 189 WSG clients to validate user stories and identify desired features

The findings were consolidated in a journey map and distinct personas. We found that WSG’s clients and the general public had distinct behaviours in job-hunting. Hence, we decided to prioritise the WSG’s clients, specifically the mid-career unemployed PMET as the primary users of the website.

Insights from journey maps

• Job loss search can be a highly emotional: with feelings ranging from shock, frustration, depression, disillusion, to gradual acceptance
• The initial awareness and engagement of Career Coaching activities is highly crucial as job-seekers tend to be angry and frustrated, having faced the brunt of job-rejections

Insights on user needs

• I want to be assured that career coaches are qualified, approachable, and sincere so that I can get help that matches my past success and achievements
• I want to have more than the current basic services so that I can achieve something that I cannot do by myself
• I want to have a listening ear to my problems first without judgment nor superficial diagnosis so that I can trust your help is genuine

Defining the content pillars using card sorting

The next step was to ascertain how job-seekers search and categorise information on a website. Through an open-card sorting process, we engaged 7 job-seekers to organise 60 content topics into categories that made sense to them.

​Apart from aiding us the laying out the site map, we uncovered the following:

• We observed that users only categorised topics that were relevant to them, and ignored the rest. This led us to create an IA that allowed the personalisation of content based on common jobseeker archetypes.
• While our original content structure was based on a 4 stage job search process, we found that our users preferred concrete and actionable categories.

Content Strategy and Development

The user research informed us that users preferred short and concise articles with straightforward copy and actionable advice. Working with a team of Career Coaches, we repackaged the existing career content (which was more theoretically written) into listicles and short articles with actionable titles and bite-sized tips and advice.

Wireframing and Usability Testing

We were now ready to develop the initial set of wireframes. The first set of low-mid fidelity wireframes were shown to 5 of WSG’s existing clientele, where we gauged the usability of the website through the users’ navigation of key tasks.

Key Insight: Users have a poor understanding of Career Coaching, and were baffled that the Career Coach would assign them tasks (eg. Update resume) as they were only “here for a job/advice”​

Outcome: Inserted a page and pop-up to explain what Career Coaching services entail, and the partnership approach between Coach and client

Marketing and Communications

In the early launch stages, our goal was to inform past and existing WSG clients and stakeholders on the use of the new content portal. By preparing new marketing assets, we were ready to evangelise about the portal!

• New social media assets, web and email banners
• Refreshing of the computer terminals and interactive screens at the service centre
• Refreshing of brand assets (e.g brochures, slide templates)
• Print leaflets on career tips to cater for a mature, blue-collared audience

In the first 6 months of launch, the portal saw an average of 12,000 visitors a month. There’s a been many great changes since the launch in Jan 2020, visit the current website.

An Overview
​

The Career Centres were first established in 2001 to help Singaporeans search for jobs and find work. Then, our clients were largely blue-collared workers, and career help involved basic job-matching into suitable jobs.

As the demands of the workforce shifted, Workforce Singapore (WSG; then known as “WDA”) saw an increase in professionals (PMETs) seeking out employment assistance.​ Against this backdrop, we looked to rebrand and redesign our service model, from a one-size-fits-all to a tiered service model that personalises the level of career services according to each individual’s needs. My role was a Project and Programs manager, looking into the redesign of the physical space and restructuring of our programmes.

Visual Design and Brand Image
​

Through focus groups with Singaporeans jobseekers, we found that WSG (then-WDA) was associated with the “retrenched” and the “down-and-out”. The rebranding effort was thus focused on changing Singaporeans’ perceptions towards seeking career help, to reduce the stigma of getting career advice.​

Together with Y&R (now VMLY&R), we chose earthly colours like blue and green to convey the approachability and professionalism of the career centres. Nunito was used as the main corporate font to convey warmth and friendliness through its rounded edges. The name “Careers Connect” was conceived to depict the role of the Career Centres in connecting job-seekers to employment opportunities, through career coaching and advisory services.

Spatial redesign of the Career Centres
​

As WSG’s Careers Connect sought to find a new identity, we too saw that the Career Centres needed a new look. Back then, the service centres projected an image of community centres for the unemployed and retrenched. The walls were white and clinical, while the notice boards were lined with newspaper clippings for job advertisements and career tips.

The redesigned space envisioned a vibrant, warm and inclusive place for both blue-collared and professional workers. PWD-friendly features were setup, and an e-lobby kiosk that was opened after office hours to cater to the employed workers. Digital displays and self-help resources were introduced to promote client ownership in their job search, and cater to an increasingly savvy and educated workforce.

Before: Cold, clinical look

After: Warm, vibrant and digitalised experience

Remodelling to a Tiered Service Model
​

Before 2016, the services at WDA were largely limited to basic advisory, such as resume critique and interview preparation. As the workforce demographics and the jobs landscape evolved, we noticed that the job-seekers’ needs and demands grew to be more complex.

Using UX principles, we identified these core user needs of job-seekers:

• The lost and uncertain: Overwhelmed with a world of job opportunities, these clients are often unclear about their skills and strengths and struggle to figure out which jobs they are most suited for.
• The disheartened and burnt-out: Jaded by the likes of toxic workplaces, bad bosses, and long-term unemployment, these clients needed to take on a growth mindset and hope for a better workplace.
• The ready but received no-low response from employers: Frequently using the “spray-and-pray” method on job applications, these clients need to learn job search strategies to win their desired job.

Using James Sampson’s Right Servicing Mode, we evolved our services to a tiered service model that affords different levels of interventions based on individuals’ needs. Branded as “CARE360”, the new service model comprised:

• Catalyst: 1–1 structured career coaching programme comprising of 4 modules to help job-seekers uncover their strengths and get on the right career path
• Activator: Tour the company’s workplace and get a sneak peek into the job requirements and work environment, to help job-seekers make more informed career decisions
• Recharger: Lite counselling to provide job-seekers with emotional and mental support, and equip them with effective coping strategies to stay healthy when unemployed
• Energiser: Series of job preparatory workshops to equip job-seekers with proven search techniques to stand out from the competition
• 360: An intensive closed-group industry networking programme to connect with employers and industry experts

More about Careers Connect’s News Feature

• Today Online: 3 Rebranded Career Centres Help More Jobseekers Find Work
• HR in Asia: Check these 3 Rebranded Career Centres in Singapore
• HRD Asia: Workforce Singapore Expands Careers Connect Services
• Nestia News: Three rebranded Career Centres to Ramp Up Assistance to Jobseekers

Publications

• APCDA: Where Career Theories Meet Human-Centred Design

It was just six months ago. Singapore was in the throes of battling the spike in COVID-19 cases. I was nestled in a stable government job, my role was to support the systems and services to help Singaporeans find jobs. As I said, it was a stable job.

Six months later. Unemployment hit when I graduated from a full-time course in UX design. I found myself competing with the likes of thousands of other Singaporeans, clamouring for whatever jobs we could find amidst a competitive, COVID-19 affected market. The journey was uncertain, anxiety-inducing, but working in career services has given me a more all-rounded perspective. Here’s sharing 6 reflections from it, I hope it encourages you in your search for a job!

#1 Send more applications, send them early

I know of serious jobseekers who in the spirit of passion and love for a company, send out fewer than 5 applications a week. Here’s the thing that many don’t realise — the job application ratio averages of 1 vacancy to hundreds of applicants. You could be a capable candidate, but there are plenty of considerations (and biases) companies have that you wouldn’t know of. What more, companies tend to leave their job vacancies open on job portals, even after it’s been filled up. We can grumble about that, but the reality is that companies have little incentive to update their applications’ statuses.

In my current job, I applied for the job on the 2nd day after it was posted, went for three interviews on the 3rd day, 5th day and 6th day. Signed the employment contract on the 7th day. The job status was left opened on LinkedIn. Point being, you can never be too sure if the job you are applying for is going through the last stage of interviews, or has already been filled.

Send more applications, send them early!

#2 If things are not working, change things up

On the flip side, I too know of people who have sent hundreds of resumes in a few weeks, but with no result. The sense of dejection and self-doubt can be quite overwhelming. This could be a sign to change things up.

After all, they say that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results. In a way, I too fell victim to that, in spite of witnessing countless of job-seekers make the same mistake. My first few resumes received almost no callbacks, yet, I was stubborn to make changes. “What difference would it make?” I thought to myself. And this was possibly the most insidious thought one could have when applying for jobs.

It took some kind advice from ex-colleagues to snap me out of my self-pity and dedicate more effort into my applications. To make job-search less dreadful, I started experimenting with my resumes in some warped form of A/B testing — sometimes I added my photo, sometimes I took it out. Some resumes in black and white, some in colour. I played around with different keywords and experiences in my applications, and eventually, I landed with a resume that got me more callbacks.

These seemingly minor changes, do make a difference.

#3 It’s the role of the interviewer to play devil’s advocate

“You’re strong in research and UX, but do you have any experience in UI design?”

“The pace of work in a start-up is a lot faster than the government, can you handle it?”

“You have no computer science background, would you be able to talk to engineers?”

Hearing such comments from interviewers and recruiters was an initial shock and stab to my chest. After all, I expected that the course in UX design would lead to a full career switch, only to discover that I lacked the full range of skills. And every other employer I met was sure to point that out. It was always either the lack of visual design skills (for UX roles), the lack of engineering knowledge (for product roles) or the sheer scepticism towards an ex-public servant.

But working with both employers and job-seekers alike has taught me not to take these comments personally. The interviewer’s job is to look out for the best person for the role. Given the overwhelming number of applications they receive, part of their role is to play devil’s advocate. Instead of taking these hard questions as a rejection of my skills, I’ve learnt to use the opportunity to counter the stereotype they had of me.

#4 Own your past actions & experience

The narrative of my unemployment started when I quit my job in July to pursue a full-time course in UX. I liked my old job but felt a sense of deep restless to further my work interests. As I talked about these decisions in my interviews, I figured I could come across in one of two ways: Impulsive and Unthinking, or a Self-Confident Go-Getter.

To say the truth, I was definitely a bit of both. I wanted to level up my skills and be more effective in my work, but the youngish carefree spirit in me didn’t want to entertain the possibility of becoming unemployed for a long time.

Regardless of the jobs or education you undertook in the past, the decisions you have made, own each and every one of them. The seemingly irrelevant experiences in life can form a rich narrative of how you ended up in this career path today. Interviewers continued to challenge me, but claiming these decisions (like quitting my job during COVID-19, choosing a job in the public sector) made me unique and helped me to stand out from other candidates.

#5 Skill-up, and set daily goals

But there were some things I couldn’t claim. I still lacked UI and visual design training, and these were essential skills for UX designers in small companies. When asked by interviewers if I had those skill sets, I would stammer out a feeble reply along the lines of “I have some experience but I’m still learning”. The phone call will then disconnect shortly after, leaving me to feel helpless and inadequate.

I decided I was tired of hearing all of that. I wanted to show what I could do, and this couldn’t be well-explained in a phone call. I took up the daily UI challenge which pushed me to brush up on my visual design skills. It wasn’t perfect but I published these works on my portfolio anyway. It helped me to be more confident when speaking to interviewers, and even whilst performing on the job. (Eventually, I stopped the daily UI challenge because I was getting flooded by interview assignments)

If you are not getting hired, seek to understand the skillset you lack and look for ways to fill up those gaps. Apart from sending in applications, spend a couple of hours a day to grow a new skill. Transform your job searching exercise from an administrative burden to an exciting journey of learning. And before you know it, you are now more employable than when you first started.

#6 Hustle your way into a job

Right before I graduated from my course, I asked a career coach: What is the one attribute that makes job-seekers successful? He gave me a word: Hustle.

And hustle I did. I built a portfolio website of my own works. Sent out over 50 applications in a few weeks. Delivered design challenges for three companies in a short span of two weeks. Made it a point to be more visible on LinkedIn. When I landed a job, I was ready to give myself a pat on the back for all the hard work I put in.

Then I met my colleagues and realised that my actions barely scratched the surface of a hustle. Among the fascinating stories, one friend in a bid to get himself into a local university, created a website and started a viral petition on social media. The other didn’t do well in his regular job applications, so he sent a straight-up, attention-grabbing and highly quirky email to the hiring manager, leading him to snap up his current role.

If you want something really badly, don’t be afraid to hustle. We as Singaporeans are often afraid to stand out from the crowd in fear of embarrassment. But if you say you want a job badly, how far are you willing to go?

My Story: From Public Sector to Tech Startup

And now for my job hunting story. I started the application process with an error — I sent in the wrong resume! That mistake left me frantically trying to recall my application for the next 10 minutes but to no avail. (Later on, I realised that error had perplexed my interviewers as well). But by some sheer fortune, the interviewers opened up my portfolio, liked what they saw and decided to give me a shot. It was a risk they took (interestingly, my first employer said that about me too) and I’m most grateful for that chance.

Here’s my final reflection: I realised I didn’t need 50 companies to like me. I didn’t even need five. I just needed that one company, the one I really wanted, to be willing to take that chance with me. If you are still in search of a job, that’s okay. Hold out and persevere, and in time, you’ll find that one.

In 2018, CNA produced a documentary “Regardless of Class” that went viral in Singapore, raising questions on inequality and class discrimination. One of the scenes featured a young girl who recalled her father telling her to “work harder in my exams, or else I would become the person who drives the garbage truck and those cleaners on streets”. Her words cut straight to my heart. Two years on, I still feel that sense of uneasiness over that remark.

How did we grow up to have the belief that some jobs are ‘better’ than others?

But also, what does it say of Singaporeans’ attitudes and beliefs about work?

What is Work to You?

I wanted to find out more about what Singaporeans thought about work, so I went on a mission to gather views from individuals of different ages and backgrounds. Thanks to the power of social media, I managed to garner over 100 responses from Singaporeans from different walks of life!

1) Why is work important to you?

Not to anyone’s surprise, “Money” emerged as the topmost priority, because it allowed people to achieve stability, financial independence, and sustain themselves and their loved ones. This was followed by a “Sense of purpose” and “Help people”, where many people recognised that work, despite its occasional heartaches, gave meaning and purpose to their lives. A surprisingly sizeable group of Singaporeans shared that work “keeps me occupied”, for “how else would I spend my time?”

2) What do you hope to achieve from work?

I saw a slight shift in the way people approached this question. The desire to “Help people” increased to overtake “Money” as the top response, with many people hoping that their humble contributions at work would ultimately make a difference in other’s lives. A handful of people mentioned “self-development” and “learning”, sharing that their experiences from work can build their knowledge and skills, and also their character and maturity as a person.

We spend 8 hours a day, 2,080 hours a year, 90,000 hours in a lifetime at work.

Why is work important to you?

There is Value in Every Work

I wonder how many of us think about the value your work brings when we wake up every morning. Believe it, that every job is created for a specific purpose and meaning. Your job was created because someone understood that there’s a need or a lack in this world, and your role at work is to fill in that gap. If you are:

A Waiter.

It’s because the process of collecting food, carrying utensils and getting refills could disrupt a nice family meal. And people saw a need for you to help them.

Who else could meet that need?

A Driver.

It’s because people needed a quick and safe way to move from one destination to another so that they could dedicate more time to becoming a better spouse, parent, worker, child.

Who else could meet that need?

A Mechanic.

It’s because someone realised that it was difficult for ordinary people to fix their vehicles and needed an expert’s hands to repair the damages at a reasonable price.

Who else could meet that need?

An Admin Assistant.

It’s because the office struggled with inefficiency and messy processes, and they needed someone to help organise their data and work.

Who else could meet that need?

All work has value, simply because every job is a way to serve and care for someone in society. From admin assistants to receptionists, to public servants and private businesses, your job enables people to be cared for. Your job meets the day-to-day needs of others. We must first believe in the value behind every work. Only then, we can be an all-inclusive society, regardless of class.

A True Story: From Embarrassed to Inspired Food Delivery Rider

A friend related to me a story when he coached a young man who was a Food Delivery Rider — let’s call him Freddy. Freddy loved riding his motorbike but felt embarrassed when he had to place that brightly-coloured food box on his bike while making deliveries. He felt uncomfortable and afraid that his friends would see him delivering food, what he thought of as a “lowly” job.

During one of their career coaching sessions, my friend asked him a question: When are your peak hours?

As Freddy shared that his busy hours tended to be 6pm — 8pm, my friend pointed out to him that these were the high traffic hours because it was when working adults would rush home from work. These folks didn’t have time to cook because of their long work hours, but food deliveries opened possibilities for them to enjoy family meals together. It was then when Freddy found a new mission and purpose in his work.

In the past, when Freddy made food deliveries, he would quickly drop the food off at his destination and sneak off as quickly as possible in fear that someone he knows will see him. Now, as Freddy stands outside the house with the food box in hand, he slips out a timid “enjoy your meal!”, before riding off to his next destination.

End with these Reflection Questions

You might end off this article thinking: Well, that was all great and inspiring, but what work is best suited for me? You can start by thinking about these reflection questions and get third party insights by speaking to a Career Coach.

• What excites you to get out of bed every day?
• What things do you catch yourself thinking about in your free time?
• What problems do you see in this world that you would like to solve?
• What advice do your colleagues ask from you?

“Making a career switch requires commitment”

This was one of the first few pieces of advice I got when I left my job. I thought to myself: I’m intentionally leaving my comfortable 8–6 public sector job for a 12-week full-time intensive User Experience (UX) Design course, against the backdrop of a global crisis and a volatile economy. I was more than committed!

Ah, if only I knew how much commitment and effort that might entail.

This article features the highlights of my first 2 weeks at the General Assembly’s UX Design Bootcamp. Our first project was to work on a mobile app of our own choosing. 11 user interviews, 5 introductory to Sketch videos and 8 usability tests later, I designed my first mid-fi prototype! Here’s an overview of what happened in the past 2 weeks.

Background

I decided to embark on a passion project — you know, jump straight into the unknown as a way to find inspiration. Back in my old job, I liked thinking of ways to translate boring briefings to exciting activities that got people up and participating. That, and I wanted to design something that was relevant to the COVID-19 situation. So I set out to design a mobile teambuilding/ice-breaker app to better help (a) Managers /HRs connect with their staff during the WFH measures, (b) Teachers conduct facilitation activities during their online classes, and (c) Individuals to stay connected with one another.

User Research

The first stage in the UX process was to develop empathy and understand our end-users’ motivations, goals and attitudes. I did this through 11 user interviews, where I went to find out more about people’s experiences in staying connected during the WFH/safe-distancing period, and their views and experiences in teambuilding.

My prior exposure to career coaching & counselling was a surprising help in this stage. Skills like open-ended questioning, using silence, and summarising came in handy when I was talking to my interviewees. Some questions I asked were:

• How would you describe your social circle?
• What are some ways you tried to engage your friends/colleagues during the COVID-19 situation?
• Recall a memorable video call/zoom/skype session with your friends — what happened?
• What is your view towards teambuilding/icebreakers?
• Recall your worst teambuilding experience — what happened?

Synthesis of Findings

With the findings from the user interviews, I looked out for common themes in the data through sorting out insights on digital post-its, a process known as affinity mapping. I used Mural, a visual collaboration tool, to work on this. I chose to colour my post-its according to the interviewee, where each colour represented a unique interviewee. As one who enjoys conceptual, intuitive thinking and connecting-the-dots, I fell in love with the affinity mapping process!

From the clusters, I identified 6 key themes from my users:

• I enjoy having a good laugh with friends
• I like to bond with others over food
• I like short and simple activities to cater for time and energy constraints
• I value inclusive games that have wide participation, to bond with others more organically
• I know of and try games through friends’ recommendations

User Personas

With the research insights, I developed 3 sets of user personas. User personas are a profile of your users' patterns, goals, needs, stories and frustrations. The graphic elements serve to also help your stakeholders remember and arrive at a common consensus on the target audience.

Problem Definition

We learnt several ways to go about this, through crafting user stories and “how might we” statements. Using my user personas, I further narrowed my problem statements to the following:

• Manager Mandy needs a quick and inclusive way to connect with staff from diverse backgrounds because she wants to encourage, show concern and support her staff’s well-being
• Professor Paul needs a quick way to get students to warm up to one another because it will help his students feel more comfortable and open to speak up in class
• Introverted Ivy needs a way to catch-up and laugh with friends because she wants to be able to get to know and keep in contact with her close friends

Sketching & Wireframing

Once we came up with our problem statements, it was time to let our minds run wild with ideation! Despite my poor drawing skills, I found that paper sketches were a great way to conceptualise and communicate initial ideas.

Once the ideas were more well-formed, I started on the wireframing process. I did this through Sketch (available only on Mac), though some of my course mates used other design tools like Adobe XD and Figma (both have free versions!).

Prototyping & Usability Testing

Prototyping and testing were the next stages of the UX phase. As new UX designers, this was one of the most exciting moments where we got to see our app come to life! Using Sketch, I created a clickable prototype (mid-fidelity) through InVision — a great and easy-to-use tool (no coding required!) for creating interactive prototyping.

My test goals were to understand users’ ease in navigating the app, their understanding of certain tabs and icons, and the relevancy of the game information. I then created a usability test plan where I observed how users performed these 4 tasks:

• Accept a friend’s invitation to join a game using a game code
• Choose a game that suits their preferences
• Invite friends to the game they have selected
• Start and play the game

After testing with 8 users, here are some insights I found, illustrated through the plus/delta assessment.

The Final Prototype

& thus concludes week 2!

Following the usability tests, I adjusted my prototype to include the following features. You can check out the full prototype in this link!

• Besides a game passcode, I added a sharing URL to allow a more direct invitation for friends to join the game
• Added a filter button to help users better sieve and sort through games based on difficulty level, age suitability and etc
• Incorporated the game instructions upfront, with instructional prompts placed throughout the game

That concludes my past 2 weeks at the UX Design Bootcamp! I’m hugely excited that there’s so much more to learn, but here are 3 lessons I gained from my first 2 weeks.

1. Be acutely aware of your biases
   Young designers tend to make the rookie mistake of clinging to an idea in the early stages of research. They end up navigating the research process with tinted lenses, prone to cherry-picking data that favours their ideas. While it’s natural to have your own ideas at the start, be extremely wary about your biases. Avoid being too attached to your ideas, and instead, let the user insights and research take on a louder voice in your design.
2. Develop an innate curiousity about human behaviour
   When gathering insights from users, it’s easy to translate a couple of interviewees’ comments like “it’d be good to gamify this” into a frantic rush to include gamified activities into your design. Don’t. Don’t settle for surface suggestions or comments. Instead, ask lots of ‘whys’ and you’ll be surprised to uncover deeper motivations and underlying needs that often lead to better solutions.
3. Cultivate the habit of learning on your own
   The skills of UX/UI aren’t found in a fancy credential. Design tools are constantly evolving, and the role of a UX designer is to keep in pace with new trends and technologies. The internet is full of advice on good UX/UI practices and how to navigate software like Sketch/XD/Figma. Those tools seem daunting from afar (still seems a little scary!), but all it takes is a smidge of courage and a dose of curious exploration to overcome the initial inertia.

If you want to be really good at something, know that you have to go through a phase of being really bad at it. Persist, practice, be patient with yourself, and you’ll get there someday. — Advice from a wise friend