Visualization – Reflection

Author: Florian Richter

Date: January 2th, 2007

Challenge & Selection

I first used the visualization tool during a Design Sprint on solving a business problem of a start-up rental  scooter company. The scooter company had operational costs higher than revenues, still small user  basis and were running out of time on funding. They have been looking into some business ideas on how  to decrease their operational costs through optimization of processes and logistics. Furthermore, the  start-up company considered the idea of generating additional revenues through additional revenue  streams from partnering, i.e. users can deliver packages, as well as motivating its existing user base to  share ads of the company on social media with the purpose to increase through that the number of  existing users.

My goal was to support the start-up company in creating a prototype of how to discover and implement  the ideas of a new revenue stream from (i) partnering as well as of (ii) how to increase the user basis.  The suggested solution has to be implemented on their website and/or mobile solution (app). During  the design sprint I drafted a storyboard of how the user will react on advertisement on Facebook or  Youtube, click through and go on a landing page, where he can sign-up, customize her/his profile, so  that respective to-do’s/tasks are displayed for her/him on the main page. The fulfillment of the tasks  and to-do’s were will generate credit’s for the user which she/he can apply for renting a scooter. The  company otherwise will benefit from fulfillment of the tasks as well – users will share and promote on  social media ads from the start-up company leading to increased awareness of the company and  hopefully user basis; users will also be able to deliver packages in selected nearby locations in case a  scooter is close to their location and the delivery location is in a proximity to their current location.

The visualization tool was instrumental in gathering a useful user feedback and developing the product  with relatively small initial time and money effort.

Application

To support the design of the above mentioned solutions I created a storyboard which I visualized using  first pen and paper creating a low fidelity prototype. Then using PowerPoint as well as other software  packages I created a medium fidelity prototype. In creating the visualization, I followed the below  described steps:

1) Created a rough storyboard using notes (Post-it’s) and markers (Sharpies) to put on paper and

described what the user journey will be. This allowed me to be flexible in my approach and be  able to quickly scrap ideas (steps), throwing away the notes/post-its and creating new. It was  some quick form of rapid prototyping.

2) When I was finished with the rough storyboard I created a low fidelity prototype with pen and

paper. I drew the following pictures on separate A4 pages:

  a Facebook screen, displaying an app from the start-up company

  a landing page with sign-up/sign-in fields and download links to the App Story and Google  Play to download the respective app

  a screen from App Store with the download section of the app

  a screen from the already downloaded app displaying the sign-up section

  a screen from the app showing the profile customization options

  a screen from the app with to-do’s / tasks

  a screen from the app with to-do / task in progress

  a screen from the app with overview of credits

  a screen from iPhone showing a new notification for a to-do/task

3) After reviewing and collection the low fidelity prototype I created a medium fidelity prototype

visualizing in more professional and relatable way how the user story should look like. I used  real images, colors and screenshots from internet, Facebook, etc.

Insight & Approach

Using a visualization was an enlightening experience for me. The need to visualize helped me foster my  thinking in more holistic way, e.g. taking the perspective of the user: how he will proceed, what the user  might want and/or miss. It helped me put myself in the situation of the user and not only consider the  problem from the business perspective (company perspective). Furthermore, the visualization helped  me put the story in real context and think of how the product should really look like from a product  design perspective, e.g. what kind of colors, images, text and their positioning on the webpage/app  should be used.

It helped me collect a useful feedback from potential users before putting a real effort and money in  creating an existing and functioning product. This approach saved time and money and was very  effective in confirming/rejecting the hypothesis I created when envisioning how a potential user will  deploy the app. Based on the low fidelity visualization I created the medium fidelity visualization which  added an additional layer of complexity, but required still a low effort in terms of time and money. This  medium fidelity visualization was also very useful as it enabled users to see a product with colors, real  pictures and even some click-functionalities. I was able to further collect user feedback and refine the  prototype so that a high fidelity prototype involving some real coding could be created being confident  that the full-functionality prototype will reflect the user needs.

