Post Up
A supportive platform designed to simplify workspace discovery for remote professionals, integrating co-working spaces and cafés with tailored tailored to their needs.
Febin Mohamed
DAY 1
Mapping the Challenge and Understanding User Needs
The first day of the Design Sprint focused on defining the problem and mapping the user flow to uncover key pain points for remote workers. Through initial user interviews and research, a primary frustration emerged: remote workers spent excessive time searching for suitable workspaces, often at the expense of productivity.
Understanding the Problem
Through user interviews, we uncovered consistent themes that highlighted the fragmented nature of current solutions:
Wi-Fi speed and availability : Remote workers rely heavily on stable and fast internet connectivity.
Noise levels : Quiet spaces are crucial for maintaining focus and taking calls.
Seating availability : Knowing in advance if a space has free seating can save valuable time.
Proximity and convenience : The ease of reaching a workspace affects its usability, especially in busy urban environments.
Crafting the User Persona
Based on the research, we developed a user persona to embody the primary audience:
Nina Rivera
32 years
·
Freelance Marketing Consultant
Location: Lives in a major city, frequently travels for client meetings.
Work Style: Splits time between working from home, meeting clients, and finding public spaces to work remotely.
Pain Points
Limited and unreliable information about workspaces
Difficulty assessing how crowded or noisy a space will be before arriving.
Wasting time jumping between apps and reviews to gather essential details.
Spaces found online don’t always meet her expectations upon arrival.
Lack of workspaces designed for remote workers in unfamiliar areas.
Goals
Quickly find nearby workspaces that meet her essential needs: Wi-Fi, seating, outlets, and bathrooms.
Easily access clear and reliable details, such as photos, reviews, and amenities, in one place.
Easily switch between workspaces depending on time and need.
Mapping the User Journey
To contextualize the user’s experience, we mapped Nina’s end-to-end journey when searching for a workspace:
DAY 2
Shaping Solutions Through Sketches
Day 2 of the Design Sprint focused on generating actionable solutions informed by the insights from Day 1.
The process involved combining user research with competitor analysis and industry inspiration to develop innovative ideas.
Review and Inspiration : Analyzed design patterns, features, and concepts from competitors and industry leaders to inspire the solution space.
Refining Ideas : Prioritized impactful insights, highlighting key elements that best addressed user pain points and aligned with the project goals.
Sketching Process : Transformed the strongest ideas into sketches
Narrowing Down : Objectively evaluated the sketches to select the most promising concept, ensuring alignment with user needs and project objectives.
DAY 3
Crafting the Storyboard
On Day 3 of the Design Sprint, the focus is on creating a detailed storyboard that would guide the prototype development.
Refining Solutions :
Review and Cluster : Key elements from initial sketches were identified and clustered using sticky notes to distill user-centric ideas.
Self-Critique : Each sketch was evaluated for its strengths and limitations, with notes documented to guide improvement.
Solo Voting : Top concepts were selected based on their alignment with user pain points, such as workspace convenience and the availability of detailed information.
Final Selection : A fresh perspective was achieved by stepping back before finalizing the most promising solution for the storyboard.
Creating the Storyboard
Initial Experience : Introduces an interactive map for intuitive exploration, with a toggle for users preferring a structured list view, ensuring flexibility in navigation.
Core User Actions : Dedicated pages that includes critical data, such as Wi-Fi speed, noise levels, and seating availability coupled with advanced filters for tailored results.
End Goal : The ultimate user objective is to confidently book a coworking space or visit a café for remote work, with direct navigation integration to guide users to their chosen location.
By the end of the day, the storyboard served as a comprehensive framework, setting the stage for transforming ideas into a functional prototype.
Features
Map View and a List View
Search bar with options to filter
Personalized recommendations based on user preferences or past usage.
Features
Cafe space and Coworking space toggle for browsing
Workspace cards showing key details
Filter options
Features
High-quality photos with key information like Wi-Fi, noise levels, etc
Navigate option
User reviews
Features
CTA: "Start Navigation" for cafe spaces
CTA "Check Availability" for coworking spaces
Option to reserve seating (if available).
Booking confirmation
DAY 4
Building the PostUp Prototype: From Concept to Interaction
On Day 4, the focus shifted to creating an interactive, high-fidelity prototype for PostUp, designed to simulate the core functionalities and user flows of the platform. This phase was crucial in testing key design hypotheses and refining user interactions.
Map-Based Workspace Exploration
Navigate effortlessly through an interactive map tailored for co-working spaces and cafes.
Switch between co-working and cafe tabs for a streamlined workspace search experience.
Explore a list view alternative for structured browsing of available locations.
Dynamic Workspace Profiles
Comprehensive workspace insights, from café workability ratings (Wi-Fi speed, noise levels) to co-working amenities tailored to productivity.
Offers visually engaging content, including photos and pricing for co-working setups, to facilitate well-informed decisions.
Simplifies workspace management with intuitive options to save favorites, share details, or directly book through the app.
Seamless Booking & Collaboration
Simplified booking flow for co-working spaces, ensuring an intuitive and fast reservation process.
Integration of a sharing option to effortlessly collaborate by sharing booking details with team members.
Easy calendar synchronization, allowing users to save bookings directly to their calendars with a single click.
Comprehensive User Profile Dashboard
Centralize workspace management with features for reviewing upcoming bookings, rescheduling, and seamless check-ins.
Access saved addresses, update payment methods, and manage preferences for streamlined future interactions.
Add reviews and track activity history, offering a personalized experience tailored to user needs.
DAY 5
User Testing: Turning Feedback into Actionable Insights
To validate the usability of the prototype, I conducted a series of five remote usability tests using the five-act interview method, as outlined by Google Ventures. The goal was to observe how users interacted with the prototype and to identify any usability issues or areas for improvement.
Strengths in Design and Usability:
Intuitive Navigation : Participants found the design intuitive and easy to follow, with familiar features resembling Google Maps aiding usability.
Collaborative Booking : Users appreciated the seamless integration of shared meeting room bookings, enhancing coordination and collaboration.
Workability Ratings : Participants valued the app’s focus on productivity-driven metrics like Wi-Fi speed and noise levels, offering key insights beyond traditional mapping tools.
User Suggestions for Improved Experience:
Interactive Map Pins : Users recommended enabling clickable map pins to streamline location discovery, offering direct access to detailed location cards.
Menu Integration : Include café menus within location cards to streamline workspace selection based on food and beverage options.
Parking Information : Some users highlighted the need for parking availability details, particularly in urban environments, to alleviate the common pain point of finding convenient parking near cafes.
Reflecting on the Journey and Looking Ahead
Lessons Learned from Design Sprint:
Focusing on User Needs Early: Conducting user interviews revealed key frustrations like unreliable workspace details, guiding the design to prioritize essential information.
Streamlining Complex Processes: A unified platform integrating workspaces, booking, and real-time info simplified user flow and reduced friction.
Testing and Iteration: Early-stage testing highlighted the importance of refining key features like workspace filters and map interactions to meet real user needs.
Next Steps for PostUp:
Enhancing Map Interactivity: Expand the functionality of location pins by integrating real-time data, allowing users to engage with dynamic, contextual information.
Transportation Integration: Implement seamless transportation options, offering users integrated booking for rides or public transit alongside workspace availability.
Food and Beverage Recommendations: Introduce AI-driven suggestions for nearby cafes and eateries based on user preferences and proximity.
Live Parking Data: Integrate live parking availability with the ability to reserve spaces, optimizing user convenience.
Personalized Saved Collections: Allow users to create city-specific folders for saving spaces, with note-taking and sharing options for collaboration.
Premium Membership Model: Introduce a subscription service for access to exclusive features like priority booking and premium workspace availability.
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