Since its original conception the product struggled to gain traction with clients and consultants failing to engage via the platform. This resulted in back office resource being expended to facilitate users through the end-to-end experience.
The key challenge was to develop and build an MVP on an entirely new technical architecture to promote the efficiency and scalability of the business by having users engage and interact without the help of support staff. All of this was to be achieved within an aggressive four month time frame.
The key challenge was to develop and build an MVP on an entirely new technical architecture to promote the efficiency and scalability of the business by having users engage and interact without the help of support staff. All of this was to be achieved within an aggressive four month time frame.
Head of UX
Talmix is a leading global marketplace connecting high growth companies with 50,000+ freelance management consultants. The company aims to challenge the recruitment agency model by enabling clients and consultants to engage directly.
talmix.com
Develop a deep understanding of how the user groups engage and interact using conventional offline, and online processes.
Identify behaviours, requirements, and barriers to uptake and engagement for both user groups.
Identify future opportunities to best leverage tech.
Revise the end-to-end user flow to promote user engagement and reduce churn.
Redesign mobile and desktop experience so to enhance user understanding and reduce barriers to uptake.
Increase volume of self-service projects where both user groups complete the full end-to-end journey without internal staff interventions.
Identify behaviours, requirements, and barriers to uptake and engagement for both user groups.
Identify future opportunities to best leverage tech.
Revise the end-to-end user flow to promote user engagement and reduce churn.
Redesign mobile and desktop experience so to enhance user understanding and reduce barriers to uptake.
Increase volume of self-service projects where both user groups complete the full end-to-end journey without internal staff interventions.
A major success was the increase in self-service projects; a key requirement for the business to scale, enabling internal staff to dedicate themselves to larger more complex projects.
A key learning from the project was the over emphasis on the use of mobile. Given the complexity of the user journeys, the context of use, and the MVP nature of the initial designs, more time should have been given to the desktop designs, and key mobile screens identified for launch. Only once the desired performance of the MVP had been achieved through further design refinements, should the mobile design have been considered.
A key learning from the project was the over emphasis on the use of mobile. Given the complexity of the user journeys, the context of use, and the MVP nature of the initial designs, more time should have been given to the desktop designs, and key mobile screens identified for launch. Only once the desired performance of the MVP had been achieved through further design refinements, should the mobile design have been considered.
17%
* Projects where users convert with no internal staff support. Prior to the re-release this value was 0%.
+200%
+60%
+35%
SELF SERVICE PROJECTS*
PROJECTS POSTED
USER REGISTRATION
AVERAGE PROJECT VALUE
End-to-end service broken out into individual user journey components and sketched out as low fidelity wireframes that were iterated through a series of reviews with key stakeholders.
User journeys
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The MVP focus was desktop and mobile. A modular design approach was employed to capitalise on the Bootstrap framework and minimise the front end build process.
Screens designed in Axure and iterated through rapid user testing. Regular reviews with the tech team and C-team ensured technical and commercial viability respectively.
Liaising closely with the marketing team ensured that copy and terminology was consistent across all platform and notification touchpoints.
Screens designed in Axure and iterated through rapid user testing. Regular reviews with the tech team and C-team ensured technical and commercial viability respectively.
Liaising closely with the marketing team ensured that copy and terminology was consistent across all platform and notification touchpoints.
Prototype & UI designs
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To meet the release deadline, primary features were designed first and delivered to the tech team to be built. During this, time secondary features were being designed for delivery, resulting in a Just-In-Time delivery process.
Lacking a dedicated QA resource, this function was distributed amongst internal staff using shared docs to define user journeys to test and capture QA fails.
An analytics agency was brought on board to set up key user journeys in GA and standard metrics to feed into the office Geckoboard.
Lacking a dedicated QA resource, this function was distributed amongst internal staff using shared docs to define user journeys to test and capture QA fails.
An analytics agency was brought on board to set up key user journeys in GA and standard metrics to feed into the office Geckoboard.
Build & measure
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Outcomes & learnings
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The challenge
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Utilising internal staff knowledge, low fidelity proto-personas were developed through a series of interactive workshops to identify current behaviours and future opportunities. Personas were validated and quantified through an online survey which was also used as a recruitment drive for in-depth research.
Face-to-face and telephone interviews undertaken to further expand on the areas explored in the workshops. Where possible, key stakeholders were involved so to encourage buy-in of the findings by the business. Personas presented back to the C-level and investors for discussion and adoption by the business.
Face-to-face and telephone interviews undertaken to further expand on the areas explored in the workshops. Where possible, key stakeholders were involved so to encourage buy-in of the findings by the business. Personas presented back to the C-level and investors for discussion and adoption by the business.
The initial phase of design outlined the end-to-end service from user registration through to project posting, applications, project agreements, and completion approval. The flow enabled us to identofy and outline the key steps, points of interaction, necessary offline processes, and the notifications to be sent after specific actions were completed.
Service design
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Objectives
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Given the aggressive timescales of the project, Lean UX principles were adopted over an initial four month period followed by continued measurement and product development within an Agile process.
Approach
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Usability testing
Service design
User journeys
Contextual research
Requirements capture
Expert review
Interactive prototyping
UI design
Persona development
Project planning
Mentoring
Project leadership
Stakeholder management
C-suite engagement
Business landscape
Engagement with internal stakeholders to develop a broad view of the business requirements and objectives. Competitors identified and reviewed.
Defining requirements
To fast track the exploration phase, internal staff knowledge was utilised to define low fidelity personas that were augmented via customer interviews.
Design & Iterate
Overall end-to-end service outlined, rapid design and testing of interactive prototypes followed by a design phase to refine the UI.
Build & Measure
Product developed through a series of sprints within an Agile set up. KPIs monitored on launch and successive refinements made.
DLUX |+44 (0) 7968 074014 | damien.livingston@gmail.com
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