INDICARD SERVICE INDUSTRY APP

PROJECT BRIEF

IndiCard is an app for service industry workers that offers exclusive deals within the industry. Indi Card leverages the current hook-up system but offers better deals at different services in several cities. IndiCard noticed a decrease in total sign-ups and needed help to create a better sign up process. 

                                                     MY ROLE

  User research, data analysis, information architecture, sketching, A/B testing  

                                                      PERIOD

                                                                                    3 weeks

                                                   RESEARCH

ONLINE RESEARCH

I started with the on-line research, through which I found that not requiring credit card information upfront will result in a more people signing up.

After people sign-up, if they have a sense of the  value of the application while using a trial, they will pay the monthly payment required. The quantity of conversions will increase.

COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

IndiCard’s only indirect competitor is a service industry worker's network.

 Bars and restaurants provide certain discounts on office hours, happy hours, industry nights, and for their own employees. Being friends with a bartender or waitress can result in getting a discount. This rule works in every other service as well - hospitality, beauty salons, barbershops etc.

INTERVIEWS REVEALED

• In the service industry, everybody has a network. This network provides them discounts and incentives for using each other services.
• Industry workers always let each other know about their occupation once they meet.
• People tend to go out to the same places, and the determining factor for it is knowing people who either go or work there.
• The unspoken rule in the service industry - help each other out by leaving good tips, giving discounts, free drinks, etc.
• People are not willing to enter their credit card information while signing up.
• People want to see the value upfront, then decide to sign-up.
• Users tend to sign up via Facebook.

CONTEXTUAL INQUIRY

People were asked to download the IndiCard app and to sign-up. 

• Nobody read the information about steps and terms of signing up.
• They found the entire process to be smooth and easy.
• They didn't know they will be asked to enter a credit card info until first deal redemption.
• The sign-up process was being dropped before redeeming the first deal.
• Users got confused while signing up for a trial version and seeing a credit card info request.

IMPORTANT FINDINGS:

• The onboarding process continues until the first redemption
• The terms of the credit card request of a trial version determines following drop of app usage

After conducting the research, the problem has been redefined:

IndiCard needs a better way to redeem the first deal and leverage social network within the service industry

AFFINITY MAPPING

To organize all data gathered from my research I used card sorting method ( I love it!). It helped me to make groups of categories, that indicated similar pain points and information

                                                   IDEATION

This part of my research demonstrates the emotions and attitudes that users experience in a particular scenario. Journey map helped to understand the main pain points of going out in service industry and using IndiCard app.

• users don't try new places when lacking a network there
• users drop IndiCard app usage after seeing a credit card info request

After testing the existing app, there were some sketches done to create an initial prototype. 

There were 5 testing rounds conducted and each of them had great feedback that were used for further iterations. 

KEY FINDINGS:

• People don't usually read information on the home page
• Users want to have access to the deals up front to see the value 
• The preferred sign-up method is via Facebook
• The sign-up form seems easier if everything is on one page
• The interface should be more interactive
• The app should provide social networking/valuable community feeling

                                                   ITERATIONS

Throughout testing, I was gathering more findings each round, that caused the multiple design iteration. The final design, however, meets business and user needs. This is what was changed:

HOMEPAGE

• located all information about the app in the "Learn more" link
• added button "View deals" so the user can see the value of the app first
• added featured deals with the ability to swipe, which makes the interface more interactive

 SIGN UP FORM

• gathered all sign-up forms on one page
• added option to sign up via Facebook (users still have to enter their employment information manually)

FIRST TIME DEAL USAGE

• terminated credit card information request
• on the bottom of the screen added a reminder of how many days of a trial left, with an option to get a membership at any time ("buy it")
• added "hamburger" menu, following material design standards, with the categories: referral code, payment information, settings, frequently asked questions, support. So users can manage their membership at any time, communicate with customer service and browse around other users questions.

ADDING SOCIAL ASPECT

• added IndiCard members activity, showing profiles of people who used the deal, frequently visit the place and work there.