Project
UI/UX Design, App Design, AI Tools
Date
2024
Role
Lead UI/UX designer, Researcher
Tools
Figma, Zoom,Photoshop
Project Overview
Shiftmate is a mobile app solution for retail stores to improve their store scheduling systems.
Problem
Retail Stores face significant challenges in managing and updating staff schedules efficiently.
The currently available scheduling app for store teams are inconsistent and lacks user-friendly tools, leading to communication breakdowns and inefficient handling of time-off requests. This results in increased frustration among managers and employees, negatively affecting productivity and morale.
User Research
My Interviewers Insights
Interviews with managers and surveys of employees revealed key insights: the need for streamlined scheduling, better handling of time-off requests, and features aligning with employee preferences and availability.
Solution
Stable Schedules are great for everyone
Firsthand experience with retail scheduling issues gave me great insights for developing an effective scheduling app. By conducting research, I was able to design a mobile app solution that addressed the core problems of retail scheduling by creating easy-to-use schedule building tools, simplifying communication between team members and a streamlined system for managing time-off requests.
Simplify the scheduling process for managers.🗓️
Enhance communication and coordination within the team.🤝
Streamline the process for handling time-off requests.🏖️🤒
These research goals connect by streamlining scheduling and communication, aiding both employees and managers, which is crucial for user-centric ideation.
Competitive Analysis
All in one solution for scheduling & communication
I wanted to highlight where Shiftmate can differentiate itself by providing a more integrated communication tool for direct manager-employee interaction. Through user testing, I found that users wanted intuitive user interface tailored for retail environments and a seamless time-off management system as typically an employee has to use multiple different apps to meet their needs.
The competitors did not ...
Usability study
Preparing the journey
I developed an interactive Figma prototype and conducted user testing with 5 store managers and leads, observing them in the store as they created schedules and managed time-off requests.
Sketches & Wireframes
Prototype
I developed an interactive Figma prototype and conducted user testing with 5 store managers and leads, observing them in the store as they created schedules and managed time-off requests
It was awesome to see how users interacted with the prototype and the actions they took during testing. From these sessions, I mapped out the user journey, collecting valuable data on scheduling preferences, availability, and the importance of various features.
I had a few ideas for how I wanted the main user flows to be redesigned. My first focus was working on the home page and then moved on to creating the shift request feature.
Incorporating feedback and addressing usability issues.
Refined Prototype
Incorporating feedback and addressing usability issues.
Lo-fidelity Prototype
Limitations
There were quite a few things that limited the amount of research we were able to conduct during this project, however we were able to supplement this by using secondary research.
Sample Size: The study was limited by the number of participants available for surveys and interviews. With a larger pool of participants there could have been more pain points discovered. The participant group could have been more diverse to included those who may have disabilities .
Self-Reported Data: The surveys conducted were digital and relied on users self reporting this information, which can hold certain biases such as social desirability or recall bias.
Short-Term Analysis: The timeframe of the study may not capture long-term effects and adoption patterns of the new features.
By following this detailed methodology, I was able to systematically measure progress toward the research goals and ensure that the features developed effectively met the needs of retail store teams.
Further research may be needed to explore long-term impacts and scalability of the new features.
Conclusion
Conducting this research for Shiftmate has provided invaluable insights into the challenges faced by retail store managers and employees regarding scheduling. Key takeaways include the need for easy-to-use schedule building tools, effective communication and collaboration features, and a streamlined system for managing time-off requests. I am proud that I was able to create a solution that addresses these issues, making scheduling more efficient. I hope it helps in improving the overall work environment for both managers and employees.
Final Prototype
Next Steps
Integrating Advanced Analytics: Optimize scheduling by predicting staffing needs based on historical data and trends.
Enhancing Mobile Accessibility: Ensure seamless access to schedules and notifications for all users, regardless of device.
Establishing a Continuous Feedback Loop: Regularly gather user insights and make iterative improvements to the app.
I would like to further conduct more usability testing with store teams, expanding features based on user feedback, and ongoing research to adapt to evolving needs.
These efforts will ensure Shiftmate becomes an even more powerful tool, further improving retail store scheduling efficiency and satisfaction.