Jessica Teng
Kidtivity
Product Design
An app that enhances parents' ability to search, organize, and share plans for their children's activities.
My Role
Sole product designer
Timeline
Nov - Mar 2022
Tools
Figma, Tableau, Miro, Photoshop, Illustrator, Google Doc
Problem
As a busy parent, I constantly face difficulties when attempting to arrange weekend activities for my children. The existing resources at my disposal lack organization and consistency, which greatly hampers my ability to find appropriate options. Moreover, the absence of efficient systems for discovering, sharing, and coordinating plans with other families further compounds the stress associated with the planning process.
Design Process
RESEARCH
SYNTHESIZE
DESIGN
VALIDATE
RESEARCH
There must be something out there
During the initial phase of the project, I conducted an analysis of the competition, focusing on the top 5 apps that offer searchable community events.
Through this research, it became apparent that while options to search activities and events are available on various local community websites, map apps, event apps, and social media platforms, there is a notable gap in the market for a product that consistently addresses two crucial aspects
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Relevant filters for families in finding activities appropriate for their children's age range.
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Easy and efficient method for sharing multiple events with other families.
Taking the dive
To validate the existing need in the market, I carried out a screening survey aimed at gathering quantitative data on user requirements concerning planning and sharing family activities. I discovered some key findings:
Majority of respondents use a smartphone to plan activities.
Social media and Google search are the most commonly used tools to find activities
Planning Frequency
Planning Habit
Information Parents Are Looking For
SYNTHESIZE
Understanding Users
Based on the survey results, I conducted interviews with parents who have children between the ages of 2 and 12 years old. My interviews were aimed toward these goals:
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Understanding the current planning methods and habits employed by other parents.
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Uncovering the pain points experienced throughout the process.
By utilizing Affinity and Empathy Mapping techniques, these interviews led to the identification of two distinct personas: Adventurous Alice and Efficient Emily. These personas represent diverse approaches and preferences when it comes to organizing activities for children.
Personas
DESIGN
Starting with questions
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How might we consolidate kids / family friendly information?
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How might we make selecting age appropriate activities more intuitive?
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How might we make planning and sharing activities easier?
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How might we instill a sense of safety and security through the information we provide?
MVP
Upon discovering potential needs via personas, I listed out solution ideas and consulted with a software engineer to verify the ideas' technical viabilities. The solution ideas were placed in a priority matrix to determine the app's MVP. Those features were selected based on impact (user's desirability of the features) and the level of technical difficulty.
I created user flows and began sketching ideas and solutions for the problems. Multiple versions were made. The chosen sketches are shown below.
Guerrilla Tests
Following that, I proceeded with conducting 5 guerrilla usability tests on the red route sketches. The objective was to obtain rapid user feedback and assess their comprehension of the product. Among the feedback received, certain points stood out to me:
VALIDATE
Wireframe
Based on user feedback, adjustments were made to the initial low fidelity digital wireframes. Two rounds of usability tests were conducted to test the flow of the app.
Usability Testing & Improvements
PROTOTYPE
Moodboard
The app is designed to help parents search for and plan activities that are suitable for children. Thus, the overall mood of the app is intended to be playful, lighthearted and childlike. The moodboard reflects this with its use of rounded shapes, pastel colors, and versatile Avenir fonts.
Key Features
FOR THE EXPLORERS
Search
The search page offers users convenient access to popular event categories.
On the event detail page, key details such as age restrictions, registration requirements, parking information and safety measures are prominently displayed at the top and made easily accessible through scrolling, allowing users to make informed decisions efficiently.
FOR THE ORGANIZERS
Collections
Collections allow users to access favorite, past, future events as well as the vendors they are following.
FOR THE PLANNERS
Day Plan
Day Plan allows users to search, organize and view plans in a vertical timeline fashion.
Users have the option to plan around a specific event or plan from scratch. For the ones looking to be inspired, packaged day plans are generated based on users' search preferences.
Takeaways
Trust & Community
As a user and parent who is open to trying new activities without reviews, I initially had various assumptions and design ideas centered around the adventurer persona. However, upon conducting user interviews, I gained a deeper understanding of the significant role that reviews play in the decision-making process for many parents. It became apparent that reviews are a top consideration for parents when deciding to participate in an activity.
Less Is More
Busy parents have limited time to spare and even users who enjoy browsing for activities are ultimately seeking a streamlined and efficient way to save, organize and share events with their community. To facilitate a smooth and efficient search and planning experience, it is crucial to design a simple and user-friendly product with just the right amount of features that enables users to easily organize and categorize information.