Startgrid
A cloud-based software platform that provides tools and services for corporate innovation and startup engagement
Duration
2014-2015
Type
#Startup, #OpportunityManagement
Responsibilities
personas, sitemaps, wire-framing
What is Startgrid?
Startgrid is a cloud-based software platform that provides tools and services for corporate innovation and startup engagement. The platform allows companies to identify, evaluate, and connect with startups that align with their strategic goals and objectives.
Startgrid's software provides a range of features designed to facilitate innovation and collaboration between corporations and startups, including startup discovery, due diligence, and deal tracking. The platform also offers analytics and reporting tools to help companies measure the impact of their innovation initiatives and track their progress over time.
In addition to its software platform, Startgrid offers a range of consulting and advisory services to help companies develop and execute effective innovation strategies. The company's team of experts provides guidance on topics such as open innovation, corporate venturing, and startup ecosystem development.
Founded in 2013, Startgrid is headquartered in San Francisco, California, and has a global customer base of large corporations across a range of industries. The company is committed to helping its clients leverage the power of innovation and entrepreneurship to drive growth and success in their businesses.
The Problem
Startgrid is a project aimed at simplifying a complex user workflow of finding embedded opportunities while enhancing the user experience. As part of the project, I had the opportunity to work with a lead developer and product owner who were looking for a product designer to collaborate with in designing an intuitive user workflow and interface. Our goal was to create a streamlined user interface that would improve consumer engagement and satisfaction. Through the use of innovative design and technology, the hope was to be able to create a seamless experience that enables users to achieve their goals of uncovering new opportunities efficiently and effectively.
The Solution
A Relationship Management Platfrom solution that allows users and companies to create Needs and Solutions that their industry requires as they utilize different methods of attracting synergy and opportunities (i.e. landing pages, organizing email thread conversations, and highlighting opportunities based on historical success with other vendors and partners.
Understanding the User
I started the research process by working with the Product Owner that had direct access to the several customers that were looking to try to make sense of how a relationship and opportunity management platform might work, what are some of the pain points when networking to find solutions to their organizations internal needs, and other means both offline and on that were utilized to organize and sort all of these different needs and requirements. For example Ford wanted to test a hybrid model concept at that time in 2015 EV's were a pretty new on the scene and one of the needs of the client was to be able to connect with manufacturing organizations that produce batteries, to be able to learn how that technology works.
Research Insight
Here were some of the insights gathered from the research:
Users would like to know what Needs are in their pipeline for visibility
Users wanted a consolidation of all contact info, conversations, and documents that would be gathered throughout the process all centralized in one place
75% of users were on their devices so having a mobile ready app was key
Personas
Following the analysis of user research findings, the next step was to develop personas, which aided in envisioning the intended audience. To facilitate the design process, I ensured that one particular persona effectively represented a user that was interested in helping through the process of handling new opportunities in business, helping organizing through that information, and who was enthusiastic about improving the workflow process, taking into account their pain points and frustrations. This persona served as a constant reference point throughout the entirety of the product design journey, helping to maintain a clear focus when making design choices.
Sitemap
Afterward, the focus shifted towards conceptualizing the structure of the product mainly thinking about what the functions and main actions required at this particular part of the process.
Given this perspective, I prioritized the use of desktop computers, and mobile devices and proceeded to design a sitemap that visually depicted the primary user journey within the product.
Sketches
At the onset of the design phase, I initiated the process by creating preliminary sketches outlining the desired page layout. My objective was to enable users to easily navigate between their Needs and Solutions in a manner that didn't feel too similar yet was clear to the user what work they were performing.
Low-Fidelity Prototype
With the foundation of the website's structure in place, the next step involved crafting low-fidelity wireframes. These wireframes served as initial representations of each screen's layout and content. Subsequently, these wireframes were transformed into lo-fi prototypes, allowing for a rapid assessment of how the screens should seamlessly flow together.