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, lo + high fidelity
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.
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.
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.
User Testing
Before moving on to high-fidelity mockups, I tested the lo-fi mockups with some of the customer clients we had available to us, mainly Ford Motor Company. Here are some of the improvements made based on user feedback:
Users were confused on how navigation items didn't have titles on them and didn't quite get the iconograpy that was being used.
Users noticed that views tended to all look the same so sometimes they would feel lost in the app
Final Design
After taking into account user feedback and iterating on the lofi design, the final design was complete. By adding the necessary title to the nav items, choosing more suitable icons, and providing different UI patterns across different pages made the app more intuitive to use and users found it less confusing as previously stated.
Takeaways
Reflecting on the Startgrid project, there are several aspects I would have approached differently, particularly in terms of taking a more hands-on role in the UX and user testing phases. At the time, my primary focus was on UI design, seeking clarity and direction from the product owner. However, I now recognize the importance of actively participating in shaping the UX strategy and the formulation of user testing plans.
Next Steps
How could the mobile app be more catered to use cases on-the-go? While this project started from its inception as a mobile first application, that didn't mean that the purposes or the work performed on the Desktop would be identical to Mobile.
What can be improved with the design? UX design is an ongoing process. The next steps include continuing usability testing and constant iteration, in particular on the Mobile version.
What other opportunities exist to expand the offering? This goes hand-in-hand with the ongoing user testing, but also by continuing to keep an eye on the competition and other new innovations out there would likely benefit the product experience and adoption overall.
