Based on the data collected from reports & observation, I’ve created 3 key proto personas. Their needs had to resonate throughout the whole design process.
As one of the first places where gardeners gathered online, forums are still very popular. Their outdated looks and lack of responsiveness makes them a bit harder to use, but they still stay a very strong base of knowledge.
Facebook Groups are really popular, with some groups counting hundreds of thousands members. Their biggest flaw is that the discussions are not well organized, so useful content might get lost in all the posts.
In the other side, online marketplaces are really popular for exchanging goods, but they don't allow people to discuss and build a community.
Hardiness Zone (climate areas) map is the standard by which gardeners and growers can determine which plants are most likely to thrive at a location. This is often overlooked in products made for gardeners.
This is why the key functionality of Twig Digz is allowing people to use all the basic functionalities (discussions, chat, marketplace), but filtered by their specific climate areas where they grow their plants. They can find community members, posts and listings specifically by the climate zone they are in.
Based on the MVP features, I’ve created the main user flows of the app. They helped us stay on track with the user goals and prepare the scenarios for the usability testing.
In these wireframes, I’ve tried only outlining the main screens and key interactions defined in the user flows. Highlighting the main points with colours helped client visualise what we’re going for, and helped me get “thumbs up" for the next phase.
Before heading to prototyping, I've created some mid-fidelity wireframes that would help me communicate with the development team lead. A couple of quick iterations saved us time and effort in the later phases.
I’ve selected 7 participants for online iterative prototype testing in order to recognise & fix potential pain points. The participants were split into 2 groups to test in 2 iterations. Participants were given 4 scenarios that cover the main user flows of the MVP.
Due to pandemics, I’ve only been restricted to testing online.
Participants were selected using snowball sampling method, in accordance to the defined proto-personas.
I’ve used the feedback grid because it’s a quick & efficient way to summarise results.
I’ve done a live test run with a participant, to see if there are no critical problems in the prototype.
Based on the visual branding, I’ve finished up the UI design, in light and dark mode. The app is for both iOS and Android platform - using native elements for specific interactions.
The project was handed over to the tech team with a refinement session and documentation that outlines all functionalities and acceptance criteria.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, the project was placed on hold; however, we remain optimistic about its future prospects, drawing valuable lessons and insights from the work accomplished thus far.
While the app was not officially launched, valuable insights were garnered through extensive usability testing. Among the notable outcomes, user engagement during testing revealed a high level of interest and anticipation.
Remarkably, 7 out of 10 participants expressed enthusiasm about the product and inquired about its availability in their respective countries and anticipated launch dates.
