muvd.

An all-inclusive app that makes moving less stressful and easy to manage.

Role - UI/UX Designer & Researcher, Brand Designer
Timeline - 7 week
Tools - Figma, Adobe Photoshop, Rotato

Summary

Muvd is an app designed to make the moving process less stressful. It's a one-stop shop for all the information you need about moving, and allows you to create notes, read and share moving experiences from others.

Overview

Background

When we recently moved from Chicago to Phoenix, we quickly realized just how stressful the moving process can be, not to mention how expensive it could get. There are so many things to think about and plan for, and it can be overwhelming. This led me to ask: How can we make moving less stressful? This question became the basis for the project.

The Problem

Moving can be stressful and dreading...

The current process for planning and executing a move is time-consuming and disorganized. There is an opportunity for a streamlined and efficient system to effectively plan and execute a move, reducing stress and improving user experience.

The Task

How can we make moving less stressful?

I came up with the idea for a new app while thinking about my recent move, and I hypothesized that by providing a range of tools and resources that help people manage their finances during the moving process, I could make the experience less stressful and more organized.

In order to validate my hypothesis, I conducted research to understand the challenges that users face during the moving process.

Research

Research Goals

Understand what people need and want during the moving process, with a focus on budgeting tools

I hypothesized that the cost of moving is a major source of stress for many people, so I wanted to see how I could address this.

Competitive Analysis

I evaluated three popular moving apps (Google Keep, Clutter, MoveAdvisor). I discovered that while these apps are useful for specific tasks during the moving process, they do not offer comprehensive support for planning and organizing the entire move. This gap in the market provided an opportunity for me to develop a solution.

User Interviews

To learn more about what users would need, I recruited 8 participants who were between the ages of 25 and 35 and had either recently moved or were planning to move soon. I wanted to hear about their moving experiences and what they struggled with, as well as what they wished they had during the process. I was careful not to bring my own assumptions into the user interviews, as I had made the mistake of assuming I knew the solution to reducing stress early on. I found it challenging to remain unbiased during the interviews and in my analysis of the data, so I had to reminded myself constantly that the goal was to understand the users' needs, not my own.

Affinity Mapping

After conducting the user interviews, I used affinity mapping to analyze the data. This helped me identify some key patterns in the participants' responses.

Insights

Contrary to my initial hypothesis, the users were not particularly concerned about the cost of moving. Instead, they were mainly stressed with 3 reasons listed below:

The lack of guidance on what to do
The need to use multiple apps
The difficulty of finding real-life experiences from other movers

Solution

Personas

After analyzing the data from the user interviews, I created user personas to represent the different types of users who would be using Muvd. This helped me stay focused on their needs and goals throughout the design process. Next, I used the data from the interviews to identify the problems that needed to be solved, and brainstormed potential solutions.

How might we help users easily find what to do and help them remember?

How might we help users use less applications?

How might we help users be able to reference other people’s moving experiences and plans?

Ideas

I used HMW questions to help me come up with creative ideas, and eventually settled on two potential solutions

A customizable planner with suggested to-do lists for moving

A forum or social media platform for sharing and searching for moving experiences

Card Sorting

To gain further insight into the users' thought processes, I conducted a Card Sorting study using Optimal Workshop. I recruited five participants from my target market to take part in the study, which helped me understand the mental model that I could use to define the app's information architecture. After analyzing the results, I was able to finalize the features and structure of Muvd in a way that made the most sense to the users.

Information Architecture

Site Map

After using Card Sorting to ensure that the product flow would meet the users' needs, I created a site map to provide a high-level view of the app and keep me focused on the users' goals. I then created user flows to map out all the possible actions users could take, Finally, I created task flows to help define the wireframes that I would use for prototyping. These task flows provided a clear, visual representation of the tasks involved and decisions made during the user's journey, which made it easier to identify and resolve any challenges or parts of the design that needed further validation.

View Full I.A. Maps

Wireframes

Mid-Fidelity Wireframes

After defining the overall structure and flow of the product, as well as the necessary design patterns, I started creating the first set of low-fidelity wireframes.

Skip Option

Users were frustrated at the competitors' long onboarding process as well as steep learning curve.
It gives users more control over their app usage
It reduces the amount of time they need to spend getting familiar with the app.

Search Bar

It allows users to quickly and easily find specific information or content within the app.
It saves users time and improve the overall user experience by reducing the need to navigate through multiple pages or menus to find what they are looking for.
A tool for filtering and sorting content, making it easier for users to find relevant information.
It can also be used as a tool to improve the accessibility of a website or application, making it easier for people with disabilities to find the information they need.

Fab Button

It stands out prominently on the screen, making it easy for users to find and use.
It removes an extra step for user to create new cards (Post for the Forum Section) for all three features no matter what page the user is on.

Cards

They provide a visual structure that organizes and groups related content in a clear and consistent way, making it easy for users to scan and understand.
They provide a consistent and recognizable design pattern that helps users understand how to interact with the information.
They improve the overall aesthetic and design of the app.

Branding

Before starting the UI design, I created a design system to ensure visual consistency throughout the app. I carefully selected fonts, colors, and a logo that would give users a sense of calm and reassurance, which I thought would be especially helpful during the often-stressful moving process. By providing a sense of order and predictability, I hoped to increase users' productivity and calmness.

High-Fidelity Prototype

Design Solution

01 To-Do feature

This feature provides suggested tasks and steps for different stages of the moving process, which are presented in an easy-to-digest format. Users can customize the To-Do list to suit their needs, and it's easy to share with anyone you want to collaborate with. This feature is designed to help users stay organized and on track during the moving process, which can help reduce stress and anxiety.

02 Spreadsheet feature

The second key feature helps users conveniently track and manage their moving options. This feature is easy to use and customize, and allows users to collaborate with others if they want to. By providing a simple and intuitive way to track and compare different moving options, this feature can help users make informed decisions and save time and effort during the moving process.

03 Forum feature

The final feature allows users to read and share real-life moving experiences from others. The posts on the forum provide detailed information that users can't find elsewhere, and the comment section allows users to interact with each other and learn more. By providing a platform for sharing and learning from the experiences of others, this feature can help users feel less alone and overwhelmed during the moving process.

View Full Figma Prototype

Usability Testing

Feedback

After completing the functional prototype, I conducted usability testing to improve the product by observing how people interacted with it. This was a valuable opportunity to validate and optimize the design for the users. I recruited 5 participants to take part in the testing, and asked them to complete three main tasks: completing the onboarding process, creating a spreadsheet and sharing it, and searching for a post on the forum. The goal of the testing was to determine whether the app was intuitive and easy to use, and to identify any roadblocks or challenges that the users might encounter.

“I wish I had this when I moved from NY to Colorado.”

Iterations

After conducting usability testing, I analyzed the data and identified several key takeaways. Participants showed enthusiasm for the forum feature, and said that it would have been useful during their previous moves. They also found the app to be seamless and easy to use, and liked the branding and color choices. Overall, the usability testing confirmed that the app met the needs of the users and provided a positive user experience. However, I also identified several potential improvements that would enhance the usability of the app.

To increase the spacing between the buttons on the Fab button, as the spacing was too small and could have been an accessibility issue, especially for people with disabilities or larger hands.
To increase the size of the icons on the forum cards, as the icon size was too small and could have been difficult for people with poor eyesight to see.

Reflections

Takeaways

I am not designing the app for myself, but for the user.

One of the challenges I faced during my first user research was maintaining an unbiased perspective. I often found myself being influenced by my own experiences and preconceptions without even realizing it. This bias could have led to a lack of empathy for the users and their needs, as well as assumptions and oversimplifications about the users that could have hindered my understanding of their context.

To overcome this challenge, I had to remind myself repeatedly that the design process is about discovering the needs of the users, rather than imposing my own ideas. This helped me to stay focused on the users and their goals, and base my design decisions on solid research data rather than my own instincts. By staying unbiased, I was able to create a user-centric product that effectively addressed the needs of the users.