techease

TechEase App Design

Tools:

Figma, Figjam, Google Docs and Sheets

Roles:

User experience designer

Time Frame:

4 weeks

Professionals must constantly adapt to rapidly changing technology to advance their careers, which can be overwhelming. This study explores effective methods for teaching professionals new technical skills to improve their comfort and proficiency with emerging advancements. We designed this app for seasoned professionals aiming to elevate their technical skills, TechEase offers live chats with industry experts and comprehensive learning modules. Our platform provides a superior alternative to unproductive, time-consuming methods and hard-to-understand information, ensuring a more efficient and engaging learning experience.

Our goal:

To develop an app that serves as a resource for professionals to quickly learn new tech skills or software through concise, short-form content. This format allows users to seamlessly integrate learning modules into their busy schedules.

Who are our users?

User interviews revealed that those who would benefit most from an app for learning new technical skills are typically professionals balancing time-sensitive tasks and tight deadlines, which leaves them with limited time to upskill. They value applications that are straightforward, user-friendly, and consistent in design, minimizing the need for adaptation as they learn. These users prefer clear, concise instructions, allowing them to learn quickly and efficiently. Due to their varied roles, they often benefit from different learning styles, adapting their approach based on the topic. Their workload also fluctuates with seasonal demands, making it essential for them to integrate learning seamlessly into their schedules. Survey results confirmed that most users are not only eager to learn new software but also frequently need to stay current with technology to advance in their careers.

Affinity diagramming exercise:

Figjam link

Our user persona:

This user persona represents an ideal candidate for our app: a motivated professional eager to learn new software but balancing numerous responsibilities. With a career that demands they stay current on various tools and technologies, they need an efficient, accessible solution to keep their skills up-to-date without disrupting their busy schedule.

Demographics:
Name: Richard Stark
Age: 38
Occupation: Manager @ a finance company
Location: Toronto, ON
Marital Status: Married, and has an 8 year old
About:
Richard is a kind, gentle soul; he loves his morning coffee routine and outdoor activities with his daughter on the weekends. At his job, Richard is ambitious and is always looking for ways to advance his career and prove himself as a reliable employee.

Frustrations:
- Not having enough time to learn new software due to tight deadlines
- Needs to work late to keep up with changing environment
- Not having easy access to resources

Gains / Goals:
- Add new skills to his tool belt
- Able to grow in his role and be eligible for future promotions better productivity
- To learn new software within the little time that he has

“I thrive on learning, despite the challenges of meeting deadlines and dealing with unfriendly software. Learning comes from every direction, and being ready to adapt is essential.”

Richard's Dilemma:

Richard needs to create a statistics dashboard in Excel and Figma for a department presentation. His initial attempt to transfer the data did not go well, and despite trying various methods, he couldn’t achieve the desired outcome.

Problem Statement:

We believe educating seasoned, ambitious professionals by creating a comfortable learning experience will help them acquire new technical skills that will help them keep up with the relentless pace of technological advancements.

Richard begins to look for a solution

To find the right software that suited his needs, Richard started searching for an educational app or website. However, he struggled to find one that fully met his requirements.

Richard's finds TechEase:

TechEase offers value by giving seasoned professionals an opportunity to elevate their technical skills. TechEase offers live chats with industry experts and comprehensive learning modules. Our platform provides a superior alternative to unproductive, time-consuming methods and hard-to-understand information, ensuring a more efficient and engaging learning experience.

Value Proposition Diagram

Richard chooses TechEase:

Searching for a way to quickly learn Figma, Richard discovers TechEase, which offers short, targeted videos and 1:1 expert sessions. He decides to leverage these resources to meet his immediate needs.

User Testing

We then conducted a series of user testing which gave us the following feedback:
• The option to Sign In using Facebook or Google (figure a)
• Some type of visual cue to indicate for the page they are currently on (figure b)
• A clearer indication of the current Video Number the user is on within each of the modules (figure c)
• When booking a 1:1 to use a “next” button instead of “confirm” (figure d)
• After the 1:1 has been confirmed, have a “join session” button rather than a “Book 1:1 session” (figure e)

User testing revealed key areas for improvement, including the need for more intuitive navigation, progress tracking, and adaptive interfaces. Users preferred third-party login options for convenience and requested clear visual cues to indicate the current page and track progress within video modules. Additionally, they emphasized the importance of intuitive button labels, suggesting "Next" instead of "Confirm" during 1:1 bookings and updating "Book 1:1 session" to "Join Session" once confirmed. These findings highlight opportunities to enhance usability and align the interface with user expectations.

How does Richard's story end?

TechEase gives Richard the skills and confidence to use Figma effectively. He values the platform's practical approach and plans to use it regularly to stay competitive in his role.

Outcomes, Reflections, and Lessons

User Research and Testing
Thorough user research and synthesis are important for user-centric solutions. Initial assumptions may be wrong, and real-world testing uncovers practical issues. Feedback should come from true target users, and effective surveys and interviews are crucial for meaningful data.

Prototype Review and Iteration
More time on prototype reviews helps uncover issues early. Observing user interactions identifies problems and improves the experience. Continuous testing, feedback, and iteration are crucial, and thorough reviews can resolve many issues. Watching users provides valuable insights.