Background
Eano is a remodeling start-up that aims to provide most affordable renovation experience. It provides an affordable, transparent, and integrated solution that doesn’t sacrifice quality craftsmanship. Using its self-developed Eano app, customers can seamlessly integrate everything they need to keep track of their project from the palm of hand.
Problem
User research shows Eano clients prefer receiving project or quote updates more frequently.
The problem is there is no efficient communication channel between the client and general contractor(GC).
GC on site doing labor work, is reluctant to report project updates, either due to too much work or is not used to such process.
The problem is there is no efficient communication channel between the client and general contractor(GC).
GC on site doing labor work, is reluctant to report project updates, either due to too much work or is not used to such process.
GC is overwhelmed by the client’s request for project updates.
"I can’t always reply to the client in time because there are always too many messages."
Client is frustrated not getting timely updates. Hence slow payment.
"They just ignore my texts and they don’t always pick up the phone."
The hypothesis is the design spares GC more time for project updates. Timely updates lead to happier clients thus faster payment.
Understanding User
Next, I dive into understanding the user; this time, the user is the general contractor. Through interviews and field observations, I have generated the persona.
Dong, 45, is an Eano partnered individual GC.
He is not tech savy and usually carries phone to construction site. He prefers doing actual work over promoting himself and collecting money.
His labor work is solid but he is not good at responding to client’s inquries. He will need help to remind himself to be more responsive.
He likes doing work in certain ways and likes to stay in his comfort zone. He will need to do more than one project at the same time.
Dong’s job need to be done list
1. He needs to schedule either zoom meeting or on-site meeting with the client.
2. He needs to evaluate and provide price quote after the meeting.
3. He needs prioritize his job sites and inform each client to purchase material.
4. He needs to keep logging the project status and ask for client’s approval.
5. He needs to schedule and obtain permits with city if needed.
6. He needs to send bills for the work accomplished to client before commencing the next step.
7. He needs to do final work check with client and get client’s sign off.
2. He needs to evaluate and provide price quote after the meeting.
3. He needs prioritize his job sites and inform each client to purchase material.
4. He needs to keep logging the project status and ask for client’s approval.
5. He needs to schedule and obtain permits with city if needed.
6. He needs to send bills for the work accomplished to client before commencing the next step.
7. He needs to do final work check with client and get client’s sign off.
Dong's Painpoints
Hard to keep track of quotes and projects.
Hard to remember all projects and their clients.
Hard to remember all the meetings scheduled.
Hard to find a meeting time scheduled.
Hard to receive payments.
Hard to track all communications with clients.
Hard to remember all projects and their clients.
Hard to remember all the meetings scheduled.
Hard to find a meeting time scheduled.
Hard to receive payments.
Hard to track all communications with clients.
Painpoints to Solutions
All painpoints can be categorized as two parts, one as project management issues and the other as communication issues. Since deals and signed projects happen at the same time, keeping all projects organized is more crucial as it gives the GC a sense of project urgency. In this way GC can decide what project they want to work on that is the best use of their time. While keeping all messages well organized also gives the GC the chance to reply to more urgent messages and give updates.
Hard to keep track of quotes and projects.
Solution: Organize projects by types(deals and signed)
Solution: Organize projects by types(deals and signed)
Hard to remember all projects and their clients.
Solution: Display project information efficiently
Hard to remember all the meetings scheduled.
Solution: Highlight project status and set alerts
Hard to find a meeting time scheduled.
Solution: Display and set time alerts
Solution: Display and set time alerts
Hard to receive payments.
Solution: App helps to push payment collection
Hard to track all communications with clients.
Solution: Organize project messages
Emphasize With User
Payment is what motivates the users. They prefer a simple and direct communication style and dislike bomb-load of texts and calls.
UX Strategy
Based on previous findings, the UX strategy becomes more clear.
A direct conversation between GC and client.
A hand-hold experience that matches and improves GC’s existing workflow.
An easy way to promote project updates.
A hand-hold experience that matches and improves GC’s existing workflow.
An easy way to promote project updates.
Project Impact
By adopting the design, the GC requires less time to self-manage projects. The clients will receive more timely project updates and be more likely to pay invoices. The company will have faster payment collection.
Design Challenge
Most GC are not used to this process, we are inventing a step more. So this requires the design to be extremely coherent with their current way of doing and it is simple and easy to do.
Site Map
As discovered before, users' pain points can be categorized into two parts, project management pain points, and communication pain points. So I have constructed the site map as My projects and My messages. My projects tackled all project management issues and My messages tackled communication issues. My messages offer a direct conversation with clients.
User Flow
I took a deeper study on the user persona and job tasks then started to comb how the GC will use the app to help their daily work. One design approach to promote easy project updates is for the GC to take and then upload photos, immediately visible to the clients.
Wireframes Iteration
After the user flow study, wireframe structure became more clear and I started to explore how to organize and display all infomation so it is clear and simple.
Often time GC will undertake more than one project at the same time, either quote inquiry or undergoing project. So it is very important for GC to spot and differentiate projects at first glance, a project photo will be ideal to show and differentiate each project.
Often time GC will undertake more than one project at the same time, either quote inquiry or undergoing project. So it is very important for GC to spot and differentiate projects at first glance, a project photo will be ideal to show and differentiate each project.
Generating Quotation
Deals in project is very important because it will very likely lead to signed projects. Almost all the clients will ask for quotation before they decide they want to start their remodel vision or build an entire new ADU. A professional itemized quotation helps clients to avoid renovation pitfalls and build trust between the client and GC team.
On-Site Meeting Scheduling
Users are directed by mini-steps to finish each task required. This offers the users the hand-hold experience so they are less overwhelmed by the information.
Technical Challenges
During the design process, I approached the engineer team to explore the possibilities of simplifying the GC's work even further by sending clients preapproved time slots to select. This way it reduces one more round of back-and-forth communications. But the feedback from the team was we would be facing technical difficulties in setting it up. So to comprise that we had to switch back to what GC is currently doing, by messaging the clients and confirming a time, and then putting it in the system. This scheduling process will be improved in the next round of iterations.
Manage Signed Projects
I construct the user flow to be accountable for project updates and messaging. Users can also check completed projects for further quotation reference. I have also added a note at each project step to remind our GC that the more they do project updates, they are more likely to receive payment faster.
How do we differentiate Deals and Signed projects for faster recognization?
Branding & Visual Design
Working with Eano’s branding color, the secondary color was created to develop the pages associated with deals. It will be in the same color family with branding color but also shows a distinction between signed projects and deal projects. All design elements stay clean and intuitive for the GC.
High-Fidelity Design
Using branding color and its derivative color theme and unified design languages, the final high-fidelity design is shown as below.
User Testing Feedback
I invited 4 Eano contracted GC to use the figma prototype to test. All 4 stated they understand what the app is for and have a clear sense of what need to be done. Below are some key feedbacks from the user.
Reflections
If I have more time, I would like to explore whether there are better way to display projects and invite more users to test the design.
I would also like to have more time to explore more project incidents to make the app more accountable for other scenarios.
I would also like to explore more on the accessibility design.
I would also like to have more time to explore more project incidents to make the app more accountable for other scenarios.
I would also like to explore more on the accessibility design.
