Chuuzer App Interactive Prototype
Client Work - Case Study
Chuuzer is, at its core, a communication and connection app that allows users to send and respond to self-made polls to trusted social groups to make informed, on-the-spot decisions in a fun and interactive way. Used within existing family and friend networks, Chuuzer polls consist of a question prompt, images, and the ability for responders to share their opinions through comments.
Opportunity
Still in the development stage, Chuuzer is continuously reiterating its designs and functionality. In this case study, I had the chance to research and provide recommendations for the existing application as its developers continue to build out the product before it hits the Apple Store market floor.
Challenge
The major roadblock in Chuuzer’s journey to the app store is their lack of a consistent and robust moderation system for user-created content that would support the app’s strong community engagement components.
The goal of my research and recommendations focuses on incorporating moderation features into the already existing design while retaining an intuitive & consistent user flow.
Role
Role: UX/UI Researcher & Designer
Tools & Programs: Figma, Figjam, Google Docs, Google Spreadsheets
Methods
Cognitive Walkthrough
Primary User Research
Research Script development & writing
Data Collection & Synthesis
User Stories & Scenarios
Finding and Prototype planning
User Flow Charts
Low & High Fidelity Wireframes
Interactive Prototype
Component use and creation
Annotated Wireframes Documentation
Results
Through analyzing the Chuuzer Developers’ goals, the app, and potential user stories, I had 3 major revisions I wanted to implement:
Integrated moderation features
Delete poll function
Hide/Report poll function
Addition of a profile page with privacy settings like “parental controls”
Additional Polling & Response methods
Free Response, Rating, & Multiple Choice options
Option to add photos or not
Expanded editing power for “groups”
Ability to delete or add people to groups for greater user freedom.
These recommendations were outlined and then translated into an interactive prototype to demonstrate potential improvements to the current product’s experience.
The Results
Revised “Create a Poll” Process
Revision of “Create a New Poll” Process w/ additional polling methods & added status visibility for users.
Action Confirmation before sending a poll for greater error prevention
Multiple ways for users to get responses
Potential for adding even more polling functions
Review Your Poll Results
Visualization of Tabulated Results and Viewing Polls
The primary user’s poll details
Showcasing group responses and commentary
Potential for comment/response moderating/hiding/deletion by user for more customization
Automatic response tabulation visualized as a results overlay
Users can see the breakdown of voting as well as the final results
Potential for a function where users can open and close polls to voting
Content Moderation
Incorporation of moderation features directly on polls. Report a poll to be reviewed for inappropriate content OR hide a poll for a more curated feed.
Content Moderation is available on the spot so users can intuitively use the function
Two levels of action confirmation to provide ample error prevention
Greater user flexibility
Profile Settings and Privacy
Developing a profile page feature that houses additional settings and documentation helps Chuuzer meet its compliance goals and provides a more personalized experience.
Personal, Privacy, & Security settings could be contained in a user’s profile page
Provides help and documentation on one localized page
Privacy & Security settings involved in moderation such as parental controls
Improved transparency of app permissions could be incorporated here
Increases a user’s ability to customize how they and their families use the app
Builds trust & confidence in app usage
Recommendations and Prototyping
The Chuuzer app in its current state has clear, yet finite capabilities that I wanted to capitalize on by expanding the user flows into various branching processes. It was extremely important to me to keep the app’s main focus on the polls while also showcasing how added features & layout changes could still be consistent and provide greater user control.
Distinct Yet Interconnected User Flows
Create a New Poll with additional poll options
Delete, Hide, Report Functionality for Moderation Process
Inclusion of a Profile Page with additional settings such as Parental Controls
Modify groups capabilities potential user flow
Architectural Diagram
The Process
What Already Exists
My recommendations were based on generative research done by evaluating the Chuuzer development team’s goals, testing the pilot application myself, and conducting a primary user interview as a team. To begin to imagine the Chuuzer App’s potential, I needed to first understand its message and the service it could provide to real, everyday people.
Key Goals
Gauge the functionality and “intuitiveness” when using the app
Identify content moderation in place
Discover how, where, and why a person uses the app
Major Questions:
Does the app provide impactful & valuable services to the user? How does this app address users' needs and how can it better do that in the future?
Initial Research - Cognitive Walkthrough of existing application
New user: Felt unsure about what actions were possible, what features were actually action buttons, and what would happen next.
Experience User: Felt unsure about how to navigate back to a desired page or poll, what features were actually functional or not yet, and what the results of past polls were.
I recognized that there was a high level of uncertainty while both users navigated the application
Key Findings
Through a shared cognitive walkthrough as a team and two contextual inquiries (one with a new user and one with an experienced user), I combed through the qualitative data and found several over-arching themes:
Users quickly compared the app to other social media apps such as Instagram / Twitter / Facebook and questioned the need for such a specialized app focusing on polls.
Users enjoyed and appreciated the comment-style free responses on polls as a way to communicate with social groups
Both users noted the current polling system was unlike a true polling system in the way polls can be responded to and in how the results are viewed that they would expect.
The UX team and I as we conduct a contextual inquiry with a current user
What the Product Is
Input questions in written format with at least 1 photo requirement before being able to “send poll.”
Users respond through free response comments. No tallying or result summary
Create polls by asking a question and adding photos.
Respond to polls with a comment.
User reads comments & calculates choice winner on their own.
No options or functions are available for a poll after it is made and sent.
No options or functions are available on the “friends” polls after they are sent.
No active content moderation in place.
Lacks the ability to edit, delete, flag, or hide any content made by the profile owner or contacts.
No documentation for privacy and security/permissions users can refer back to.
What It Could Be
True Poll functionality: Tap-to-respond poll choices.
Automatically calculated poll choice winner.
Visual Feedback corresponding with actions.
Content moderation process that aligns with Apple App Store’s Guidelines.
Interfaces & user flows that allow for reporting and removing abusive content or users.
Sufficient information architecture to communicate user privacy terms & explicit requests and reasoning for permission to access contacts and cameras.
A key question heading into sketching & wireframes:
“How can we bring together the best parts of the existing product, integrate entirely new features, and still maintain the creative voice of the clients?”
Annotated Wireframes
After building out the key user flows and screens, I worked on annotating the wireframes in preparation of handing the designs off to Chuuzer’s development team. Annotating within Figma, I was able to try out the Annotate It! plugin and go into more depth about the features and functions.
Next Steps
Having provided the clients with the findings and recommendations, it is now up to Chuuzer’s design team to consider what proposals would best align with where they hope to take the application.
Provide more visual indicators and action confirmations throughout the key user flows (creating a poll & responding to a poll) to give users greater assurance of their choices and chances to step out of a flow if need be.
Incorporate moderation functions directly onto the user’s feed/ polls with distinctive buttons or interactive symbols so that there is clear visibility for users on what they are capable of doing on each page.
Give users more customization controls for the modification of groups and the organization of groups and polls.
Create a profile feature for users that can store important settings and help with documentation for efficiency of use and personalization of the experience.