Syapse

Company
Syapse

Role
User Research, Wireframes, Design

Duration
May to August 2017

Summary
We gathered research to inform the improvement of the first-time user experience and means of introducing new features in the Syapse platform.

Problem

Syapse lacked an onboarding experience for first-time users and a way to introduce new features to existing users. Training sessions and resources were already employed to train users; however, this was not sustainable with current growth.

Process

This exploratory project involved two phases: Understand the Problem and Explore Solutions and focused on the following goals:

• Improve the user experience of first-time users
• Enhance the introduction of new features to existing users

We established the goals of the interviews and outlined the protocol guide. The sessions were limited to one hour and consisted of several interactive exercises (see breakdown below).

• Define Vision for Onboarding: We handed out cards with different adjectives and asked participants to select words to describe onboarding.
• Training Timeline: Participants described a recent training experience and the timeline, including goals, expectations, phases, steps, and pain-points.
• User Behavior: Using worksheets with blank scales, participants represented behavioral traits and training elements by user role.
• Training Difficult and Business Value: Participants mapped product features on a grid according to training difficulty and value to Syapse.

I led half of the interviews and assisted as a note-taker for the others. The participants involved stakeholders, including Syapse employees who regularly trained users. This study would have benefited from interviewing users, but this proved tricky due to the project scope and hectic schedule of care professionals.

I also observed three training sessions, reviewed training materials, and conducted heuristic evaluations of the first-time user account setup, and login processes. I also investigated best practices for onboarding and third-party products.

Ideation

We created an affinity diagram to gather key takeaways, explore the user training timeline, and identify pain-points, successes, and areas of opportunity. I assembled a journey map of the onboarding process, highlighting pain points and opportunities.

Presentation

The team facilitated a workshop to present the research findings and explore concepts on "how might we" improve the onboarding experience from different perspectives. The workshop attendance consisted of 14 people across the product and customer operation teams.

Workshop

Life Cycle Map

After the research presentation, the attendees were split into four groups to brainstorm concepts for one of four topics. Participants were handed blank sheets and asked to sketch their idea, describe the problem, and how it provided a solution. The groups presented their concepts, and then individually voted.

I mapped all concepts from the workshop on a training life cycle map. I also assembled a research booklet to distribute to the stakeholders across departments and inform the design phase.

Solution

We gathered the required research to understand the present process and tools of onboarding. Research findings helped inform a workshop to generate concepts to help Syapse kickstart the elevation of the first-time user experience and means of introducing new features.

Results

The findings uncovered some high-level organizational issues but also revealed areas of opportunity, such as the importance of cross-departmental collaboration. These findings helped inform the next design phase of the project.

Team

I was involved in all stages of this project, as it was my internship's primary focus. The other designers on the team also contributed to the work and provided valuable guidance, particularly in the research phase.

Lessons Learned

While I initially expected this project to involve more design, the research findings uncovered organizational issues, and so the original approach had to evolve. Prioritizing research earlier in the process is crucial because learned insights can alter objectives.