Micro UX: Intertwingle, week 6

Brief: Design, make and implement a collaborative working tool. Your task is to design a device, apparatus or set of interactions that reaches across disciplines. Your designed outcome should help people identify synergies and navigate practical issues. Group members (reformed): Marty Chen, Jolin Ma, Mengdie Lu, Cristèle Sarić, Lingjia Fang, Reagan Bbengo

In our journey to develop Office Mix, our team dedicated this week to focusing on the intricate details of our project. As a member of the team, my primary focus was on refining the user interface (UI) of the app while addressing the feedback received from our user testing sessions. In this blog post, I will share the challenges we faced and the decisions we made to create a visually appealing and user-friendly UI that aligns with our goal of fostering professional relationships in a fun and inclusive manner.

Prioritizing Privacy and User Experience:

During our user testing, one of the critical concerns raised was the potential privacy issues associated with the live location feature, which displayed the whereabouts of co-workers. We recognized the importance of addressing this issue and decided to approach the UI design differently. Instead of showcasing live locations, we opted to separate the work and personal aspects by designing individual versions of the UI. This allowed us to focus on creating a friendly and casual look that would appeal to users while ensuring their privacy and security.

Emphasizing Fun and Inclusivity:

A crucial aspect of Office Mix is making the experience enjoyable and inclusive for all users. To achieve this, we decided to integrate an avatar creation feature into the app. By making the avatar creation process fun and anonymous, we aimed to minimize biases based on physical appearances or any other subjective factors. The intention behind this decision was to create a level playing field where individuals could connect based on their skills, interests, and compatibility, rather than superficial attributes.

Choosing the UI Direction:

While exploring different UI options, we had diverse perspectives within our team. Personally, I was inclined towards a friendly and casual UI design that aligned with the essence of our project. However, after careful consideration and keeping time constraints in mind, we decided to proceed with another team member's UI design. Their design featured animated elements that added an engaging touch to the overall user experience. We believed this would capture users' attention and create an immersive environment for building connections.

User Testing

We 3D printed the dial and went through a series of modifications to ensure that the dial and app functioned well together. We also managed to test our product at different stages of the design process.

The feedback from our users was mostly positive, saying that the product could be visualised and very easily incorporated into an office space. Some of the more negative feedback mentioned that there could be limitations such as time constraints, tracking, and difficulty getting used to the product upon first use.

Another notable comment was the language used to name the different modes, which underwent some changes: such as ‘’chill’’ mode to ‘’unwind’’instead, which left room for users to freely communicate their work status without compromising their privacy.

We tested the product first among students at UAL at the library as portrayed here, and then tested at the barbican again. The people we asked to try the dial at the barbican mentioned that the ergonomics of the product made it easy to visualise as a real usable tool. They also felt that there could be potential to develop the modes further as well.

Preparing for the Presentation:

As we approached the end of the week, we dedicated our efforts to preparing for the project presentation. This involved crafting a compelling script that effectively communicated the purpose and functionality of Office Mix. Additionally, we created an advertisement to showcase the app's features, for which I had the opportunity to contribute my voiceover skills. This allowed us to bring the vision of Office Mix to life and demonstrate its potential impact.

Conclusion:

Throughout this week, our team focused on refining the UI of Office Mix, addressing privacy concerns, and incorporating elements of fun and inclusivity. We recognized the significance of creating an interface that not only facilitated professional relationships but also resonated with users on a personal level. By leveraging avatar creation and carefully considering the UI direction, we aimed to foster an environment that promotes connection, collaboration, and growth. As we move forward, we are excited to present our progress and showcase the immense potential of Office Mix in revolutionizing the way we connect in professional settings.