A way to help people become first time parents

Project overview

I wanted to design a product that would help people become first-time parents. I know first hand it can be challenging to care for a child. Your whole routine changes, and have to learn to adjust your schedule to care for your child. My target audience for this project is people who are expecting to be parents or parents who want to continue to improve their parenting skills.

Project duration:

March 2023 - May 2023

Project Overview

The Problem :

After conducting interviews I learned that parents sought help through internet searches. Most parents had tight schedules and would search for information in brief moments of their day. Finding a solution that would help parents engage in learning about parenting through a trusted source.

The Goal:

My goal is to design an app that helps parents learn about parenting on their time. Making it easier for parents to find engaging subjects on their schedule.

My Role:

UX Designer

My Responsibilities:

User Research, Paper Wire Frames, Mock Ups, and Prototypes. Designing a responsive website and usability Studies

Understanding the User

User Research Summary

I started My research not knowing what exactly people needed as a first-time parents. I conducted interviews with parents to better empathize with People that expressed the challenges they faced. Based on my interviews I created a persona and problem statement. Hoping to better define a solution for people to learn about becoming a first-time parent. Some major pain points were remembering tasks, or finding information regarded to taking care of a child.

Persona: Jack

Problem Statement

Jack is a father of 2 

who needs to be able to practice common hygienic routines with his kids as going to the restroom, and washing hands on an orderly schedule. 

Because he is always on the go, or running errands as a family.


Persona: Jill

Problem Statement

Jill  is a mother who likes to go out with her family.

who needs a way to remember to bring essential items with her to trips or activities

because forgetting an item can prevent her from performing an activity or enjoying a trip with her family.

Competitive Audit

I conducted a competitive audit on family oriented websites to get an idea for a theme for the product I was designing. Then I looked at products that marketed planners and calendars to fulfill gaps in the product I was designing.

Ideation

After creating my personas, problem statements, and competitive audit I sketched up ideas for solutions. My sketches were trying to find ways to organize information, and create engaging information to perform tasks.

Starting the design

Digital Wireframe

After sketching ideas for wireframes I combined features that I thought would benefit the user. A way to view activities in text or video. Also, a bottom navigation bar for users to easily access tools in the app. 

Low Fidelity Prototype

To prepare for user testing I made a functional prototype from my wireframes. The user flow allows users to find tasks/activities they would like to engage in. Then pick a preferred method to learn about that activity. I provided a link to the prototype underneath the provided photo

Low-fidelity Prototype

Usability Study Parameters

Usability Study Findings

1

Titles and Icons

Participants had trouble distinguishing where they were in the user flow

2

Buttons

Participants had trouble distinguishing video button

3

Descriptions

Users were unsure if task was completed or not

Refining the Design

Mock Ups

Most users had trouble identifying the video switch button, and how to interact with action. I included a small description above the button to help the user with direction.

Before

After

Mock Ups

Users were unsure if they had completed the task, and were unsure of direction. I had corrected my wording for prompt of completion to help the user have a clear sense of direction.

Before

After

Mock Ups

High Fidelity Prototype

After creating my mock ups I created a functional prototype that focuses on selecting an activity, then viewing that activity in your preferred method  video or text. 

Mobile App Link

Accessibility Considerations

1

Navigation

I added bread crumbs so the user can see where they are in the user flow

2

Buttons

I updated text in buttons so users have a clearer idea how to interact with actions

3

Text

Updated wording on prompts to help user avoid vague direction

Responsive Design

Site Map

I created a site map to better visualize how to design a responsive site for a web browser. So users could access the site from a mobile device, tablet, or desktop. 

Responsive Designs

I arranged items like text and buttons with space consideration and resized text for a responsive web application.

Going forward

Takeaways

Impact

Participants thought the user flow was engaging and considerate to their needs

What I learned

I learned every parent's situation is different, and their needs may be different from one another. Feedback from parent's engagement with designs wanted a few more tools included. Such as a calendar, a matrix to search for topics, or even a way to connect with their community.

Next Steps

1

I would like to add a calendar so you can add tasks to your agenda. So users can complete activities or stay on top of their desired routine.

2

Add a search matrix so users can search through topics they would like to engage in.

3

A way for parents to engage in their community. To be able to talk to someone who may be able to understand what they are going through.