3RD — Context
3RD — Context
As a university student, finding a quiet place to study on campus can be difficult. Students have the option to study at home, on-campus, or in a third space (e.g. a café or library), but may have different needs which make it frustrating to find a location that works best for them.
Going into this project, we asked ourselves, "How might we help students find available and accessible places to study in their neighbourhood, based on their needs and preferences?"
Role
Lead User Researcher
UX/UI Designer
Team
Jamie Arcega, Melody Chen
Timeline
February – May 2022 (4 Months)
As a university student, finding a quiet place to study on campus can be difficult. Students have the option to study at home, on-campus, or in a third space (e.g. a café or library), but may have different needs which make it frustrating to find a location that works best for them.
Going into this project, we asked ourselves, "How might we help students find available and accessible places to study in their neighbourhood, based on their needs and preferences?"
Role
Lead User Researcher
UX/UI Designer
Team
Jamie Arcega, Melody Chen
Timeline
February – May 2022 (4 Months)
User Research & Insights
User Research & Insights
I conducted user interviews with several university and college students that attend school near or within Downtown Toronto.
The goal of these interviews was to learn more about my target audience’s demographics, study habits, needs, and ideal working environment.
Below are three categories that presented the most valuable findings from the interviews.
I conducted user interviews with several university and college students that attend school near or within Downtown Toronto.
The goal of these interviews was to learn more about my target audience’s demographics, study habits, needs, and ideal working environment.
Below are three categories that presented the most valuable findings from the interviews.
Persona & Task Flows
Persona & Task Flows
Based on our insights, a user persona and empathy map was crafted to further investigate their needs and pain points. The journey map provides a scenario where Aisha explores a new study space.
Informed by our user research, a selection of 4 key tasks from onboarding to saving a study space were created to advance our design process.
Based on our insights, a user persona and empathy map was crafted to further investigate their needs and pain points. The journey map provides a scenario where Aisha explores a new study space.
Informed by our user research, a selection of 4 key tasks from onboarding to saving a study space were created to advance our design process.
Solution
Solution
3RD is designed to help users find study spaces outside of home and school environments.
It prioritizes the user’s needs through filtering practical and personal preferences to find an optimal study environment.
Reviews, distance, and personal needs were the most important to our interviewees, so we made sure this information was immediately available.
3RD is designed to help users find study spaces outside of home and school environments.
It prioritizes the user’s needs through filtering practical and personal preferences to find an optimal study environment.
Reviews, distance, and personal needs were the most important to our interviewees, so we made sure this information was immediately available.
Takeaways
Takeaways
This project provided me with lots of insight into how user research and usability testing is important when developing seamless user experiences.
Receiving feedback, thoughts, and behaviours from my target audience was very useful when designing this product! This project has taught me the importance of truly understanding the audience that we design for.
This project provided me with lots of insight into how user research and usability testing is important when developing seamless user experiences.
Receiving feedback, thoughts, and behaviours from my target audience was very useful when designing this product! This project has taught me the importance of truly understanding the audience that we design for.
Nothing great is made alone.
Nothing great is made alone.