SnowSwaps: Evaluation + Prototyping
Presented with an existing prototype, our team set out to improve the experience and design relevant new features.
SnowSwaps: A Case Study
In April, our design team was presented with an app designed to facilitate the exchange of ski & snowboard equipment among the Minnesota snowsports community. These activities are known as swaps.
SnowSwaps is an app designed to facilitate this action virtually. Through virtual swaps, users can facilitate the exchange of gear without attending a large and chaotic in-person swap.
Our goal as a design team was to get a feel for the app through our controlled walkthrough, interview experts in the snowsports community to record their organic interactions with the app, and turn those observations into actionable changes that would improve the overall usability of the app.
The Process: Evaluate, Synthesize, Execute
The Cognitive Walkthrough
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Contextual Inquiry w/ Snowsports Experts
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Synthesizing The Data
Our design team utilized InVision as a resource to synthesize the data from our contextual inquiries. InVision stood in the place of a traditional whiteboard and was in many ways more effective. Our design team was able to design features based on different observations with our expert users.
Creating an Effective Prototype
Using Sketch, I was able to assemble a feature that was designed for swap organizers. Mainly, we focused on a line of questions that emerged from our 2nd contextual inquiry. The user we were interviewing was wondering if there was a way to add things in batch format. That feature did not currently exist and thus became the focus of my prototype.
The “Batch Add” Prototype
Using InVision, I was able to create a prototype that demonstrated the batch add feature to stakeholders. The prototype showed what a user would see when trying to add a large quantity of items. This system included popup windows, tags, and other feedback indicators that would keep users informed about where they were placing their items, adding an element of forgiveness for the user.
This “loop” would allow the user to add a large number of items to a swap, know at all times where they were adding items and reduce the number of clicks and time it would take for a user to complete these tasks:
Using an Existing Prototype & Context to Transform Applications
See the prototype: