Services Aux Citoyens
TIMEFRAME
Sept - Oct 2024
PROJECT
Solo Student Project for Concordia UX Design Certification
MY ROLE
Research / Define / Ideate / Design / Usability Test
TOOLS
Figma / Google Suite / Zoom
Timeline
IDEATION
1 Week
DESIGN
2 Weeks
RESEARCH
1 Week
TESTING
2 Weeks
Overview
Services aux Citoyens is a free service app that enables Montréalers to report issues to the city, such as potholes or request services such as garbage & bulk pick up.
Problem
Users are unable to find the necessary information regarding the services provided by the city to successfully request and receive accurate follow-up directly through the app.
DROP-OFF POINT SENDS USER OUTSIDE THE APP
LIMITED OPTIONS TO CONTACT CITY OUTSIDE OF CALLING
Solution
Objective
Provide a new path for the user so that they may easily find accurate information within the application & communicate more effectively with the city.
The goal was to create an intuitive design that helps Montréalers feel more confident when submitting requests.
The importance of having a clear vision for implementing and marketing the usefulness to the city residents.
Cohesiveness that keeps the user inside the app and empowering residents with the ability to provide feedback.
Secondary Research
KEY INSIGHTS
HIGH FEATURES
HIGH USABILITY
Van 311 users experienced difficulties reading and accessing information.
Toronto 311 provided the most city services. Too many options on one screen might lead to information overload.
BOS:311 had the most positive feedback out of the three. Transparency with how they handle requests that may affect others. This provides the user with visibility to eliminate unwanted requests and redundancy on the city's side.
Competitive Analysis
KEY INSIGHTS
DURATION - 1 Hour
USER - Montréal resident
HOW - In-person / voice recorded
TYPE - Semi-structured interview
Interview
KEY INSIGHTS
Difficulty finding information within the app.
Required assistance by calling 311 for information that could have been found on their website.
Lack of trust that the city will fulfill their request through the app.
Thematic Analysis
There may be reasons why the user cannot or avoid phone calls to the city. Their schedule could be outside of call hours, or there could be a language barrier. Relying heavily on the option to call 311 rather than using the app for problem-solving may give the user the impression that the app is not giving correct information or is incapable of handling requests.
I organized the data and identified trends with the user's thoughts, needs, & motivations.
Empathy Map
Personas
Although the user I interviewed is older and has less experience navigating apps or switching between apps to acquire more information, meeting their needs may not only ease their experience but also provide clarity and save time for others.
User Flow
Keeping the user's needs in mind, I imagined functional enhancements in the end, I identified ten possible areas in the user flow to improve overall.
Wireframes - Low/Mid/High Fidelity
Style Guide
DURATION - 30 minutes
USER - Montréal resident/UX students
HOW - Facetime/Zoom
TYPE - Semi-structured interview
User Test
KEY INSIGHTS
Users prefer dark modes on most apps to improve readability.
A user mentioned that there should be a way to plan a call rather than just calling or using live chat.
The icon for public requests is unclear.
Iterations
Screens
Expected Impact
Reduction in Service Call Levels to the City
30% Reduction in service calls placed to the city by residents seeking more information on city collection of bulk items.
Higher Success Rate for Bulk Garbage Requests Through the App
10% increase in successful bulk pick-up requests completed through the app.
Project Takeaways
Designing with the user in mind ensures the final product addresses real-world needs and delivers an enhanced user experience.
UX design is an ongoing learning experience. Approaches to research and functionality are continually evolving.
Next Steps
Explore potential integration with the city to provide expected completion time for time sensitive requests that could potentially reinforce trust between the residents & the city.
