CoFlowX
A platform streamling freelancer-agency collaboration, seeking to improve functionality and usability prior to launch
Working in a team of three, this was a three-week project with start-up CoFlowX,
a platform that aims to streamline freelancer-business collaborations.
As the client prepared for their launch, they sought to assess the functionality and usability of the platform and identify any areas for improvement, aiming to deliver a seamless and user-friendly experience that aligns with their user’s expectations.
Through research and a thorough analysis of the platform, our goal was to offer the client valuable insights and assist the client with making informed decisions that would enhance the user experience and ensure the products increased usability.
Research
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Preparation for initial meeting
In preparation for meeting with the client, we were granted access to the Alpha version of the platform which was a valuable opportunity to view the product as a first time user and prepare any questions we might have for the client based on our first impressions.
With a meeting already scheduled with the client for the following week, we individually explored the platform in depth and brainstormed some questions which we would discuss as a team before the meeting so we could determine the questions that would provide most value. We noticed that the product caters to two different groups of users, the freelancer and the agency, both of which we explored.
The team all had a similar experience navigating the platform and found it confusing at times so our main goal for the meeting was to gain a better understanding of the user flow and seek some guidance on the navigation. The industry itself was unfamiliar to our team and we didn’t have any experience as either a freelancer or agency so I knew we needed to ask the client some questions about how the two work together and how the platform would serve both. I felt as though this may have hindered our experience on the platform so it was crucial to get a better understanding.
As our individual experiences with the platform were similar, so were the questions we had noted down to ask the client. We decided that any questions or topics that had come up more than once between us were worth prioritising.
We were all eager to learn about their goals for the business, how they differ from competitors and what they wanted to achieve from the project. We had little information regarding their goals for the project prior to the meeting so we agreed it was important to gain a good understanding of their expectations to ensure our objectives as a team, align with theirs and allow us to work most efficiently together in a short amount of time.
We were all on the same page with what we wanted to achieve from the meeting, so it was easy to pinpoint our main goals;
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We agreed the initial meeting would be more of a casual discussion but to maintain structure and avoid talking over each other, one person would lead, prioritising the main questions. The rest of us would be involved, asking follow up questions or any that may have been missed initially. Having a plan and clearly defined objectives gave us confidence heading into the meeting and facilitated efficient use of our time with the client.
Get to know the client
Gain a better understanding of their long term goals, why the platform was created and become more familiar with each other.
Define project goals
To ensure the clients expectations for the project clearly defined.
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Understanding the product in depth
Learn how to use all of the features and how the platform would be used by the customers.
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Client Briefing
During the first meeting with the creator and developer of CoFlowx, held over Zoom, we were given a run down on what they are trying to achieve, discussed the project timeline and gained some clarity on how the platform works.
We gained an insight into the creators background and what inspired them to create CoFlowx. With a wealth of experience within the industry, the client had a clear focus on the problem and how to solve it. The client explained the current manual process businesses and freelancers use when working together and how the platform would remove the need for spreadsheets and emails. I felt as though there was a real need for a platform like this and with the main focus being to streamline the process, saving both money and time so I knew the platform would need to be easy to understand and navigate.
We asked the client for a demo on how the platform would work between the two parties given that all of our team hadn’t quite grasped it initially. Although this gave us a better grasp on it, it unfortunately wasn’t quite the light bulb moment that we had hoped for where it all made sense. There was still an element lacking in the flow and the futures customers would ideally be able to navigate the platform without any sort of guidance or demo so there was definitely work to do.
Overall, I gained a better understanding of the industry and the platform from the client sharing some of their knowledge with us but further research would be needed by myself and the team.
Client Briefing Analysis
Post-interview, I transcribed the meeting on Otter.ai and created sticky notes in Figma of all the key points the client had mentioned. During the interview our main focus was to gain as much information as possible from the client and get to know each other. Having the transcribe in this format meant we could all adequately reflect on what was said and get some ideas together before our next session as a group.
We wanted to make sure the clients goals were clearly defined so we don’t stray from what we’re aiming to do. Again, in our collaborative Figma file we formed a goal summary:
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To examine the platforms processes and UX design to suggest any improvements
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Identify any gaps within the product or where it may be lacking
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Offer valuable insights into the platforms usability and accessibility
I noticed that the budget and project management tools within the platform were brought up frequently, there was a great emphasis on this as it is so time consuming through the current manual process. This was a helpful insight to learn early on given the short time limit for the project, we would need to prioritise areas that were the most lacking but also most important to the client.
A lot of research was conducted by the client prior to developing the version one product. The insights from this research influenced shaping the product up to this point. However, the research was specifically conducted with agencies, representing only one user group, but not with freelancers who represent a second audience for the product.
Moving Forward
Having a solid grasp of the client's objectives and numerous initial ideas, we had to formulate a strategy for confirming these assumptions and aiding CoFlowx in attaining their goals.
We created a page of sticky notes in Figma which served as a canvas for us to freely jot down our initial thoughts and ideas for CoFlowx. This included any potential pain points we encountered when navigating the platform firsthand. Discussing these ideas during our sessions would help us work out if there was anything someone in the team had missed and gradually get a handle on using the platform.
As we were working in a team with limited time we devised a course of action with team tasks and a timeline for the project. This would help us distribute responsibilities and break down the project into manageable chunks, helping the team stay organised and focused.
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Competitor Analysis
We began with competitor analysis so that we could attain a more comprehensive understanding of the market and industry.
The client had sent us a few competitors that they were already aware of offering similar solutions; &Friends, Stoke Talent and Worksome, so we began with these and branched out further to find our own. Whilst we were unable to find any direct competitors offering the same service within Australia, there were a few indirect competitors that would still potentially reach the same goal.
Our main goal was to pinpoint gaps and get some ideas on what design aspects could be improved, backed by reliable evidence for the proposed changes. The optimal approach was to get to know their product, simulating the experience of their target users. We evaluated how the user flow and usability stack up against CoFlowx. We signed up as users and navigated the platforms carrying out the same tasks that we would with our clients' platform. This allowed us to map out the different functionalities and record their ease of use.
As they were mostly indirect competitors there were certain features available on CoFlowx that we weren’t able to replicate on the competitors' platforms but there was a notable difference in the ease of use, especially for a first time user. This was a good thing however as it generated plenty of ideas on how the usability could be improved and also sparked some questions that we would later ask the client regarding potential gaps that may have been missed.
Some key insights and comparisons from the competitors were;​
Smooth navigation requiring minimal clicks
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Option to filter information in order to quickly find what’s relevant
Provides either a tutorial for beginners using the platforms or contextual pop-ups
Can easily switch between pages, for example with a user-friendly sidebar or hover over drop down menus.
Clickable objects are clearly defined and easy to locate
Research Plant
By conducting competitor analysis and interacting with the platform ourselves, we had gathered a wealth of suggestions for the client and identified potential pain points. At this stage however, this was mostly based on assumption and it was vital to carry out further research and validate our ideas.
After spending a considerable amount of time using the platform, our team continued to face challenges with navigation and coming across the same pain points. We were eager to test this out with the target audience and see if the same problems would still arise. Recognising that none of us within the team fit the profile of potential users and lacked experience with the industry, we were aware that some of the issues may have been a result of our collective inexperience.
We drafted an email to the client with a brief update on the project, explaining that we were wanting to carry out user testing and to see whether they had any potential contacts that would be suited. Given their experience within the industry, we decided this would be a start when looking for potential participants whilst also reaching out to anybody we may know within our own networks. The aim was to carry out 3-5 sessions with someone who would fit the target audience but had not yet seen the platform. For it to be a true test of the ease of use, it was crucial for the participant to be completely new to the platform so we could see how someone would approach it as a first time user and navigate it without any guidance.
Whilst we were in the process of recruiting participants for user testing, we wanted to catch up with the product developer to ask some questions regarding the user flow and smooth out any technical issues we were facing. We prepped a set of questions in advance to ensure the meeting would be productive and had a run through of the platform to see where guidance was needed. As the developer’s availability was limited to daytime hours, and in order to prevent any delays, the other team members led the meeting during my work hours. To keep me informed, the session was recorded on Zoom which I was able to catch up on that evening before we met again as a group to discuss it further.
The meeting was highly valuable, shedding a light on the fact that certain aspects were still undergoing development. We had a better understanding of the significance of the various features and clarified their intended functions. It would also help us moving forward when determining which areas need more focus.
User Testing
Preparation
Prior to creating a User Testing guide, we wanted to define our goals for the interviews. This would help us formulate tasks and questions that would ideally guide us towards attaining these objectives;
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Keeping our goals in focus, our team began jotting down ideas and questions using Sticky Notes in Figma. Then, we gathered these notes together using the Affinity Mapping method, helping us come up with tasks that could lead us to the answer we needed. Since we were collaborating as a team, this approach proved best for visualising everyone’s input and efficiently collating our ideas.
The tasks were designed to enable us to observe users navigating all corners of the platform independently, while also zeroing in on areas that we suspected might post challenges. The participants would be given specific details so they could use the platform as they would in a real-life scenario.. Some of these tasks included;
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Now that you have logged in, can you explain what you think you can do here from what you can see?
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Can you show me how you would choose freelancers to submit a proposal for a new project?
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You want the contact information of freelancer Sarah Lewis, how would you find it?
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Imagine Freelancer named Sarah Lewis has sent you an invoice. Can you show me how would you approve this invoice?
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Imagine you have to create a project for a client, with two deliverables, how do you think you could create it?
The guide also included a set of introductory questions aimed at building a rapport with the participant before diving into the tasks. This was a chance for us to understand their current role and experience, how they handle freelancers and uncover any challenges they face in their current workflow.
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To ensure the platform is user-friendly and accessible to all users, so that it can meet their needs and expectations​
To identify gaps and pain points, providing insights and suggestions for product improvement
Pinpoint areas where users encounter challenges during their interaction with the product
To discover the users' experience when using the product and gain comprehensive insights into the overall user journey​
Insights
We held three user testing sessions over Zoom with our target audience. As we were focusing on the agency use of the platform, we selected participants who aligned with this and would manage freelancers as a part of their job.
As a team, we worked in rotation when leading the testing sessions. This provided us with scheduling flexibility since we had varying availability. We believed that having a single person guide the session would establish structure and create a more comfortable environment for participants. The rest of the team were present to provide support and ask questions as necessary.
The first session kicked off with a minor hiccup due to the participant attending the session using their mobile device so when asked to access the platform and login, the view was not as we were expecting. Not only did this limit our view due to the reduced screen size but we had also been using the platform solely through a desktop up until this point, leaving us uncertain about how it would navigate on another device. While we were momentarily caught off guard, we were able to adapt and the unexpected turn offered valuable insights into the user interaction on another device, broadening our considerations for the final recommendations to the client.
In hindsight, it’s clear that we should have considered this earlier and either informed participants or conducted additional mobile device research - which we eventually did.
this was something we should have considered previously to advise the participants or Subsequently, we requested that the remaining users to use desktops for the sessions.
Following each session, we transcribed them using Otter.ai. With the transcription and by revisiting the recorded session, I could pinpoint key points and make notes about how users engaged with the product. These insights were then transferred to Sticky Notes in Figma. The recording was invaluable for us to gauge user tone, emotions, and their interactions during testing. Additionally, the Sticky Notes allowed us to generate an Affinity Map to identify patterns.
One area where we noticed issues frequently arising during the testing was instances where the information or language wasn’t clear. This, in turn created obstacles with the users carrying out tasks as they expressed hesitation while navigating through certain areas of the platform without being aware what would happen. Users were unsure of what things meant like the difference between client budget and project budget, whether a project had been approved or what submitting a proposal was. As our team had similar experiences but were unsure if it was due to our lack of experience in the industry, this had confirmed our assumptions. During one of the sessions, a user showed a lot of apprehension filling out information within the platform as the details would be deemed as confidential, and it was unclear whether it could be seen by a freelancer using the platform.
There were recurring instances where the user would expect a different result when interacting with the platform. For example, while creating a project, one user was tasked with adding deliverables yet they weren’t showing up as expected in the project. This subsequently happened due to required fields being unfilled but with no clear indicators. This left them very frustrated, not understanding why it was happening.
Most users expected the dashboard to be interactive and thought it would benefit the user if they could navigate to the most frequently used features from the landing page. Users would click on the dashboard, expecting to be taken elsewhere but at this stage it served the purpose for information and visuals only.
Many issues arose due to clickable items being unclear. This increased the number of clicks by the user and meant some pages and information were missed completely. Similarly, the absence of a back button had users take more steps navigating back to the desired page using the sidebar. It was noted that the sidebar could be improved due to it’s automatic closing and some of the icons being confusing as to what page they represent.
These challenges made it at times, difficult to lead the testing as we were unable to give any guidance or interfere with their experience. Whilst users would occasionally become frustrated, we encouraged them to think out loud and reminded them that we were testing the platform and not their own knowledge or skills.
Overall the testing proved highly valuable as we validated some of our initial assumptions, discovered new insights and identified areas that would need the most attention.
Final Suggestions & The solution
Carefully considering all the knowledge and insights we have attained through our research, we began to prepare our final suggestions to the client. We had many ideas which we needed to prioritise what we thought would be most beneficial for the client in improving the usability of the platform.
Taking into consideration how achievable the changes would be to implement within a short time, we grouped the ideas into three categories; quick wins, big wins and future growth. The quick wins would be smaller but valuable changes that could be put into action before the Beta launch. Big wins would require more work to implement, potentially for a later version but ones we believed would be highly beneficial. Those for future growth we would ask the client to consider adopting but with further research. As we worked on solutions for the pain points we had identified, we would decide as a group which category each suggestion would fall into.
Some of the solutions were evident or had direct suggestions from the user testing. For example, suggesting to the client to change the cursor to a hand point when hovering over clickable items was easily applicable and would aid in reducing the amount of user clicks.
For some pain points we had identified, the solution would need more consideration. We discovered the sidebar could be more user friendly but we wanted to come up with a way the client could achieve this without a full redesign. We believed the option to pin the sidebar to keep it expanded would allow quick navigation, with minimal work for the developer.
Other suggestions to provide to the client;
Quick Wins
‘Agency Only’ Tag
To ensure users feel safe and avoid hesitation when entering confidential information, we suggested introducing an ‘Agency Only’ tag. The icon would reassure the user that information they are inputting can be seen by the client only and will not be shown to the talent.
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Interactive Dashboard
The interactive dashboard would involve creating links from the landing page to the most commonly used pages like projects, invoices and talents. With a dashboard already designed by the developer, making it interactive would be easy to implement and significantly improve convenience for the user by allowing them quick navigation and avoiding users trying to click items which aren’t clickable.
Clear indication when inviting a talent to a project
When selecting talent for a deliverable on a new project, the agency has the option to assign talent from their contacts or ask freelancers to submit a proposal. The current form generated some confusion as these options were unclear. Our suggestion was to create a tab for each option, making it clear to the user their is a choice.
Big Wins
Budget Alert
With the importance of the budget being emphasised by both the client and
the target audience during user testing, we believed a notification to the user
when a project is close to reaching its budget limit would be highly beneficial.
This could be implemented on the dashboard with a visual aid or notifying the
user by email. By alerting the user, it gives them time to renegotiate the budget
with their client and ensures smoother project management.
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Confirmation Pop-Ups
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While carrying out certain tasks on the platform such as creating a project or submitting a proposal, it was not overly clear that it had been completed. Incorporating a pop-up confirmation to inform the user that their actions have been successful gives them clarity and assurance, allowing them to quickly move onto the next task without spending time double-checking.
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Future Growth
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Interactive Platform Tour
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Primarily targeted towards new users, this suggestion would help users quickly get to grips with the product and seek assistance where needed. For the client, this would involve setting up an interactive demo that guides users through the platform with step-by-step instructions. A demo like this would save the user time learning how to use the product, ensures they are using it correctly and gives them confidence with navigation.
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Communication feature
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A communication feature would facilitate conversation between agencies and freelancers, allowing both parties to discuss projects directly through the platform without the need to use another product/service. Whilst we believed this feature could improve relationships between the parties and success of the projects, we advised the client it warranted further research as it was not heavily backed by user feedback.
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Presenting to the client
As the handover to the client approached, we prepared a total of 17 suggestions to present to the client in order to improve CoFlowx’s usability.
Our aim was to provide the client with valuable suggestions for improvement and highlight how these were backed up and why we believed these changes would benefit their platform.
We began by revisiting the first meeting, exhibiting our understanding of their goals for this project and the platform itself. From there, we talked through our approach so the client could gain an understanding of our thought process throughout and how we came to the final suggestions.
We shared our insights with the client, explaining how we grouped them into the three categories so we could give them an idea on how they could be prioritised. In the aim of keeping the presentation engaging and concise, we narrowed down some of the most important suggestions to talk through in detail and provided the client remainder ideas we had come up with via email.
With each suggestion we put forward, we provided a clear explanation of how it would enhance the user experience. This way, the client could gain an understanding of the reasoning behind our feedback. We then detailed the steps the client could take to implement these changes accompanied by visual aids to demonstrate.
Results
As of writing, the CoFlowx first release has not yet launched so we are yet to measure the success of the project. After the handover, some refinements have been made to the platform based on the insights and suggestions provided by our team.
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New users can now take a step-by-step tour of the platform
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An interactive dashboard has been introduced, including clickable objects and direct navigation from the landing page
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The sidebar is now able to kept expanded or closed
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When creating a project, it is now clearly defined what information cannot be seen by the talent with a hover-over information pop-up.
As a team, we are pleased to see the suggestions being implemented and are eager to observe their performance in the launch.
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