Description

Project Overview

Mask wearing has now become part and parcel of life. If you’re concerned about the waste factor of throwing away disposable masks, are these top-rated reusable masks the way to go? How do we evaluate masks? How do you keep track or identify your personal mask? How to pick a reusable mask that comes with breathability with a filtration efficiency mask?

IBM Enterprise Design Thinking Project

Users and Audience

Our target audience is mainly within the age 20 - 50.

My Role

  • User Research
  • Personas
  • Scenario
  • Task Flow
  • IA
  • Low Fidelity
  • Design System
  • High Fidelity
  • PET Strategy
  • Usability Testing

Project Duration

2

+ Week

15

+ Screen

Mobile Apps | 2021

Problem Statement

How to make reusable mask usage tracking effortless for adult reusable mask users so that they will have full confidence in their masks and users can be more environmentally-friendly?

Possible Solutions

Provide easily obtainable and trustworthy information on selection, use, maintenance and recycling of reusable masks for the general public so that they will be confident that the mask is safe and effective for use, and can partake in a social cause to save the environment. Efficiently and accurately monitor the washing and expiry date of the mask through the app alerts rewarding with a hassle-free tracking experience. Easily find clear and reliable information on choosing and using the right mask resulting in everyone in family using the mask with confidence and enjoying their daily activities.

Top 3 feasibility and importance:

  • Create App to educate and track
  • Education / Community Engagement
  • Incentivise

Tools Used

Figma

AI

Google Form

Design Thinking Process

Iteration

Design Thinking
A framework for innovation

Empathize

What is the problem?
Define the challenge & explore the human context

Define

Why it is important?
Brainstorm ideas good & bad, don’t stop at the obvious

Ideate

Why it is important?
Research, observe, understand & create a point of view

Prototype

Does it work?
Implement the product, show & don’t tell, start to refine the product

Test

How do we create it?
Start creating, experiment, fall cheap, and fast

Empathize

User Research

Qualitative and Quantitative Research has been conducted to understand what is their expectation.

Qualitative Research (1 to 1 Interview)

1 to 1 interview has been conducted with a total of 6 participants. Some data are gathered which allow me to explore deeper about the user’s mental model.

  • Do you use disposable or reusable masks? Why, why not?
  • How many masks do you use in a week?
  • What is your current experience when using a mask?
  • Do you read and follow the instructions for cleaning and maintaining your reusable mask? Are you aware of the consequences of using expired masks?
  • Are you aware of the expiry dates of your reusable masks? Do you follow the expiry date?
  • What are your motivations in keeping track of the masks?
  • How do you keep track or identify your personal mask? Do you think your current tracking process is accurate?
  • What type of challenges do you face when maintaining the mask and what are the current steps you take to maintain your reusable mask?
  • How can you improve your mask maintenance/tracking process and make it easier to have full confidence in the effectiveness of your mask?
  • What is your ideal experience in maintaining a safe and effective reusable mask?
  • What do you do with the expired mask after the manufacturer recommended period?
  • What will you do to recycle your mask instead of throwing it away?

Quantitative Research (Survey)

I did an online survey by using Google Form to gather the data. This is easy for me to understand the user pattern of what they are looking for. The total data of 60 participants being collected.

  • Do you use disposable or reusable masks? Why, why not?
  • How many masks do you use in a week?
  • What is your current experience when using a mask?
  • How do you verify the material of the mask which is effective against covid?
  • Are you aware of the expiry dates of your disposable masks? Do you follow the expiry date?
  • Are you aware of the consequences of using expired masks?
  • Prior experience with using reusable masks?
  • What will motivate you to use reusable masks?
  • What is your ideal experience in maintaining a safe and effective reusable mask?
  • What do you do with the expired mask after the manufacturer recommended period?
  • What will you do to recycle your mask instead of throwing it away?
  • Does the prolonged use of disposable masks have an impact on the environment?

Insight

  • All the users tracking reusable mask processes are not accurate, always losing track. Need effort to wash and identify the personal mask.
  • Some users are not sure about the face mask size and quality of the mask is suitable for them, breathability and comfort is important to experience a reusable mask.
  • All the users are aware of the importance of being environment-friendly by recycling masks, and the waste factor of throwing away disposable masks.
  • Users hope for a hassle-free tracking experience for reusable mask usage tracking effortlessly.
  • The apps were very useful, able to purchase reusable masks with RFID Tag and able to do tracking the mask with hassle-free tracking experience.

Pain Point

  • Reliable and concise information for choosing, using and maintaining reusable masks is not readily available.
  • Effort required in the manual tracking of washing cycles and expiry dates of a reusable mask.
  • Lack of knowledge and information about recycling the reusable mask.

Define

Persona

Using the results of the survey and interview, I created a persona that embody the traits of the target audience. This helps me understand their primary goal and frustration.

Belinda
About
  • Age: 35
  • Status: Married
  • Gender: Female
  • Education: Tertiary Education
  • Occupation: IT Manager
  • Income: 5,500/mth
Background

Ken doing part time delivery rider using car after work and during weekend. He always facing an issue, client unable to find suitable mailing box / mailing packaging to pack their delivery items.

Goal

Belinda is a professional working adult, she uses reusable masks, because they are more economical and environmentally friendly. Some of the mask designs are more fashionable to match the outfit and the mask quality is important because of the breathability of the mask, which feels hot and stuffy when working. She is always not aware of the consequences of using expired masks, pure memory to keep track or identify the personal mask.

Frustration
  • Current tracking process is not accurate, always losing track of time.
  • Not sure the quality of the mask and breathability of the mask, felt hot and stuffy.

Ideate

Information Architecture

The creation of a structure for the apps.

Prototype

Low Fidelity Prototype

The first visual representation of a designer's idea. To ensure that the developers and clients get a clear understanding of the functionalities and designs.

Homepages

eShop

Scan

Recycle

Design System

At this stage, I will start the branding design. A design guideline is created for the company.

Outfit

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#132836

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High Fidelity Prototype

Finally High-fidelity has been produced by referring to the branding guideline. Using dark backgrounds can give the apps a professional, luxurious, and sometimes mysterious feel, especially when paired with vibrant colours and eye-catching illustrations. It can complement the brand style, and can give a striking canvas to tell the brand story. Here is the prototype link.

Homepages
eShop
Scan
Recycle
More

PET Strategy

Persuasion, emotion and trust are critical factors to increased conversion. There are PET tools have been implemented to motivate people to make decisions that lead to conversion.

Homepages

Add diffusion of responsibility.
This may lead users to register and scan their RFID Tag.

eShop

Users are able to bookmark.
High chance to lead them to re-purchase the products again.

Testing

Usability Testing

After the final prototype has been created, the design proceeds to the usability test. I have invited 3 people to test my design solutions. Some valuable feedback was gathered during this session.

Login

Challenge 1: Login Page should have an option to skip so users are able to browse the app first before they decide to register.

Solution: I have added the “Continue as Guest” option. Users who do not have an account are able to have a trial by browsing across the app. This may reduce the bounce rate of the app.

Scan

Challenge 2: Consumer not sure about the suitable mask size.

Solution: Provide the "Face Detection" functions and recommend suitable masks.

Future Enhancement

Identify the goals that provide an initial scope projected for the MVP and future builds that is meaningful to the users:

Takeaway

From this project, I learned that the user research has to be open-minded. In order to understand the user better, we should involve the user in every step to ensure that the solution is on the right trend. Done through observation techniques, task analysis, and other feedback methodologies. The research methods used depend on the type of site, system, or app being developed.
M2ask is the brainchild of IBM AI students from IMVAI-0903. If you see any images that you believe violates the law or your rights.
Please let me know, I will remove it immediately. Thank you!

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