The Process Behind Chorely: a Mobile App to Aid Communication for Employers and Foreign Domestic Workers (FDWs)
Introduction
I’ve been living in Singapore for a few years now, and one of the positives of living here is the amount of reliability and support the country has for its people. The readily available public transport, access to quality education, and the ease of having everything within reach is something noteworthy. There is something else I’ve noticed: a number of Singaporean families (roughly 1 in 5 families) have a domestic worker inside their household. Unlike many Western countries, whereby only the truly rich can afford to employ a live-in helper, Singaporeans are able to employ domestic workers from nearby countries such as: Indonesia, Phillippines, Myanmar, and India, to name a few. The workers help take care of daily necessities around the house, in addition to childcare and/or elderlycare, depending on the household.
These foreign domestic workers (FDWs) form an essential role, allowing both members of the family to contribute to the workforce. Despite that, there are still issues between employers and FDWs which have yet to be solved. One common issue is a lack of communication. In order to find out more, I conducted user research.
Initial User Research
My initial research involved interviewing six employers and four Indonesian FDWs. The interviews are conducted face-to-face and taken separately from one another to prevent response bias. Some employers were not comfortable with having their workers interviewed, hence the disproportionate number of interviews. The criteria for the participants interviewed are:
- Foreign Domestic Workers (FDWs)
They must be of Indonesian nationality and based in Singapore. - Employers
The employer must be based in Singapore and is currently employing an Indonesian FDW or have employed an Indonesian FDW in recent times (within two years).
Why I chose to focus on Indonesian FDWs is because they form the bulk of domestic help in Singapore, and their English is typically more limited. In contrast, FDWs hailing from the Philippines are generally able to understand and speak English better, so there would have to be a difference in approach.
Back to the interviews, I asked the employers and their FDW what sorts of issues they face communication-wise. One issue is a lack of understanding when it comes to chore duties. From there, I began asking more targeted questions on how both parties face with creating and keeping up with household duties.
Findings
The interviews found that many employers face difficulty communicating with their worker on how to do the chores properly. This issue is most common within the first few months of adjusting to the household. The employers feel that their FDW does not understand how to do some of the chores. Even after having been taught, the workers may forget certain tasks, thus needing constant verbal reminders.
When I interviewed the FDWs, all expressed some level of difficulty in understanding their employer. Sometimes, the FDW will forget to do some of the chores taught or do them incorrectly. The chores are usually taught to the FDW in person. If not, the employer would sit her down and explain to her. For some, their employers give them a list of chores for their reference (in the form of: an excel sheet, word document, or simply pen and paper). However, the FDWs found the list overwhelming and confusing, not knowing where to begin.
Problem
Employers have a certain way of doing chores, and it is important to them that their FDW does it correctly. However, teaching the worker how to do the chores and creating a list is time-consuming, and the FDW may find the list confusing to understand. There is a language barrier issue as well.
Objective
Though face-to-face communication will always be the best way to communicate, I want to propose a solution that helps to aid both parties achieve a better level of communication. Employing a FDW involves many different aspects, but there should always be a good amount of trust, fair treatment, and most importantly, a healthy relationship. My objective for this project is to develop a platform where both parties are able to communicate regarding chores more effectively.
The goal of this project
- Aid communication for both parties by proposing a more effective way to get chores done
- Making sure the employer and FDW each have benefits, not just one party getting all the power.
Proposed Idea/Solution
I propose to devise a mobile application that helps to achieve these goals; a plaform where employers are able to create and manage their chores efficiently. In addition, the platform allows the FDW to see all the chores created by her employer in an easier, faster way. This would help incoming FDWs and employers foster a better relationship from the get-go, making sure both parties’ needs are met. In order to achieve this, I need to understand more about the users that would be using this potential app.
Target Audience
The platform looks at two groups: the employers and their Indonesian domestic workers. The employers are the primary target audience, as their willingness to try the app will naturally extend over to their domestic workers using the app. Nevertheless, both parties need to see benefits.
Employers
For employers to easily create and organize chores in a manner that is clear for their FDW to understand. It will also help to aid interaction by making sure tasks are done correctly.
Indonesian FDWs
For FDWs to complete their chores correctly in forgetting chores or through a lack of understanding.
User Research
After finding out the problem from my initial user research, I went ahead to conduct a second round of interviews. This time, it’s to find out more about what can alleviate their issues. I asked them the following:
Employers
- What issue(s), if any, do you have pertaining to household chores with your FDW?
- Would a mobile application to facilitate chores be something you would be open to use with your FDW?
- What sorts of features could benefit you apart from creating tasks?
- Are there any features or specifications which you would hope to see on your FDW’s side?
FDWs
- How is your daily workload like? (relaxed, manageable, or too much to do)
- Does your employer give you a set of rules to follow?
- Is there a particular way that your employer wants you to do the chores?
- Are you aware of any outside organizations where you can seek help?
Research Methods
- Face-to-face interview
For this round, I interviewed two employers and two Indonesian FDWs. The interviews were conducted in English for the employers and Bahasa Indonesia for the FDWs. One FDW is from her respective employer’s household, so I made sure that the interviews were conducted separately so as to prevent response bias. The other two participants are from unrelated households.
Employer 1
Swee Lian*, 54, female. Lives in landed property, employs an Indo FDW
Employer 2
Hilmi*, 50s, female. Lives in private apartment, employs an Indo FDW
FDW 1
Annisa*, 41. Worked with her current family for a few months now. She is employed by her employer, Swee Lian*.
FDW 2
Surya*, 27. Lives in landed property and has worked with current family for over two years
Disclaimer: the employers interviewed here wish to remain anonymous, in addition to the domestic workers. Alias names* are used instead.
Insights
Here are some of the insights gathered from the interviews:
English to Bahasa Indonesia translations
Both parties believe that a mobile app to help with chorework could be beneficial, and one of the key factors is to provide translation. The option to translate English on the employer’s end to Bahasa on the FDW’s side would be very useful in helping out with communicative issues.
“If can have the option to translate from English to Bahasa, this app would be very useful to me” — Swee Lian*, employer
Having breaks in between work is important in making sure workload is manageable
For Annisa*, her previous employer never gave her any breaks, always making her work from morning till night. This made her very stressed to the point that she had to leave and request for a new employer. This led me to an insight.
In order to benefit the FDW, mandatory breaks must be implemented. This is to prevent employers from abusing the app by giving their worker too many tasks and providing little to no breaks.
Allow a way for FDWs to feedback their concerns
One of the insights I found from interviewing Surya* was that sometimes, she didn’t have enough time to do a particular task. When asked if she brought this up to her employer, she said no. She doesn’t want to upset her employer or get on her employer’s bad side. This was also noted to me by Hilmi*, an employer.
Regardless, the FDWs do have concerns regarding chores, so it is still important for them to have the option to voice out those concerns.
Customizable chores
Both Swee Lian* and Hilmi* have their own particular way of doing chores. It is important to them that they can customize the chores to their needs.
On the FDW’s side, Annisa* says the best way for her to remember chores is by watching her employer do it. She mentions it would be good if the chores on the app had a way for her to see how it’s done.
Prioritization of chores
Swee Lian* mentioned there are certain chores that need to be tended to more than others. If her FDW doesn’t finish all the chores, it’s okay, so long as the important ones are completed. Making sure the FDW knows which chores are more important than others is something to look into.
More than just a chore app
It would be good to let employers know that it is good for their domestic worker to get involved in NGOs, so the significance of the app goes beyond just a check-up on chores — Hilmi*
I asked the FDWs whether they were aware of organizations around Singapore; organizations that provide skills-learning classes and events for them to partake in. They said they didn’t really know much about it, thus never really bothering to go. They also didn’t know where to go for help.
I realize that this platform could do more than just manage chores; it can provide information for domestic workers on where to go should they need help, or for any partaking in events.
Personas
From the insights gathered, I then created 2 user personas — 1 employer and 1 Indonesian FDW. This helped me visualize their background, needs, and pain points in a consolidated way.
Competitor’s Analysis
Just to make sure I’m not treading on already-discovered waters, I did some market research. This is to see what’s already out there and what works for them. To my surprise, there wasn’t really a lot of service-based applications out there for domestic workers and employers.
Among the more relevant ones are: Step Up, a video-training service for domestic workers; Mee-Doo, an app that helps employers sort through administrative paperwork without going through a middle man, and HelperPlace; a platform that connects suitable domestic workers to their employers.
From the competitor’s analysis, there wasn’t a chore-specific service towards employers and FDWs in the market yet.
User Journey Process
From there, I created a user journey map of my target audience. This helped me to think in terms of the user and how they would feel at different stages, from downloading the app all the way till deletion. It helped me think about possible problem areas along the way.
Creating the prototype
Rough site flow
I’ve accumulated enough user research to begin creating the prototype. The first thing I did was sketch out all the possible features into a site flow. This helped me roughly organize what pages will be included and what is missing.
Site flow
I met with some of the participants to conduct further analysis as to which feature are pertinent and which ones are unnecessary. After going through rounds of revision, I realize that my initial assumptions about which features to put in are slightly different. For example, both employers and domestic workers were keen on having an “important contacts section”, a section where they can find different organizations around Singapore catered for different purposes (NGOs for FDWs, etc). Originally, I just wanted this section to be for the FDWs. From there, I cleaned up the site flow in Illustrator.
Wireframing the App
I used AdobeXD to create the app prototype. I just focused on the user experience. I didn’t want to touch the design or color aspects yet, as that would follow suit once the functionality of the wireframing is good. Once I finished the high-fidelity wireframe, I user tested the participants on ways to improve. Here are a few areas for improvement:
1. Customized area to link back to a default area
Users liked that they could customize their house area so that it is more specific (eg: “Shiny’s bedroom” instead of just “Bedroom”). However, they want their area to link back to a general area for them to find the pre-made chores associated with it. I then created a “Category” area. This feature lets the app know where their customized area falls into.
2. Make everything BIGGER
Many of the participants said that the texts and the buttons are too small, thus making it hard to read. Clicking the buttons was also difficult. I need to expand the clicking area for all clickable buttons and make the text and buttons bigger.
3. A better way to connect both accounts
I planned on syncing both accounts by using a QR code. The employer will scan the QR code from the FDW’s side and then they’d be connected. After consulting, having a unique 8-digit ID number is better. The FDW will have her own unique ID number that the employer has to input on his/her side.
4. Option to categorize by area
Originally, the homepage shows the daily tasks in chronological order by time. That’s the default setting. However, an employer mentioned it would be good if there was the option to sort by area. That way, employers can easily see the chores within a specific area.
5. Design is too robotic & cold!
One thing that I have to really think about is the design portion. Overall, the UX is easy to use for both parties and the features are in place. However, the wireframing looks too cold and not friendly. My challenge from here is to make sure the app embodies a warm, inviting feeling.
Final Outcome
I created the final app prototype — complete with branding and color schemes — after gathering the necessary feedback from the wireframe.
Unique Selling Points (USP)
1. Translation wherever possible
Both employers and FDWs mentioned that having a translation service would help tremendously. As such, I decided to translate the FDW’s platform in Bahasa Indonesia whenever possible. She is also able to switch back to English in the settings panel if she chooses to.
2. Mandatory one hour breaks
There is always the worry that some employers will abuse the system by overloading their FDW with too much chorework. As such, I implemented a mandatory one hour chore break.
The FDWs told me that one hour per day is a good amount for a break (excluding eating breaks). They were pleased to have this feature included. The employer will find the chore break in their homepage, embedded with the rest of the daily tasks. The employer is not able to get rid of the break; s/he can only change when it happens, or increase the break time.
3. Onboarding Tactics
I used onboarding tactics to highlight features of the app and briefly explain what each section is about. For the FDW’s side, I also included a helpline number in case she needs any help or support.
5. Add Photo and/or Video
I input an option for employers to add in their own photo or video of the task. The FDW will see the photo/video on her side, refering to it when she needs. This helps to minimize forgetting chores or doing them incorrectly.
4. More than just a chore app indeed
As mentioned from prior interviews, this app would be a lot more beneficial to both parties if it extends beyond just a chore app. I created additional features that users felt would strengthen the app. Some of the features are:
- Archive
Users can look through past records of tasks created.
note: this also provides evidence in case any FDW encounters overwork issues and needs proof of evidence) - Progress Tracker
Employers can check their FDW’s daily progress by seeing which chores have been completed and which ones haven’t. The employer also has the option to reward their FDW for their hard work. - Important Contact Information
A section where both FDWs and employers can find important resources or help around Singapore, such as NGOs, elderly home care (for the employers), etc. - Chatroom
For immediate contact with your employer/helper - House Rules
Employers can choose to put in their house rules for their FDW to see on her side of the app. - Holiday Mode
This section absolves all chore duties for a duration of time. This is useful in situations where the FDW goes back to her home country and isn’t around. The records will indicate chore tasks have stopped during this period because she went back.
View the final prototype here:
Check the microsite here:
User Testing the Prototype
I gathered my users — two experienced employers, two young and married participants (with little to no experience of having a FDW), and two Indonesian FDWs — to user test the app. I asked them to complete 3 tasks:
- Complete the sign-in process
- (for the employers) Create your first chore
(for the FDWs) Complete a chore - Explore the bottom bar and the top left hamburger icon for more features
Feedback
What was good?
- Employers (both young and experienced) found the navigation easy to follow and understand. Only minor adjustments need to be made
- Employers (both) liked that the chores allow room for customization, including the option to add photos or videos if needed. Some of the employers are very particular with their chores, so the ability to customize their chores is necessary. They were accepting of the one hour mandatory break section as they understood it’s necessary to prevent overabuse of some employers.
- Employers (both) liked the additional features (archive, important contacts information, house rules, progress tracker, calendar, etc.) that make it more than just a chore app.
- The FDWs found the app easy to follow and understand. They liked that it was translated to Bahasa Indo whenever possible. The app cannot translate the employer’s own words, only the app interface. The navigation was also simple for them, save for some minor adjustments.
- The FDWs found the feedback option useful. They also liked that they had a list of options available to them should they need support (in the important contacts section). Should there be overwork issues, knowing that the Archive section provides documented proof reassures them.
What could be improved?
- (FDW) Onboarding screens in the beginning of the app could be made clearer. As the FDWs were using the app, I notice that they didn’t know whether to drag the screen to proceed, or press “skip”.
- (FDW) Include Singapore’s emergency hotline numbers in the Important Contact Info section, such as the number to call police, ambulance, and civil defence force.
- (Employer) Some of the ON/OFF buttons do not show the fill color when it is on. Fix it.
- (Employer) Homepage icon at the bottom menu bar was originally the 2nd icon from the left (there are four icons total). One of the employers suggested the homepage icon be put first in line.
- (General) Make the spacing of the bottom menu bar and the top navigation bar smaller, so more space can be seen for the chore tasks. There is too much space now.
- (General) Put the Chorely logo/branding on the homepage to indicate more clearly that it is the landing page.
Future Modifications
There were many useful insights given to me from the interviews, many of which I adjusted accordingly. However, some of these feedback require additional research or time. This is where I would implement them for future adjustments. For one, an employer suggested that the employer’s side could have translation options as well, such as: Chinese (Mandarin), Malay, and Tamil. These make up Singapore’s four national languages (English included). This could help some employers understand the app better based on their native mother tongue.
Another aspect to think about is the marketing. I’ve created the prototype, but how will I get the app out there? Suppose this could be developed. I asked employers this, and many of them said it would be good to market this app to the employment agencies. The employment agencies are in charge of facilitating domestic workers and employers together. It would be good if employment agencies refer this app to employers as a way to aid communication with their worker.Having the app credited by their agency makes employers more keen on trying it. If not, then seeing the app promoted via facebook is also a way. Many employers (boomers and millennials) use facebook as their online source of communication.
Final Thoughts
Coming from a background in graphic design, the importance of understanding your audience has always been integrated to me. However, I never truly understood how much the impact was until I created my first app prototype. I had to understand the people who I would be designing for, and that happens through rounds of interviews and asking the right questions. Sometimes, there is this urge to explain to them how to go through the app, but I resisted. I let them explore the app on their own, taking in my own silent observations along the way. Only after they finished the 3 tasks I gave them, did I ask for their thoughts. Nonetheless, this project could have benefited further, from adding additional developments such as full translation. Even consulting with designers would have been beneficial, as their constructive criticism would be one from a designer’s perspective. Nevertheless, I learned a lot from this project.
Hope you had a good read. Thank you!
For further inquiries, or to know more about this project, please reach out to me at: himawan.melissa@gmail.com
Thanks again!