UX Case Study: Designing for the world’s first intelligent audio technology
MY ROLE
For this project, my team of 4 and I were a part of every step of the UX process. However, I headed up the design for the consumer landing pages and the integration of Synervoz’s technology with Slack.
THE OPPORTUNITY
This was a very exciting challenge for us. Synervoz Communications had a first of its kind intelligent audio technology. When they came to us at RED Academy, they had an app (TurnMeUp or TMU) in beta testing. They presented TMU as an app where you could simultaneously listen to music and talk while instantly connecting with your contacts. Using their VoIP-over technology, when a voice is detected, the music is automatically lowered.
Synervoz wanted us to help them make their technology more user friendly and to help define their strongest use case as they were in their crucial investment stage. They knew they were trying to be all things for all people and wanted us to help research who their lowest hanging fruit was.
THE CHALLENGE
As we started our research, we identified the main tasks we needed to help accomplish for Synervoz.
1. Define their strongest use case
2. Determine their unique value proposition
3. Reiterate their UI based on usability testing feedback
4. Research a small team communications use case for an integration with a potential investing partner
RESEARCH
We started our research by looking at how people communicate and why they do it. We surveyed and interviewed individuals and people who worked in small teams. We learned that people have an almost equal preference for both voice and written communication — but used for different purposes.
Written — quick messages, documentation and tracking of conversations
Voice — for more complex discussions, efficient brainstorming, persuasion and intimacy
At the same time, we conducted usability tests with TMU. We wanted to research and learn what TMU’s unique value proposition could be.
INSIGHTS
From our testing we discovered some pain points. Users did not know what the app was and the copy was too technical to understand.
Some user feedback included comments like, “Was this a music player or a communication app? How do I know if I’m connected with someone? What did certain settings mean? I like the idea that I can instantly connect to someone but I don’t like being ‘always available.’ “
In Don Norman’s book, The Design of Everyday Things he says,
“Two of the most important characteristics of good design are: discoverability and understanding. Discoverability: Is it possible to even figure out what actions are possible and where and how to perform them? Understanding: What does it all mean? How is the product supposed to be used? What do all the different controls and settings mean?”
Right now TMU was addressing neither. Simultaneously, we were learning that the landing page to onboard users for beta testing was just as confusing. We knew we had to change the copy in the app and on the landing page and rework the UI in such a way that the sign up process was easier, the app was more user friendly and both more easily discoverable and understandable.
THE PROCESS:
We looked at three things when working on this project.
THE NOW: What can we do now?
We knew Synervoz was in their crucial investment stage. We needed to help make their current app more user friendly and onboard more beta testers so that they could keep improving their app and technology. TMU was a product that allowed them to demonstrate what their technology could do and learn more about what users want.
THE NEAR FUTURE: How we can integrate in the near future?
We set out to create an integration with a potential partner that would allow a large audience to be introduced to TMU and Synervoz’s technology. It would also help in their investment stage.
THE LONG TERM: What are the long term goals?
This is where we looked at who was Synervoz’s strongest use case and how can we help them market towards this audience?
THE NOW
While my teammate looked at redesigning the app for better discoverability and understandability, I looked at redesigning the landing page for on-boarding beta testers.
From user testing and feedback, we learned that people were getting confused at the steps they needed to take in order to test the app. The copy was also not super intriguing or attractive.
Below is the original Synervoz landing page for beta testers.
User testing feedback told us that people were getting confused on a few things:
1. The numbered boxes. At first people thought that if they had questions, they could contact Synervoz. However, those boxes are trying to explain the app.
2. What does request access mean? The confusion grew when you clicked the button and it took you to a survey. People who saw the survey thought that maybe they had to have tested the app already before completing it.
The on boarding process that Synervoz had in place is quite complicated but at the moment, it was their only way. Beta testers had to complete a pre-survey test. They would then be sent a code that they redeem in the TestFlight app. After they redeem it, they can download TMU and test the app. They are also required to fill out a post survey after testing.
We took all these things into consideration when redesigning their landing page. We also looked back at our research on why and how people communicate so that the copy could be more intriguing and relatable.
In our redesigned mid-fidelity wireframes (seen below), we wanted to have simple messaging for easy understanding. We also broke down the process to two pages. When users click on the get started call to action, they are directed to a list of steps they have to take for the testing to take place. We wanted to have this information clearly laid out so that they understood the process. We made the call to action available at both the top and in the middle of the page so that at any moment, the user can test the app if they choose to do so. I also took the explainer video out of the landing page so that we could have pure user testing. We want the results to show the users discovering the app on their own. If they are taught how to use the app, then that defeats the purpose of the testing.
Since Synervoz has a designer on their team, we only created mid fidelity wireframes to allow their designer to add their own branding.
THE NEAR FUTURE
For me, this was the most exciting part of the project. I got to create an integration with Slack that would help Synervoz gain funding as well as introduce TMU and it’s technology to a larger audience. I created my design based on our research, user feedback and domain research. As much as it disappoints me that I can’t talk about the integration or post my designs and wireframes because of the early stages of development, I’m very excited to see how this partnership and integration will move forward in the future!
THE LONG TERM
From our research, we determined that their unique value proposition was that TMU allowed you to connect instantly to the people that mattered. Since the team at Synervoz is made up of all engineers and one designer, we realized, their strongest use case would also be to market this technology to fellow engineers and developers.
Our proposal to them for the long term goal was to create an API that developers could use and build on top of. Their technology would do the selling for them.
AND BEYOND
It was super exciting and rewarding to be a part of the crucial beginnings of a startup. With the Slack partnership and new voice technologies growing, we are on the verge of a communication revolution. I’m looking forward to seeing Synervoz bring natural conversations into the virtual space and be a key player in the communication revolution!
