BALANCE
Overview
Balance, a mobile concept app designed to aid parents in balancing work and family life. By effortlessly managing and distinguishing between work and family events, it empowers users to maintain control over their schedules.
Timeline: 10 Weeks 2024
Role: Sole UX Designer
Tools: Figma, Paper & Pencil
Platform: iOS
THE CHALLENGE
Navigating life as a new parent has been unexpectedly chaotic—I quickly realized there's no instruction manual that comes with a baby! It often feels like my time isn't my own anymore, and balancing career responsibilities with parenting has proven to be a significant challenge. This got me thinking: are other parents experiencing similar struggles?
A Canadian study highlighted that nearly half of working parents encounter obstacles like limited career growth and workplace inclusion. This delicate juggling act can create disruptions in both professional and family spheres, emphasizing the critical need to find a harmonious balance for our well-being and household harmony.
SECONDARY RESEARCH
In my quest to understand the madness of parenthood, I dove into secondary research, hunting for what cranks up our stress levels and how it messes with our well-being. This meant sifting through studies, data, and literature like a detective on a mission to crack the case of the frazzled parent. I wanted to get the full scoop on the challenges we face and how they wreak havoc on our mental, emotional, and physical health.
50% of working parents face career setbacks and workplace challenges.
46% Working parents feel they are more likely to be overlooked for promotion opportunities
PRIMARY RESEARCH
Before diving into the design, I wanted to understand the real issues parents are facing. So, I conducted primary research by interviewing parents who are juggling work and family life. I asked them questions about their work-family balance to gain deeper insights into their challenges.
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A working parent with young children (under age 12)
Primary caretaker of their children
A working professional that lives in North America
Experienced challenges trying to balance their work or family life
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How do you currently manage the demands of your career and family life?
What are the biggest challenges you face in balancing work and family responsibilities?
Can you share a time when you felt particularly overwhelmed by juggling work and family obligations?
How do you prioritize tasks and decisions between your professional and family commitments?
What strategies have you found effective in maintaining harmony between your work and family spheres?
How do you make sure you spend quality time with your family despite your work schedule?
What support systems or resources do you rely on to help manage the balance between work and family?
In what ways do you feel your workplace could better support employees with family responsibilities?
How do you navigate guilt or feelings of inadequacy when you're unable to give your full attention to either work or family?
Can you describe a successful experience where you felt you achieved a good balance between your career and family life?
What adjustments have you had to make in your career or family life to accommodate each other?
How do you involve your family in understanding your work commitments and vice versa?
What boundaries have you set to maintain a healthy balance between work and family time?
How do you handle unexpected challenges that arise when there’s a conflict between work and family responsibilities?
Can you share any strategies for managing stress and preventing burnout while balancing work and family?
How do you communicate with your employer or colleagues about your family needs and commitments?
How do you maintain your own well-being while prioritizing the needs of your family and career?
What role does flexibility play in achieving a successful balance between work and family life?
Can you describe how your priorities regarding work and family have evolved over time?
How do you ensure that your children feel supported and cared for despite your work commitments?
What advice would you give to other parents who are struggling to find a balance between work and family life?
How do cultural or societal expectations impact your approach to balancing work and family responsibilities?
Can you share any rituals or routines that help your family stay connected despite busy schedules?
How do you handle conflicting demands between work events and family obligations?
How do you define success in managing the delicate balance between your career and family life?
DATA ANALYSIS
After conducting interviews, I found affinity mapping incredibly useful for organizing all the information. It helped me identify pain points, motivators, and behaviors, giving me a deeper understanding of the interviewees' needs.
From my data, four main themes emerged.
Time Management
Participants stressed family time's importance, highlighting how using a schedule or calendar keeps them organized amid their busy lives
Setting Boundaries
Participants find that separating work and family life helps them balance both aspects effectively.
Support & Communication
Many agreed that communication is crucial for balancing work and family life, and support from both work and social circles is also important.
Physical & Mental Health
Maintaining physical and mental well-being enables parents to effectively manage their stress levels.
The majority of my data points to time management being the top concern for parents. This recurring theme really stood out to me, highlighting just how challenging it is for parents to juggle their various responsibilities. Based on this rising theme, I formulated my "How might we" question below:
“How might we help parents enhance their time management skills to create additional quality time for their families, ultimately fostering reduced stress levels and nurturing harmony within their households?”
PERSONA
Based on my findings, I created my user persona, Steve Miller, to embody and represent my target group of users. Steve is a composite of the insights and characteristics I gathered from my research, helping me better understand and empathize with the challenges faced by parents like him.
EXPERIENCE MAPPING
By leveraging Steve's persona and his perspective, I've crafted a scenario that mirrors his current situation and highlights potential areas for design improvement. Steve's insights and challenges provide a realistic framework for identifying where design can make a meaningful impact in his daily life as a parent juggling work and family responsibilities.
USER STORIES & EPIC
I developed user stories as a tool to delve into the user's world and gain a deeper understanding of their perspectives. These stories serve as my compass, guiding me to craft a solution that truly delivers value and addresses the needs of the user.
CORE EPIC
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As a parent, I want to have separate calendars for work and family events, so that I can clearly see my commitments and prioritize my time effectively.
As a parent, I want to establish a daily routine for my family to manage our time effectively and reduce stress, so that we can accomplish tasks efficiently and have more quality time together.
As a parent, prioritize tasks based on urgency and importance to ensure that I allocate my time wisely, so that I can balance work and family responsibilities effectively.
As a parent, use technology tools such as calendar apps and task managers to organize my schedule and prioritize tasks, so that I can stay on track and manage my time effectively.
As a parent, maintain separated calendars for work and family events, so that I can keep track of my commitments in each area of my life.
As a parent, set reminders on my family calendar for important school events and family activities, so that I don't miss them amidst my work responsibilities.
As a parent, block off dedicated family time on my calendar to prioritize spending quality time with my loved ones, so that we could create cherished memories.
As a parent, share my family calendar with my partner and children, so that everyone is aware of each other's schedules and can coordinate plans more effectively.
As a parent, review my work calendar and family calendar together regularly, so that I could identify potential conflicts and make adjustments as needed.
As a parent, schedule regular breaks throughout the day to rest and recharge, so that I can maintain my energy levels and avoid burnout.
DESIGN DECISION
Parents often find it challenging to juggle work and family responsibilities, which can lead to stress. They need a digital platform that simplifies the distinction between work and family events.
To address this need, I developed a personalized calendar tool. This tool allows seamless switching between work and family calendars, making event management easier and prioritizing family commitments. By providing a separate calendar for family-oriented reminders, it tackles a crucial aspect of Steve's life, enhancing his work-life balance and overall satisfaction. This approach ensures the tool meets Steve's professional needs while supporting his personal well-being.
In designing the app with Steve in mind, I tailored the task flow to specifically address his needs, ensuring it delivers maximum value.
Core Epic: Time Management
Features: Separate Calendar for work and family
Task: Setting up a family event in the family calendar
TASK FLOW
SKETCHES TO PROTOTYPES
Moving from ideas to a visual prototype was a pivotal moment for me. Sketching out wireframes and designs helped me transform abstract concepts into something tangible. These visuals gave stakeholders a concrete view of the app's user experience, ensuring every design decision was thoughtful and focused on the user.
USABILITY TESTING
When I shifted my focus to navigation and the main features, I crafted a clickable prototype for my usability testing. This stage was crucial as it allowed me to simulate user interactions and gather valuable feedback. During the initial round of testing, I uncovered several issues that needed addressing.
Test 5 separate tasks within the flow:
[Task 1: Go to family Calendar]
[Task 2: Selecting date]
[Task 3: Book event]
[Task 4: Share new event to work calendar]
[Task 5: Go to work calendar to review event]
USABILITY TESTING - ROUND 1
The overall test results were decent: three out of five testers successfully completed the task flow without major issues. However, the two who faced difficulties pointed out the navigation bar as a stumbling block, since it wasn't set up to switch to the work calendar as intended. This oversight was a departure from my aim to offer users flexibility with their calendar choices.
Furthermore, testers offered valuable suggestions to enhance the user experience.
ROUND 1
To protect the privacy of the participants, real names were not used
ADJUSTING MY DESIGN BASED ON USER FEEDBACK
After the first round of testing, I dug into the issues we uncovered and mapped out their priorities using a handy matrix. This tool helped me sort through each issue by how much it affected the user experience, how frequently it popped up, and how much effort it would take to fix.
By tackling the most critical problems first, I aimed to make the biggest improvements to the app's usability. This structured approach not only kept me focused but also streamlined my workflow, ensuring Ideliver the best possible user experience.
ITERATION
After reviewing the results from round 1 of usability testing and consulting the prioritization matrix, I found that many issues were relatively easy to fix but would greatly enhance the user experience. With this insight, I went back to the drawing board and refined the design based on valuable user feedback.
This iterative process has been crucial in fine-tuning the app to better meet user needs and expectations. I'm excited about the improvements and eager to see how they resonate with my users in the next round of testing.
BEFORE
AFTER
USABILITY TESTING - ROUND 2
After iterating the design post-round 1, I conducted a second round of user testing. The results were positive: all users completed the tasks without questions. Testers found the instructions clear and the components intuitive, expressing that they would benefit from this application if it were a live product.
ROUND 2
To protect the privacy of the participants, real names were not used
DESIGNING THE LOOK AND FEEL
To kickstart my brand development, I began by brainstorming a list of key adjectives that really encapsulate its essence. Out of this brainstorming session, I handpicked words like "harmonious," "balanced," "supportive," and "innovative" to help solidify and define the core identity of my brand.
MOODBOARD
Next, I dove into creating a moodboard filled with images that resonated with the adjectives I had selected. From these visuals, I carefully extracted colors that perfectly matched the vibe I wanted to convey. Organizing these colors into cohesive palettes, I put them to the test in my designs.
After several rounds of experimentation, I discovered brand colors that truly captured the spirit of my moodboard. These colors now embody the essence of my brand, ensuring that every visual element aligns seamlessly with its identity.
I made the decision to utilize the 60-30-10 color rule, opting for one standout pop color and two neutral shades. This method is strategically chosen to emphasize the most critical elements in my design. By allocating 60% of the palette to a dominant neutral base, 30% to a complementary secondary color, and 10% to an accent shade, I aim to create a visually balanced and harmonious composition that directs attention to the focal points of my brand's visual identity.
UI LIBRARY
I established a UI library to anchor consistency, efficiency, and scalability in my project. This library not only streamline development and foster collaboration but also boost user experience by offering a familiar interface that strengthens our brand identity. Ultimately, they ensure top-notch, user-friendly designs across all my products.
For typography, I opted for SF Pro to prioritize legibility and accessibility in the application.
One of the most critical components of my application is the buttons. I want to make my app accessible; therefore, I aimed for a minimum AA score.
FINAL PROTOTYPE
"Balance" is more than just an app—it's my solution to help parents achieve harmony between work and family life. By transforming abstract ideas into concrete designs, I continuously refine "Balance" based on invaluable user feedback gathered through early prototype testing. This iterative process validates design decisions, ensuring the app meets and exceeds user expectations. With a steadfast commitment to a user-centered approach, I'm crafting "Balance" to be an intuitive and efficient tool that seamlessly manages schedules and helps parents balance life's demands with ease.
MARKETING WEBSITE
Site Goals
Increase app downloads
Provide social proof
Showcase core features
KEY LEARNINGS
Iterate with a Purpose
A key aspect of successful UX design is the joy of iterative improvement. Each step is driven by specific goals and user feedback, allowing the final product to grow organically, perfectly aligned with users' ever-changing needs. I experienced this firsthand while creating my task flow.
Metrics for Validation
By incorporating measurable metrics, design decisions can be validated effectively. Data-driven insights offer valuable feedback, steering improvements at every stage of the process.
A DESIGN IS NEVER FINISHED
The primary features designed for Balance so far have omitted the "sharing" option. The next iteration will focus on designing, testing, and improving this feature, enabling users to share booked events with loved ones.
The sharing feature will be developed as a clickable high-fidelity prototype. A usability test will be conducted, paying particular attention to users' expectations.
THE FUTURE
For future iterations, several additional features could be integrated into Balance to further enhance its functionality and user experience. One such feature is voice command integration, allowing users to interact with the app hands-free, which can be particularly useful for busy parents who may have their hands full with childcare tasks.
Another important consideration is data security and privacy. Implementing robust data intrusion measures will be essential to ensure that users' personal information remains safe and protected within the app. This will involve employing encryption techniques, secure authentication protocols, and regular security audits to mitigate potential risks and vulnerabilities.
Additionally, offering a writing feature can provide users with a more hands-on option for managing their schedules and tasks. This feature could allow users to manually input events, tasks, and notes using handwriting or typing, providing flexibility and catering to different preferences in how users interact with the app.
By incorporating these features into future iterations of Balance, the app can continue to evolve and adapt to meet the diverse needs and preferences of its users, ultimately enhancing its utility and usability as a tool for managing work and family life.