Customisable Affirmations?
See how Health And Wellness Enthusiasts guide discoverability of features helping improve the app’s Usability
Introduction
"Tune in Affirmations"
Now : Affirmations Studio (2024)
Developed as a passion project by the client, Tune In Affirmations is a customisable positive affirmations iPhone/Ipad app which provides the users with audio content of positive affirmations under distinct ‘focus areas’. The app stands out among its competitors as it allows the users to customise their listening experience under various categories such as adjustments in ambiance, beats, volume controls and much more.
Overview
This case study explores the usability of the app through the method of ‘Moderated Remote Usability Testing’ after participants are carefully screened to match potential user profiles. The data from these sessions was then analysed by us to recommend solutions to make the app’s customisation features more discoverable and understandable.
CLIENT : Purr and Meow, Nick Siderakis, Software Engineer Lead - Google, Entrepreneur
RESEARCH METHODS : Usability tests, screening questionnaire, rainbow sheet
DURATION : 7 weeks
PROJECT TEAM : Jiafeng Lu, Mariah Hill and Shivani Kolte (me)
My Role
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Managing and communicating with the team to plan out the project according to schedules and priority of tasks.
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Collectively devised a session moderation strategy and materials such as a timed script, pre/post-test questionnaires and remote test set-ups.
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Moderation of 2 out of the 6 Usability tests and analysed them in depth for notes on making actionable recommendations.
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Note-taking on the Usability tests moderated by my team members.
Diving into the preparation 🧑💻
Kickoff Meeting
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After going over the initial brief outlined by the client we decided to map out the scope and goals for the project ahead to set expectations and order of action to be on the same page. For the kickoff meeting, we went prepared with clarity on where our expertise as usability experts would lie and therefore what kind of insights we would be able to provide and decided to get answers on the background of the app for some context, matching expectations with our capabilities, tallying the goals, scope and user profile and the deliverables we would provide.
TAKEAWAYS
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Prioritise testing for the need and discoverability of the unique features of the app such as customisation of affirmations and the listening experience through various options
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Evaluate how users are interacting with the interface and suggest changes to make the toggles and gestures easier to navigate.
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Understandability of 'focus areas' - the label and the affirmation sets within the app.
Methodology to solution
Deciding on the method
Once we had understood the issues faced by the client, as a team, we decided that 'Moderated Remote User Testing' would be a method that could help guide our recommendations as we would be able to incorporate first-hand feedback as well as evaluate the app based on our expertise of the subject. This triangulated data would give the client actionable reviews.
User profile
Another thing that the meeting with the client was helpful with was understanding the app's potential users and how informed they wanted their feedback data to be. Some factors guiding this were :
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People who actively consume wellness-related content through technology (social media, videos, audiobooks, apps)
- People who use iOS devices (Iphone/Ipad) -
People who are medium-highly acquainted with the concept of positive affirmations
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People who prefer to use audio interfaces over text or video.
Preparation for the usability tests
After reaching out to our potential participants, scouted through a thorough process of screening, we were able to recruit for 6 tests and scheduled them over the duration of 2 weeks The materials we prepared for the test involved :
Forms
Consent form : To verify and double check with the participant that they are in full knowledge of what would happen during the test, consent to it and and are aware that there are no risks associated with it.
Moderator script
To have a guideline of time-limits and be cognisant of everything to be covered in a conversational and natural flow.
Tasks and Scenarios
Well drafted scenarios and tasks with clear goals in mind leading the participants to explore in a more focused way.Well drafted scenarios and tasks with clear goals in mind leading the participants to explore in a more focused way.
Pre/Post test Questionnaires
Pre Test : To get information on the participant's background and address them appropriately
Post test : to get feedback on the test and some of their overall thoughts on the test
Moderation Strategy
Having a strategy on how the team would work collaboratively during each sessions.
This step helped immensely as we went into the tests well-prepared and any confusion or awkwardness was prevented. We had a :
- Main Moderator
- A Standby Moderator
- A note taker
Action 🎬
Moderating Sessions
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Each moderated session revealed that participants had different contexts and understanding, requiring us to curate tests to be universally understandable. Despite having a thorough script and clear scenarios, participants sometimes got distracted by the app's features. We decided it was acceptable to gently nudge them back on track to maintain focus and make the most of our time. This experience taught us to improvise effectively.
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Additionally, we learned the importance of prompting participants to think out loud and asking for reasons behind their likes and dislikes to gain clearer insights into their perceptions.
(Fig 2). Peaks into the team moderating sessions
Making sense of the data 🧐
Analysis
We calibrated our notes together in one format to be able to notice and analyse findings collaboratively. The data entered into the spreadsheet was based on the notes we each took during sessions moderated by another one of us. Through this, we were able to identify key findings and common issues faced by our participants and make recommendations on the basis of this.
(Fig 3) The colour-coded key for the analyses
(Fig 4) A glimpse of how the findings were recorded
Key Findings and Recommendations
Overview of anomalies
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Problem 1: Lack of discoverability of affirmation features
1.1 Affirmation list (Fig 5)
1.2 Deletion feature(Fig 6)
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Problem 2: Lack of multiple focus area selection feedback
2.1 Lack of feedback when selecting multiple focus areas(Fig7)
2.2 Confusion around affirmation playing order when multiple focus area are selected(Fig 8)
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Problem 3: Understandability of focus area title and focus area description length( Fig 9)
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Problem 4: Settings/Control panel discoverability and accessibility
4.1 Lack of Discoverability of ambiance and binaural beats features(Fig 10)
4.2 Font Customization and Accessibility (Fig 11)
Ta da✨
Recommendations
Recommendation 1
Improving feedback on the focus area toggles for clear indication of the gestures performed on screen.
(Fig 5) Eliminated the small button on the bottom right of the bar to make the affirmations list accessible on a single click on the ‘focus area’
(Fig 6.a) Clear indication of selection and deselection by enhancing the feedback through checkboxes around the ticks
(Fig 6.b) Introducing selection options through checkbox dropdown for more flexibility and freedom from decision making.
Recommendation 2
Matching the users' mental model with regards to gestures for a better understandability of interface response and visible response on the 'listening area' to keep the users informed of their choices of affirmations
(FIG 7) Highlighting the ‘focus area’ to inform the user of which affirmation belongs to which focus area while multiple are selected
(FIG 8) The short press following the long press matching the users’ expectation of the multi-selection function.
Recommendation 3
Use of more descriptive titles and shorter (one-line) descriptions of the “focus areas”
(Fig 9) Make the title directly relevant to the content inside and the use shorter and more effective descriptions.
Recommendation 4
Improving the discoverability of features on the control panel by grouping similar information together and matching the natural mapping of similar information.
Improving the accessibility to font customisation through an intuitive sizing bar and more flexible options.
(Fig 10)Allowing the user to navigate to the 'ambiance' and 'binaural beats' list via clearly clickable links above the sound control bars.
(Fig 11) Allowing users to preview changes to font type and size through a scrollable bar that, upon touching, makes the control panel disappear. The user then sees the listening screen and can see their choices in action.
Wrapping up🚪
Conclusion
When we presented our recommendations to the clients, they were happy that the positives of the app such as the pleasing visuals and minimal aura were appreciated by the users and that the features gave them flexibility as intended.
Our recommendations to enhance the experience through working on the basic concepts of discoverability and understandability of features and toggles across the app made sense to them as we took them through it step by step.
They were excited to find out more and enthusiastically cleared their doubts for the future of the app based on the user needs presented through the tests.
Thanks so much! Now I have my next few weeks booked implementing all of your suggestions
- Client Feedback
(Fig 13) The client presentation.
Work for the future
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If we were to continue working on the app, steps towards giving the app a more connection-based approach through building a positive community responsibly would be the start, content-wise.
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Enhancing the UX through incorporating vocabulary new users can understand easily.
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Before making it responsive on the desktop version, it would be helpful to establish the mobile app further to lock down its fundamental features and focus on its differentiating factor of 'customisation'.