Capstone | Jeremy Portfolio

Salutations

My name is Jeremy Hannah

I'm focused on bringing innovation to the tech world with my creative ideas and global experience. I believe that technology should be accessible and intuitive for everyone and that's why I'm constantly looking for new ways to improve the user experience. With my multicultural background, I'm able to think outside the box and come up with creative solutions for the challenges the tech world is facing. Here let's take a look at my portfolio:

About Me

Sunshine Steps

Sunshine Steps is an Android mobile app that streamlines communication between busy childcare worker professionals so they can conveniently stay ready to do their tasks before the children show up.

Role : UX/UI Designer

Impact : By implementing a comprehensive app, I empowered childcare
workers to take control of their tasks and streamline numerous
processes, significantly simplifying their workloads.

Visuals : Go to Prototype

The Design Approach

Discover

Design thinking, you know, it's a real game-changer. It's this non-linear and iterative process that is designing with a purpose. I embraced this approach, because the solution to my problem wasn’t formulated yet.

There are five stages in this intuitive Design Thinking playbook: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test. Each stage is like a secret weapon, helping us decode users, redefine problems, and make solutions that matter.

I dove headfirst into the Empathize stage. Got inside the heads and hearts of my users, tried to see the world through their eyes. It's all about understanding their vibe, their needs, and their dreams.

Then came the Define stage, where I got down to business. Pinned down those problems, I had to take them apart, and put them back together in a way that made sense. No fluff, just clear-cut definitions.

Now, Ideate, that's where the magic happens. Letting the creative juices flow, brainstorming wild ideas, no holds barred. Imagine, this is where the kind of out-of-the-box thinking, pushing boundaries and finding innovative ways to solve real-world problems.

With the Ideate stage in the bag, it was time to get hands-on with Prototyping. Building tangible models, creating something you can touch and feel. It's all about bringing those ideas to life, making 'em real, and seeing if they fly.

But hey, we're not done yet! Test time. Putting those prototypes to the test, getting feedback from real people. It's all about refining and improving, making sure our solutions hit the mark.

My ultimate goal? Taking a human-centric approach. Creating a digital solution that speaks to real people, addresses their struggles, and makes their lives better. Because at the end of the day, that's what it's all about making an impact that will improve others.

Problem Space

Empathize

The problem space of increasing regulations in running a childcare center can be caused by various factors, including concerns for child safety and well-being, legal requirements, and the desire to maintain high-quality standards. While these regulations are implemented with good intentions, they can sometimes lead to unintended consequences that affect the productivity of child care workers and, consequently, the quality of care provided to children.

It is important to note that while regulations are necessary to ensure child safety and promote quality care, finding a balance between regulatory requirements and enabling child care workers to be productive is very important. Simplifying administrative processes, providing resources and support for compliance, and ensuring that regulations are evidence-based and flexible can help alleviate some of the challenges faced by child care workers and enable them to focus more on the well-being and development of the children in their care.

What’s the objective?

My main goal was to dig deep and understand the exact matter that's holding childcare workers back due to all these over regulations. Once I pinpointed those key pain points, behaviors and motivations my mission was clear: I had to come up with smart strategies to tackle the gaps and shortcomings, and make things better for them. No more letting those restrictions mess things up for the hardworking childcare workers.

Hypothesis

The excessive red tape imposed on the childcare industry has become a significant hindrance, worsening the challenges faced by childcare workers and the individuals dependent on their services. This burden of overregulation has resulted in an array of adverse consequences, rendering the work of childcare providers more arduous and compromising the efficiency of the industry as a whole.

In light of these observations, I have formulated a hypothesis, the validation of which will be seen through a substantial 67% approval rating. This observation would serve as a strong indication of the pronounced role played by overregulation as a significant determinant of inefficiencies within the childcare sector. By recognizing this detrimental influence, we can collectively push to dismantle unnecessary barriers and foster an environment conducive to optimal childcare provision, thereby enhancing the welfare of both childcare workers and those reliant upon their vital services.

Define

Target Users

To gather data for the research objective, I carried out a series of research activities comprising three one-on-one interviews and a survey. The interviews were conducted via phone, involving participants who met the predetermined criteria. In order to ensure consistency, all participants were presented with identical sets of questions during the interview sessions.

Main Theme : Digital Platform for Childcare Management

This epic involves developing a comprehensive digital platform that integrates all the necessary tools and features to manage a childcare center, such as scheduling, billing, communication, and document management. The platform will be user-friendly and accessible from any device, making it easy for childcare workers to manage their day-to-day operations and stay organized.

HMW:

How might we help childcare owners improve their day-to-day operations so that they can spend quality time with children?

The Persona:

Angie Anderson is a 27 year old, Miami native, childcare worker who is fed up with the system. It is bad enough that the parents are being lazy when it comes to the matters of the kids but with the government always changing rules she does not know how long she wants to stay in the industry.

How can I ease the business side for Angie by making everything convenient for her and in one spot so her time is used effectively?

From Strategy to Design

To meet Angie’s goal of being proficient with her time when it comes to knocking out her tasks before the children come I developed this task flow..

Sketches 1

Ideate

Upon completing the task flow analysis, the pivotal stage of ideation beckoned. Commencing with exploratory pen and paper sketches, I embarked on a creative journey to generate a diverse array of potential solutions, with the ultimate aim of transforming them into a cohesive digital wireframe.

Through multiple iterations and meticulous refinement, the culmination of this ideation process materialized in the form of a comprehensive solution sketch for the task at hand. Each iteration involved thoughtful adjustments and enhancements, aiming to strike an optimal balance between functionality, usability, and aesthetics. The iterative nature of this process allowed for thorough exploration and examination of various design possibilities.

With a keen eye for detail and a commitment to delivering an effective solution, I dedicated myself to refining the sketch until its final form. This iterative ideation process, coupled with critical analysis and creative problem-solving, served as a foundation for the subsequent stages of digital prototyping and implementation.

Sketches 2

Subsequently, these initial sketches were meticulously translated into the primary iteration of a grayscale digital wireframe. This conversion process involved a careful transfer of the key elements and design concepts from the pen and paper sketches to the digital realm.

By leveraging digital tools and software, I meticulously crafted the grayscale wireframe, ensuring the accurate representation of the intended layout, structure, and functionality. The grayscale approach allowed for a focused evaluation of the core components and visual hierarchy, devoid of distracting colors.

During this transformation process, attention to detail played a crucial role, ensuring the wireframe accurately captured the essence of the original sketches. The grayscale rendition allowed for a more comprehensive assessment of the user experience and facilitated constructive feedback and iterations moving forward

Test, Reconfigure, Test Again

Following the completion of the mid-fidelity prototype, the next crucial step involved subjecting the solution to comprehensive testing. Two rounds of Usability Testing were conducted, with each round comprising five tests involving distinct participants. To ensure the utmost relevance and applicability of the feedback received, all tests were exclusively administered to childcare working professionals, who represent the target user demographic for the app.

Usability Testing Round 1

In general, the majority of my users comprehended the necessary steps, and we received overwhelmingly favorable feedback from the first round of user testing.

Most testers had no problem getting to the daily schedule because I made sure my task was clear and what they needed was present.

I had assumed that people would like to press the back button to go back but I see they want a shortcut done.

I also assumed that to get to the daily schedule people wanted that extra button feature but they wanted to get straight to the place of interest.

I also assumed people wanted more interaction to find the parents roster but they rather get their fast or have a way to share to them fast.

Usability Testing Round 2

In general, the majority of my users comprehended the necessary steps, and we received overwhelmingly favorable feedback from this second round of user testing.

The testers had no problem finishing all the tasks this time around.

I had assumed that making the confirmation pages a diamond gradient would be something that everyone would like but they want a clear background attached to the screen.

I also assumed that the iconography on the home page was up to date but it’s not.

I really didn’t think having a option to see months in advance was a feature that was needed but I see having the heuristics #3 User control is very important.

The final design

Deliver

Upon successfully passing the usability test, the prototype entered the final stage of development, where it was enriched with high-fidelity treatments to bring it to life. During the creation of its visual identity, I adhered to brand adjectives that closely resonated with the product's intended audience. Inspired by persona Amina, the aim was to imbue SunshineSteps with a sense of joy, warmth, and rejuvenation, thereby creating an engaging and welcoming user experience.

*Incorporated a tablet since in the childcare space she would need something that will give her mobility and ease of use.

At last, I can find solace in the knowledge that Amina can now optimize her time and dedicate her undivided attention to the children at hand, all with a simple tap of her thumb.

Impact

The only thing I can see my app do wrong is be a security concern for the individuals that not only use it but for any records that are stored in it. Being able to have access to that sensitive information can be very disastrous for all parties involved.

Now, I do feel that this app can create a loving community around it. It is a good way for the childcare to send notifications to parents and we will update so parents can communicate back through it. Imagine the possibilities of being able to give better notes and details on how to improve one's progress. We all know when it comes to these young angels it takes a village and this app would be that link to that.

Lastly it goes without saying that if the user doesn't put their best foot forward and respond timely and effectively people would lose faith in the product. Come on, what is the point of having something if you are not using it to be effective? But, this is where the owner comes in to oversee everything since they would have access to everything and get to monitor the flow and also respond to the feedback being given.

What Did I learn?

Takeaways

1. Trust the process

Throughout the duration of this project, I gained a valuable insight that the manner in which we commence ultimately influences the outcome we achieve. Recognizing this, I realized that if my user stories lacked depth and clarity, it would inevitably result in weak Epics. Consequently, this would render the task flow significantly more challenging to accomplish. Hence, I diligently invested effort into fully developing and exploring every idea and decision, leaving no aspect overlooked or neglected in order to create a comprehensive and robust final product.

2. Don’t be afraid to find outside inspiration

Initially, I held a strong reluctance towards seeking inspiration from external sources, fearing the possibility of inadvertently imitating their creative works. However, I have come to realize the value in exploring examples that resonate with my personal taste, as they play a crucial role in the formulation of ideas. In fact, prior to commencing the sketching process, it is essential to gather images that serve as visual references, providing a clear direction for my sketches. Acknowledging the indispensability of this tool in my creative repertoire, I have learned to embrace it as an integral part of my artistic journey.