Swapeco (ScrapUncle) Redesign

Analysis of Existing Product and Competitors

To understand what we need to focus on during our re-design, the design team conducted a systematical analysis of current features and possible flaws of the app. We also took a deep-dive into what Swapeco's competitor products are offering in terms of user experience. 

We found that more competitors:

• clearly communicate their mission
• quick access to vendor schedule
• clear call-to-action buttons
• take the user through the process
• inviting visual design

Opportunity: Helping Swapeco Achieve their Mission

• Making recycling accessible to households while educating every stakeholder on the positive impact their behavior has on the environment

Creation of Vendor Persona

To get a better idea of who my user is based on the research the startup had already done, I compiled the information from different vendor interviews to create a persona.

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For the vendor-facing portion, the vendor is our user.

Name: Sai Agarwal

Age: 39

Location: Delhi

Occupation: Kabadiwala / Raddiwala (Waste Picker)

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‍Frustrations

• Low prices from Recyclers, expectations from recyclers (e.g. no broken glass)
• Finding customers
• Arguing with customer about price/payment, expectations of customers
• Has to take into account all costs and is dependent on aggregator base price
• Possible commission they have to pay

‍Goals

• Aggregate scrap they can sell for as much profit as possible
• Build a stable customer base with good scrap

‍Needs

• Connection to households
• Network of aggregators, good relationship with them
• Way of transportation
• Cash payment to customer or quick invoicing

Expectations/Motivations

• Making a profit off of their collections (being able to make a living)
• "Valuable" scrap to sell to aggregators
• Reliable prices by aggregators

We identified the following user needs in our Affinity Map. Our insights are based on formerly conducted user research and analysis of competitors and existing product:

Spreading Environmental Awareness: Users need to know their impact on the environment to connect with the service‍

Scheduling and Pickup: Users need to know current status of pickup

Building Trust: Vendors need to be presented in professional light to build customer confidence

Enterprises: Enterprises need invoices and formal payments offered by the vendors

Visual Design: Design needs to implement a lot of feedback for non-tech savy users (vendors and households)

Content/Navigation: Clear navigation and intuitive structure

Enjoyability: Gamification

Usability: Remove any guesswork for users and make the app accessible

In preparation to building the information architecture, we created HMW statements that are based on our analysis in the affinity map, which addressed the problem areas already. This way, the HMW statements led us during the further design process and provided a means to get back to the problem statement.

Some Relevant How Might We Statements

• How might we incorporate or mirror digital architecture that the user is already familiar with?
• How might we remove guesswork for users?
• How might we provide a clear visualization of our process?
• How might we create a design that communicates our mission?
• How might we cater to invoicing needs to enterprises?

From Wireframes to High-Fi

‍Information Architecture

To make the user flow more intuitive, we started off with collaboratively creating the information architecture of both the desktop and mobile app. Here, we tried to start from scratch and not be influenced by the current information architecture. That way, before starting the re-design, we could ensure that we are not forgetting any aspect about the vendor-client interaction.

Wireframes

After completing some initial ideation on wireframes, I created a cleaner version of wireframes for app and mobile versions of Swapeco's application. I was looking to not overload the user, as they often tend to be unfamiliar with technological products.

Low-Mid-Fidelity Prototypes in Figma

As a next step, I used my initial sketches to create an animated mid-fidelity prototype for both mobile and web that we can utilize for testing.

Testing the mobile and desktop apps with users (remote)

Moderated user testing performed via Zoom provided us with new insights on the functionality of the app. We went back to our initial categories of the how might we statements we were planning to solve. Combined with user feedback, we realized that we needed to change some main features about the app:

• Dynamic content for “your impact” -> create gamification/gamified image
• We wanted a single application that works for all users. But what about some users who does not fit into our primary persona?
• Scheduling modality is confusing: include more feedback into the app. Confusing for group of target users, hard to understand if you don’t know the product. Make it as simple as possible while keeping functionality.
• What if there are pickups that are too far away, or the vendor is trying to schedule conflicting pickups?
• Change “add items” back to rates, as it makes little sense for the vendor
• Include help/feedback button
• Give vendor possibility to negotiate price and incorporate into flow

Final Prototypes and Engineering Handover

Incorporating our user feedback, we developed a new design system and subsequently completed a final prototype using Figma. Big part of this was also staying close to the specifications engineering gave us and providing all design specs for engineering handover.

Below you can see my redesigned portion which is the vendor facing app that shipped.

🌱 The company recently received a $6 mio. investment on SharkTank India!