Spring 2020
UX Challenge
Role : Research, UX/UI, Rapid Prototyping
___________
In response to a job application, I was tasked with the design challenge of developing an intervention to identify college facilities that may need maintenance or repair. The goal was to create an experience that allows students to report building or equipment issues on campus. I specifically considered those filing the report and those receiving and repairing the issues.
Market Research
The current system at Cornell is a simple but very dated webpage with a service request form. I worked to evaluate it greatest shortcomings:
Buried Webpage. The report form is not easy to find. It is linked to a maintenance overview page which must be found on the campus facilities website. In order to reach the form, it takes at least 5 clicks/page transitions.
Complex Footnotes. The form includes footnotes below each required field. These notes are overly explanatory with names and acronyms the average student would not be able to recognize.
Antiquated Aesthetics. The two-toned boundary box as well as generic colors and fonts makes the page reminiscent of Windows 95. This reflects poorly on the school’s modernity and limits users’ beliefs in the success of their intended outcome (to get the building/equipment fixed).
Found At: https://fcs.cornell.edu/
Stakeholder Interviews
I discussed the current system and maintenance repair experiences with 2 sophomores, 2 juniors, and 1 senior undergraduate student. I then worked to organize my findings in order to get a better understanding of the current problems, needs, and goals of students. I worked to synthesize findings by organizing a collection of insightful quotes.
1. Access to reporting.
“I spent almost 10 minutes looking for a report form online and ended up just calling my RA.”
“I didn’t know we could request maintenance work. I broke my dresser knob so I just ordered a replacement.”
“I couldn’t find the report form. My friend had to send me the link. It was such a hassle.”
“I didn’t know we could request maintenance work. I broke my dresser knob so I just ordered a replacement.”
“I couldn’t find the report form. My friend had to send me the link. It was such a hassle.”
2. Responsibility of property.
“I saw the light was out in one of the engineering classrooms but I figured someone would change it eventually.”
“I requested service when my heater broke. It’s too much of a pain to report minor problems especially if they aren’t in your dorm room.”
“I was concerned about the wasted water when I saw the faucet was leaking in my bio lab and I reported it to my TA. She didn’t seem bothered by it. What a waste!”
“I requested service when my heater broke. It’s too much of a pain to report minor problems especially if they aren’t in your dorm room.”
“I was concerned about the wasted water when I saw the faucet was leaking in my bio lab and I reported it to my TA. She didn’t seem bothered by it. What a waste!”
3. Urgency dictates action.
“My dorm had a bee infestation. I was stung multiple times. Finally my roommate and I called maintenance. They showed up right away.”
“My desk chair broke but I never studied in my room so I didn’t feel the need to report it. Also I don’t know how.”
“I reported that my dorm room wouldn’t lock and it took them two days to come fix it.
“My desk chair broke but I never studied in my room so I didn’t feel the need to report it. Also I don’t know how.”
“I reported that my dorm room wouldn’t lock and it took them two days to come fix it.
Given the time constraint, I was unable to interview a campus facilities management staff member. However, I worked to consider their perspective through research and their website’s service response information. “Urgency dictates action” similarly applies to maintenance response as they have created a hierarchy of issue importance.
Design Opportunity
" Considering the competing system and stakeholder research findings, how might we help students and staff easily report building and equipment issues so that facilities management can most efficiently respond?
Pain Points & Goals
1. Easily accessible and efficient for reporters and responders
2. Clearly defined form fields which can easily be understood by users
3. Modern iconography and layout to showcase issue and urgency
2. Clearly defined form fields which can easily be understood by users
3. Modern iconography and layout to showcase issue and urgency
Ideate Solutions
The best designs will fulfill my objectives with high impact and feasibility. In order to decide which features were most important, I ideated around this requirement and settled on 6 objectives.
1. Mobile app
2. Simplify and streamline form
3. Date & time availability for repair
4. Emergency contact
5. Photographic evidence submission
6. Repair types: Dorm, Dinning, Different
2. Simplify and streamline form
3. Date & time availability for repair
4. Emergency contact
5. Photographic evidence submission
6. Repair types: Dorm, Dinning, Different
These 6 criteria nicely transformed into many possible flows. After many iterations, I adjusted and sketched the final flow below.
Move To Sketch
From here, I developed possible lo-fi wireframes in Sketch and settled on the one which most clearly fulfilled my previously defined objectives.
Solution Features
My design choices work to aid both the reporter and responder’s interaction by simplifying the reporting process. I will delve deeper into the most important features: service request, profile and emergency maintenance contact.
Service Request
The requesting process is one of the most important aspects of this solution. With both the user and responder in mind, I designed to simplify and streamline form (criteria #2) while providing three different form types (criteria #6). Users are happier because the act of reporting is convenient. Responders are happier because their work is clearly categorized and thus, more achievable. The form allows users to easily input their information and add photos (criteria #5). I chose to include a place to share availability (criteria #3) in case users would prefer to be on-site during the maintenance process. These types of considerations were informed by my interview research.
Profile
The profile page showcases your campus information which can additionally be prefilled when reporting. This will also help streamline the form-filling process. Other than your information, the “ME” page details your previous, upcoming, and routine maintenance dates. In my research, I found that users prefer to be aware of these dates. I was also inspired by my research to add a feature which allows users to report equipment which is still broken or malfunctioning. By selecting the edit icon and choosing “fix it” users will be taken back to the request form so that they can re-report the issue.
Emergency Maintenance Contact
The purpose of the SOS feature is clear and simple; This space provides a direct call option for those in need of immediate facility services (criteria #4). One student I interviewed, who’s dorm had a bee infestation, could have greatly benefited from this option. This page clearly outlines what constitutes an emergency and aims to inform users of hazards. My hope is that this feature will give users the power to prevent harm to their mental and physical health.
High Fidelity Prototype
While transforming my wireframes into a high fidelity prototype, I aimed to create a form language which mirrored my criteria for simplicity (criteria #2). I choose a bright blue accent color which feels modern yet calm. Other than the blue, I stuck with a grayscale to emphasize the app’s purpose.
Reflection & Integration
Unlike social media or entertainment applications, this app should highlight its functionality. I aim to design for inclusivity. This informed my choice to maintain a simple look. As there is a need to improve the maintenance request process, I could see many campuses utilizing this type of tool. I believe Google could successfully integrate this into their efforts with higher education perhaps, in a web based platform or even as an addition to the G Suite for Education. Additionally, with Google Cloud Platform’s ability to store analytics and big data, the facility service’s administration could better analyze their accomplishments and productivity. Since many universities (my own included) already utilize these tools, Google has the unique ability to support their already loyal customers in a new area.
