UX REDESIGN
Of a Grocery Shopping App for the OLDER INDIVIDUALS
May 2022
Project Time: 1 month
Solo Project
Skills: Research, Problem solving, Persona Design, Graphic Design, Prototyping, Playtesting
For my final project in the UX design class, I focused on creating a more user-friendly shopping experience for older individuals using a Chinese grocery shopping app. My project included identifying the target group, creating a shopping journey map, improving the app's user interface, and rephrasing the menu language for easier comprehension. Through this project, I aimed to make the app more accessible and convenient for older individuals to use.
RESEARCH
The main problem that the older individuals in China face is the difficulties of using digital technologies which leads to them being inaccessible to use some services. Their best option is to go to the places in person or find in-person customer service. But of course, they couldn’t always access it. With the pandemic causing them to have to quarantine at home, they can not even buy groceries which causes the problem only gets worse over time.
Some APPs made a ‘special version for older individuals ’, but there has not been such a version for the grocery shopping app.
And many of those so-called ‘special version’ just make the font bigger but all functions are still the same, which is not really helpful. (e.g. the Alipay special version )
The Chinese government vigorously advocate and support the design of products & service for older individuals, based on several governmental documents. So this is a good initiative and will be easy to get resource support and promotions.
Alipay special version for older individuals before & after comparison
PROBLEM SOLVING
Design posters with simple instructions + graphics to illustrate how to use the app step-by-step and distribute them in the community.
This is the quickest way to do so, but it might still be annoying to go through all the steps. If the app releases a new version, the instruction will not work well either.
Make a smart voice device.
As older individuals might have a hard time looking at the small phone screen and type, it might be easier for them to communicate by voice. However, there are too many accents in China which makes it almost impossible for an AI to learn all of them. It is also frustrating when AI cannot understand what the older individuals are talking about.
Setup a family account for the Grocery app just like Netflix or Disney family plan, and let their children to help them.
Not all older individuals have children who are willing to help them, and they might not want to spend their children’s money or they want to be independent.
Redesign the grocery shopping APP-
The solution I chose to continue with
By redesigning the journey map and UI, eliminating messy information and advertisements, rephrase the menu with more humanized daily words, enable more human services and pay options, the shopping APP is simpler and more friendly that they can get access to the grocery service.
PERSONA DESIGN
I have considered about all the different groups, of older individuals, and finally decided to make the target user with the group of older individuals who have the ability to read/write, and they have access to a mobile phone - they have the basic knowledge of how to use and type on a smartphone, and who are willing and capable to learn. (Those cannot read or write or don’t have access to a mobile phone at all are not the target group for this project)
PROTOTYPE of Key Interactions
Before…
Too many information & advertisements, hard to find the item needed
Too complicated to navigate
Do not know how to do online payments…
VS
Removes all unnecessary information/advertisements
Simplify journey processRephrase menu instructions: use more friendly and humanly daily words
Enable phone service and add on-delivery-payment by cash…
After…
TESTING EVIDENCES
REFLECTIONS
The prototype display varies based on specific model of smartphones as I only made prototype on my iphone13).
I wasn’t able to prototype everything given time restriction for the project, sometimes it’s confusing since not all buttons are clickable.
Another factor is, my aunt & uncle and my parents who tested my prototype actually had online shopping experience so they have the idea of how to do it in mind. I didn’t have chance to test with other older individuals in my family or relatives/friends.
I have also deleted a lot of functions that I think is not necessary for older individuals , but I am not sure how they really think about the idea. Therefore, I need to really get in touch with enough target users and make a prototype to test what changes can be made.