Enabling Multi-User Functionality
LiveTap Mobile payment terminal
About the Project
LiveTap is a mobile payment terminal that allows business owners to take payments using their mobile phones with NFC technology. As the product is relatively new in the market, we continuously gather feedback and insights from various business merchants to better understand its applications. One critical issue identified was the difficulty business owners faced in sharing access to their payment terminals with their staff. This project aimed to implement multi-user functionality to address this issue and improve overall efficiency and user satisfaction.
Role: Lead Product Designer
Team: Design Researcher, Product Manager, Product Owner, and other key business stakeholders
Objective: Enable multiple users to access and use the LiveTap payment terminal simultaneously, improving efficiency and user experience.
Setting the Vision
As the Lead Product Designer, my vision was to create a seamless multi-user experience for LiveTap's payment terminal. We aimed to address inefficiencies and user frustrations caused by the single-user limitation. Our goal was to ensure security, flexibility, and speed for business owners and their staff, while maintaining a lean and agile approach.
Measuring Impact, Ensuring Excellence
To measure the success of the project, we focused on the following metrics:
Usage Increase: Aimed for a significant rise in app usage post-implementation.
Adoption Rates: Targeted higher adoption rates among business owners and their staff.
Satisfaction Score: Used the System Usability Scale (SUS) and Net Promoter Score (NPS) to gauge user satisfaction and experience.
These metrics provided a clear framework to assess the impact of the multi-user functionality.
Understanding the Challenge
I noticed a significant drop in app adoption because business owners couldn't share access with their staff. Typically, one owner manages four to eight staff members, but our app only allowed one user to log in at a time. This limitation hindered efficient payment processing and reduced the overall value of our product.
To address this, I needed to deeply understand the underlying issues and pain points faced by our users. It was essential to identify the specific challenges and requirements of business owners and their staff. This understanding was crucial for developing a solution that would meet their needs and enhance the overall user experience.
Identifying the Issues
Primary Issues:
Business owners struggled to share access to their payment terminals with staff members.
Restricted Usage:
The inability for multiple users to access the app simultaneously hindered efficient payment processing.
Operational Inefficiencies:
Staff had to rely on the business owner to process payments, slowing down operations and affecting customer satisfaction.
Security Concerns:
Business owners needed a secure way to manage access and ensure sensitive information remained protected.
Identifying Core Needs
Identifying Key Requirements
Through comprehensive research, I identified three primary needs that were essential to our users:
Security
Business owners required control over who could access the payment terminal. Ensuring the security of sensitive information was paramount.
Flexibility
There needed to be an easy way to add and remove staff members' access. Business owners required a system that could adapt to their changing needs and staff dynamics.
Speed
Staff members needed quick and intuitive access to start processing payments. The process had to be seamless to avoid any operational delays and improve efficiency.
Gathering Requirements
I began the project with thorough planning and strategy development. This involved crafting a detailed project roadmap with clear objectives, timelines, and resource allocations. Key elements of our planning phase included:
Setting Clear Objectives: We established specific goals for implementing multi-user functionality to ensure we addressed the primary needs of our users.
Timeline Creation: Defining key milestones and deadlines helped us stay on track and ensured timely delivery.
Resource Allocation: Ensuring we had the necessary resources, including personnel and technology, was crucial for the project's success.
Connecting with People
User Interviews
I engaged with business owners and staff to gather insights into their struggles and requirements. These interviews were instrumental in identifying the primary pain points.
Observational Studies
Analyzing user interactions with the app in real-world scenarios allowed us to see firsthand how the app was being used and where it fell short.
Surveys
Collecting quantitative data through surveys helped support our findings and provided a broader perspective on user experiences.
Stakeholder Engagement
I initiated and organized workshops with various key stakeholders, including business merchants, to identify precise goals for the project, gather business requirements, and set correct expectations. These collaborative sessions were crucial in aligning our vision with the stakeholders' needs and ensuring a successful project outcome.
Research Insights
Based on consolidated research, we focused on balancing speed, security, and control. Our study's methodology involved test scenarios that probed different aspects of access management within business payment systems. Key findings from the research included.
Key Findings from Research:
Security as a Priority: An overwhelming majority (77% in Cohort 1 and 76% in Cohort 2) prioritized security and protection in managing access.
Preference for Controlled Access: A significant inclination towards controlled member access, with 85% preference over general access.
Minimal Interest in General Access: Only around 15% of business owners were willing to consider unrestricted access due to heightened security risks.
These insights guided our design process, ensuring we addressed the most critical needs of our users.
My Design and Development Process
In this phase, research insights become actionable design solutions. Here's my approach.
Design Principles
In the LiveTap multi-user functionality project, we established core design principles to guide the process and ensure the final product met user needs and business goals. Here's how we approached it.
01
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Keep business owner's safe
Objective: Prioritize robust security measures and owner control.
Rationale: Business owners were concerned about security and needed to feel confident in managing access.
02
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User Control and Customization
Objective: Allow customizable access permissions for flexibility.
Rationale: Different roles required different access levels, so we needed to cater to various needs.
03
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Keeping it easy to use
Objective: Create a user-friendly interface that reduces the learning curve.
Rationale: Quick adoption was crucial for minimizing operational disruptions.
04
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Efficiency equals speed
Objective: Ensure quick access and fast payment processing.
Rationale: Efficient operations were key to maintaining customer satisfaction.
05
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Lay the foundations to scale
Objective: Maintain consistency across all screens and interactions.
Rationale: Consistency enhances user experience and allows for easy scalability.
Creating Design Variants
After setting the core principles, I developed three distinct design versions to address different aspects of user needs and desired outcomes.
Security and Control
Prioritized robust security measures and owner control.
Objective: Ensure robust security and owner control.
Outcome: Provide a secure solution where owners manage access confidently.
Flexibility and Speed
Focused on easy, quick access and flexibility for staff members.
Objective: Enable quick access and flexibility for staff.
Outcome: Enhance operational efficiency by allowing staff to handle transactions independently.
Control, Choice, and Options
Balanced control with user choice and additional options.
Objective: Balance control with customizable user options.
Outcome: Offer a flexible system with specific permissions for different roles.
Prototyping and Testing
I designed complete flows for each version and developed prototypes. We conducted A/B testing to evaluate each flow, gathering data to determine user preferences and effectiveness. This process provided clear insights into the most preferred flows and informed the stakeholders' decision-making.
User Testing and Feedback:
Scenario 1: Flexibility and Speed
Basic Account Operations: Low viability due to security risks. Comfort levels averaged 5.5/10 in Group 1 and 6.1/10 in Group 2.
Scenario 2: Security and Control
Moderate viability with improved security. Comfort levels averaged 7.5/10 in Group 1 and 7/10 in Group 2.
Scenario 3: Control, Choice, and Options
High viability with user-friendly design and robust security. Comfort levels averaged 7.5/10 and 7/10, with significant positive feedback.
Presenting Findings
I presented the A/B testing results to stakeholders, comparing and contrasting the different design flows. This presentation highlighted the pros and cons of each version, supported by user feedback and testing data. These insights were crucial for making an informed decision on the final design.
Finalising the Design
After selecting the preferred flow, I integrated it into our design system. Using the complete design system kit, I built out the screens ready for development. Detailed design documentation, interactions, and specifications were created to ensure a smooth handoff to developers.
Leveraging the Design System
By utilizing our pre-existing design system tailored to the payment terminal, we could rapidly prototype and test new screens. This accelerated the design process, allowing us to quickly iterate and refine the multi-user functionality. We also incorporated new components into the design system, ensuring consistency and ease of use.
Collaborating with Developers
I conducted multiple education sessions with stakeholders and developers to explain the functionality, interactions, and behaviours of the multi-user design. This included differentiating the business owner’s view and flows from the staff member flows. The finalized designs were handed off to developers for implementation, ensuring everyone was aligned and informed about the new features and updates.
Visual Design Flows
The provided images depict the different user flows for scenarios, focusing on:
Adding and Managing Members: Different methods for providing access codes or using mobile numbers.
Setting Up Accounts: Streamlined processes for new users and managing existing accounts.
User Interaction and Experience: Emphasis on security, ease of use, and control.
These insights and visual flows guided the final design and development process, ensuring a user-centric approach that meets the core needs of LiveTap's business owners and their staff.
Outcomes & Results
As I reflect on the LiveTap multi-user functionality project, I am proud to share the outcomes and results we achieved. Our concerted efforts led to significant improvements in app usage, adoption rates, and user satisfaction. By addressing critical pain points and enhancing the user experience, we positioned LiveTap for future success.
Achieving Results
Our concerted efforts led to significant improvements.
Usage Increase: A 40% increase in app usage after implementing multi-user functionality.
Adoption Rates: A 35% increase in adoption rates among business owners and staff.
Satisfaction Score: Positive feedback, with 90% of users rating their experience highly using the SUS and NPS scales.
Impact on LiveTap's Operations
The new system addressed LiveTap’s immediate challenges and positioned them better for future opportunities. By enhancing system reliability and efficiency, LiveTap could manage their payment terminals more effectively and secure higher customer retention and acquisition.
Successes and Challenges
While the project was largely successful, it was not without challenges:
Successes: Significant improvements in system reliability, efficiency, and user satisfaction.
Challenges: Tight deadlines and the complexity of implementing secure multi-user access required agile methods and innovative problem-solving.
Designing fast smart and strategic solutions
By leading the LiveTap project, I successfully enabled multi-user functionality, resolved critical pain points, and enhanced the user experience. This project showcases my ability to drive impactful, user-centric solutions and demonstrates the value of integrating new features into an existing design system efficiently.
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