A Capstone Project for BrainStations UX Design Diploma Program. This Product Solves a very common issue for most new immigrants in Canada which is the difficulty of settling in to their new home.
Project Overview
Helping New Immigrants Settle Wisely in Canada, SettleWise is a UX project designed to address the challenges faced by new immigrants when settling into their new home in Canada.
My Roles
-
UX Researcher
-
UX Designer
-
UI Designer
Timeline
-
Feb 2023 - Apr 2023
Tools
Project Impact and Achievements
This project was completed as part of a diploma program and has not yet been launched, the goal of SettleWise is to achieve a positive social impact.
The Problem
New immigrants to Canada face numerous challenges during their transition such as lack of familiarity with the country's bureaucracy, limited social support, lack of access to resources and job opportunities, and more. These difficulties can result in feelings of isolation and decreased overall well-being.
38% of immigrants reported challenges related to bureaucracy and government processes, such as difficulty understanding how to apply for government services or lack of information about their rights and responsibilities as Canadian residents
33% of recent immigrants who had lived in Canada for less than five years reported difficulties navigating government services and obtaining documents such as health cards, driver's licenses, and social insurance numbers
45% of new immigrants in Canada reported experiencing high levels of stress and anxiety related to their adjustment to their new home.
User Research
The Primary research method used was user interviews I was able to interview 4 participants all of whom met the following participant criteria
-
Immigration status: Participants must have immigrated to Canada within the last 3 years.
-
Language proficiency: basic understanding of English
-
Age: Participants must be 18 years of age or older.
-
Consent: Participants must provide consent to participate in the study.
Synthesizing
After conducting my user interviews I exercised Affinity Mapping to Synthesize my user interview findings and group the pain points, motivations and behaviours of my target demograph. After grouping my findings I was able to extract 3 main themes.
-
Difficulty knowing about or accessing resources
-
Feeling isolated and overwhelmed
-
Difficulty finding stability
So the question was
"How might we make it easier for new immigrants to learn about services and access resources that can help them adjust to life in Canada so that we can decrease the anxiety and stress that comes with settling to their new home?"
Persona
Using the information synthesized from my affinity mapping I created my persona, Kwame, who represents my target demograph and target user and mapped experience
Task Selection
After analyzing and identifying the key opportunities in the Experience Map and Insights from the User interview I was able to begin developing user stories and group them in to 5 core Epics
​​
-
Resource Discovery
-
Accessing information about resources and services
-
Connecting with other new immigrants and locals
-
Simplifying administrative processes
-
Providing personalized Support
"4. Simplifying administrative processes for new immigrants" was chosen as the most compelling narrative because it addresses a very real and pressing issue that affects many individuals who have recently moved to a new country.
By streamlining and simplifying administrative processes, new immigrants can save time, reduce stress, and better focus on settling into their new community. Using this epic, next I generated the Task flow.​
Wireframes
After sketching out the preliminary layout and interface sketch, I then began building the wireframes that I thought will best express the functionality of the Product
.png)
Usability testing
Using the wireframes built I was able to conduct usability testing to gain feedback before proceeding to high-fidelity designs.
All of my user testers were able to complete the task but had some feedbacks and feedbacks I received were more or less the same while being small details but can potentially have a high impact on the user experience.
The hardest part of the process was trying to design for everyone which I later learned that it was a mistake. I then used the Design Priority Matrix to help me focus on the feedbacks I needed to focus on
Iterations
Using the design priority matrix I then was able to focus on the high impact low effort design changes
The shading of the help icon created some confusions so I removed the fill, Resized buttons to effectively use negative the available and centered texts with icons
.png)
Changed the scrollable screen to a normal screen and changed the naming of the button since I noticed it was creating confusion and hesitations
.png)
Reordered the buttons since it was creating hesitations and users almost not knowingly tapped on back. also changed the naming of the button from "search" to "Next"
Redesigned the location radius to be more pronounced
Second round usability testing
After implementing the design changes I then set out to conduct my second round user testing. The following are my findings
-
Users found the interface more intuitive and easier to use compared to the previous version.
​
-
The majority of users were able to complete the tasks more efficiently and with no errors with minor hesitation
​
-
Users provided positive feedback on the revised version
​
-
A few users still mentioned their preferences with certain features, such as the map screen where they mentioned having the options to see more information without having to select the location pin would be preferred but that was identified as high effort medium impact and due to time constraints was not able to implement this.
High-Fidelity Design and Visual Identity
After conducting 2 rounds of user testing I was ready define the visual identity of my product using a mood board I designed. I wanted my product feel clear, calm and settled
Naming of my product: The word "settle" implies the idea of finding a new home or place to live. This resonates with the primary goal of the product, which is to help immigrants settle in quick and make it feel like their own home.
Additionally, the word "wise" suggests intelligence, knowledge, and experience, all of which are important qualities for a product designed to help immigrants navigate the challenges of settling into a new country.
High-Fidelity Design and Visual Identity
After conducting 2 rounds of user testing I was ready define the visual identity of my product using a mood board I designed and to inject colors to my wireframes
Marketing Site
The next process was designing a marketing site. I was able to design a responsive marketing site that showcases the different features of the product.
.png)
.png)
Key learnings
-
One of my key learnings in UX design has been the importance of putting the user at the center of every design decision. From user research to usability testing, understanding the needs, goals, and behaviors of users is critical to creating effective and meaningful designs.
​
-
Another critical lesson I have learned is the value of an iterative design process. Through constant feedback and iteration, I have been able to refine and improve my designs, creating solutions that are both efficient and visually pleasing
How will we measure success?
-
Positive Social Impact: Evaluate the overall impact of the product on the lives of new immigrants. This can include improved integration, increased employment opportunities, enhanced language skills, and better access to resources and support
​
-
Partnerships and Collaborations: Assess the level of engagement and partnerships with relevant stakeholders, such as settlement organizations, government agencies, and community groups. Strong collaborations demonstrate the product's credibility and potential to reach a wider audience
​
-
Adoption Rate: Evaluating the rate at which new immigrants are adopting the product A higher adoption rate indicates that the product is effectively reaching and attracting its target audience