#UserResearch
#web
#Figma
Seller Experience
Seller Experience
Seller Experience
Seller Experience
Seller Experience
Seller Experience
In the summer of 2023, I collaborated with BuyMySpot, an emerging campus parking app at a Big 10 school, to identify the needs of parking spot sellers. I designed a dashboard and a calendar to further facilitate sellers' workflows.
In the summer of 2023, I collaborated with BuyMySpot, an emerging campus parking app at a Big 10 school, to identify the needs of parking spot sellers. I designed a dashboard and a calendar to further facilitate sellers' workflows.
In the summer of 2023, I collaborated with BuyMySpot, an emerging campus parking app at a Big 10 school, to identify the needs of parking spot sellers. I designed a dashboard and a calendar to further facilitate sellers' workflows.
In the summer of 2023, I collaborated with BuyMySpot, an emerging campus parking app at a Big 10 school, to identify the needs of parking spot sellers. I designed a dashboard and a calendar to further facilitate sellers' workflows.
In the summer of 2023, I collaborated with BuyMySpot, an emerging campus parking app at a Big 10 school, to identify the needs of parking spot sellers. I designed a dashboard and a calendar to further facilitate sellers' workflows.
In the summer of 2023, I collaborated with BuyMySpot, an emerging campus parking app at a Big 10 school, to identify the needs of parking spot sellers. I designed a dashboard and a calendar to further facilitate sellers' workflows.
June - July 2023
Timeline
UX Designer
Role
June - July 2023
Timeline
UX Designer
Role
Tools
Tools
Figma
Miro
From a User Pain Point to a Product Selling Point
From a User Pain Point to a Product Selling Point
The founder of BuyMySpot received numerous calls from parking spot owners requesting a feature to manage their parking spot availability on the backend. The current seller-end interface lacked tools to view and manage spot availability effectively. The founder asked me and another designer to conduct thorough market research to understand the sellers' needs and help design a "dashboard" to solve this problem.
After extensive research and user interviews, we designed a comprehensive "seller's portal" feature that empowered landlords to efficiently manage their parking spots and availability. This newly designed feature has now become a key selling point for BuyMySpot, attracting more landlords to the platform.
The founder of BuyMySpot received numerous calls from parking spot owners requesting a feature to manage their parking spot availability on the backend. The current seller-end interface lacked tools to view and manage spot availability effectively. The founder asked me and another designer to conduct thorough market research to understand the sellers' needs and help design a "dashboard" to solve this problem.
After extensive research and user interviews, we designed a comprehensive "seller's portal" feature that empowered landlords to efficiently manage their parking spots and availability. This newly designed feature has now become a key selling point for BuyMySpot, attracting more landlords to the platform.
When the project started, we mapped out a timeline.
Yet the design process was not always as planned ;)
Competitor Analysis
Competitor Analysis
As shown in the timeline, we first conducted secondary research on competitors, both direct and indirect, noting how they help their users manage listings and availability.
Two companies' designs caught our attention. The first was Spacer, a direct competitor. They use a dashboard to list all information about the listings and revenues. It provides a great layout for us to benchmark, but the design was sketchy and lacked information hierarchy.
Another analogous competitor is Airbnb. It has a very mature system for homeowners to manage their listings. We love its UI and minimalistic design. However, the system is designed for properties, and we want to further discover how managing parking spots is different.
As shown in the timeline, we first conducted secondary research on competitors, both direct and indirect, noting how they help their users manage listings and availability.
Two companies' designs caught our attention. The first was Spacer, a direct competitor. They use a dashboard to list all information about the listings and revenues. It provides a great layout for us to benchmark, but the design was sketchy and lacked information hierarchy.
Another analogous competitor is Airbnb. It has a very mature system for homeowners to manage their listings. We love its UI and minimalistic design. However, the system is designed for properties, and we want to further discover how managing parking spots is different.
User Interviews
User Interviews
After getting better understanding of the context and existing solution, we started to reach out to land lords and real estate managers to hear how they feel about the problem. In general, we asked questions about how they manage their parking spots, their existing experience with the product and what they expect to have.
After getting better understanding of the context and existing solution, we started to reach out to land lords and real estate managers to hear how they feel about the problem. In general, we asked questions about how they manage their parking spots, their existing experience with the product and what they expect to have.
Interview Findings
Interview Findings
1
Sellers want to manage an entire parking lot with different floors, both sheltered and unsheltered.
Managing parking spots is way more complicated than managing properties as we need to categorize them according to many factors.
1
Sellers want to manage an entire parking lot with different floors, both sheltered and unsheltered.
Managing parking spots is way more complicated than managing properties as we need to categorize them according to many factors.
1
Sellers want to manage an entire parking lot with different floors, both sheltered and unsheltered.
Managing parking spots is way more complicated than managing properties as we need to categorize them according to many factors.
2
They wish to know all the available spots for a sepcific date range
Landlords and real estate managers receive calls from people outside of our platform asking about available spots. Currently, they need to check availability using a gigantic spreadsheet. They wish to access this information with ease.
2
They wish to know all the available spots for a sepcific date range
Landlords and real estate managers receive calls from people outside of our platform asking about available spots. Currently, they need to check availability using a gigantic spreadsheet. They wish to access this information with ease.
2
They wish to know all the available spots for a sepcific date range
Landlords and real estate managers receive calls from people outside of our platform asking about available spots. Currently, they need to check availability using a gigantic spreadsheet. They wish to access this information with ease.
3
It's even better to be able access those information from a mobile device
During the interviews, many of them mentioned that they receive phone calls when they're outside of the office. They hope they can check the availability on the web app from their phone.
3
It's even better to be able access those information from a mobile device
During the interviews, many of them mentioned that they receive phone calls when they're outside of the office. They hope they can check the availability on the web app from their phone.
3
It's even better to be able access those information from a mobile device
During the interviews, many of them mentioned that they receive phone calls when they're outside of the office. They hope they can check the availability on the web app from their phone.
Personas
Personas
To help us stick with our user and pain points in the design process, we created 3 personas for our primary (Seller) and secondary (buyer) users.
To help us stick with our user and pain points in the design process, we created 3 personas for our primary (Seller) and secondary (buyer) users.
How Might We
How Might We
How Might We
How Might We
How Might We
How Might We
help sellers to manage all the parking spots and check the availability of each spot from our website?
Designing at the Speed of Light
(why we skipped some steps ;- )
Designing at the Speed of Light
(why we skipped some steps ;- )
We had planned to spend more time on user research, but we received a Slack message asking us to start prototyping as we had a limited amount of time to get this feature developed. Working with startups involves a lot of rapid iterations, and as designers, we have to adapt and design with whatever information we have at the moment.
We had planned to spend more time on user research, but we received a Slack message asking us to start prototyping as we had a limited amount of time to get this feature developed. Working with startups involves a lot of rapid iterations, and as designers, we have to adapt and design with whatever information we have at the moment.
Ideation I
(A Dashboard is not enough)
Ideation I
(A Dashboard is not enough)
Based on the insights gathered from the interviews, we brainstormed ideas for an "all-in-one" dashboard interface that displays available listings, upcoming renters, messages, and some revenue insights.
However, this dashboard still lacks the capability to display the availability for all listings, as it can only serve as an "at-a-glance" overview section.
Based on the insights gathered from the interviews, we brainstormed ideas for an "all-in-one" dashboard interface that displays available listings, upcoming renters, messages, and some revenue insights.
However, this dashboard still lacks the capability to display the availability for all listings, as it can only serve as an "at-a-glance" overview section.
Ideation II
(We need a powerful calendar )
Ideation II
(We need a powerful calendar )
Remember when I mentioned "Airbnb" as a competitor above? They have a unique feature called "multicalendar" that helps their sellers manage their properties. Inspired by the concept of using a calendar to manage listings, I got an idea to also build a calendar that displays the number of available spots for each day and a search section allowing users to search for available spots within a specific date range.
Remember when I mentioned "Airbnb" as a competitor above? They have a unique feature called "multicalendar" that helps their sellers manage their properties. Inspired by the concept of using a calendar to manage listings, I got an idea to also build a calendar that displays the number of available spots for each day and a search section allowing users to search for available spots within a specific date range.
Wireframing the Calendar
(It's way harder than we expected)
Wireframing the Calendar
(It's way harder than we expected)
Nobody in the market has created a calendar for our situation. For the sake of time, we started to wireframe the calendar, yet nothing seemed to be the right solution. An availability calendar can only show the availability for a specific date, but how do we view the date range for each specific lease?
Nobody in the market has created a calendar for our situation. For the sake of time, we started to wireframe the calendar, yet nothing seemed to be the right solution. An availability calendar can only show the availability for a specific date, but how do we view the date range for each specific lease?
Two Calendars For Different Use Cases
Two Calendars For Different Use Cases
After iterating on the calendar for 3 times, we realized the best way to display availability and the leases date range is to have two calendars.
For scenario that seller want to check the available spot for a specific time range, a monthly view calenlar is the most clean and easy to read layout; if they want to manage each specific leases or spot's availability, a "multicalendar" like airbnb's one is preferred.
Our client agreed to our solution, and we began the wireframing work for the Dashboard. Although I wasn't sure if we had succeeded in creating the most appealing design, it was a solution developed under time constraints that addressed all the issues.
After iterating on the calendar for 3 times, we realized the best way to display availability and the leases date range is to have two calendars.
For scenario that seller want to check the available spot for a specific time range, a monthly view calenlar is the most clean and easy to read layout; if they want to manage each specific leases or spot's availability, a "multicalendar" like airbnb's one is preferred.
Our client agreed to our solution, and we began the wireframing work for the Dashboard. Although I wasn't sure if we had succeeded in creating the most appealing design, it was a solution developed under time constraints that addressed all the issues.
Wireframing the Dashboard
Wireframing the Dashboard
For the dashboard, we focused on a most minimalistic way to displaying the information so they can stand out to our user. We hope to minimized the effort reading those information, so we tried to visualize all the quantitative data.
For the dashboard, we focused on a most minimalistic way to displaying the information so they can stand out to our user. We hope to minimized the effort reading those information, so we tried to visualize all the quantitative data.
Dashboard Key Features
Dashboard Key Features
Today's Insights
Today's Insights
The top section shows all the notifications and pending requests. We prioritize these information so sellers won't miss any new buyers.
The top section shows all the notifications and pending requests. We prioritize these information so sellers won't miss any new buyers.
What's happening
What's happening
This section presents a comprehensive list of starting and endings leases. Such a layout enables property owners to easily handle recent leases that require their attention.
This section presents a comprehensive list of starting and endings leases. Such a layout enables property owners to easily handle recent leases that require their attention.
Panel
Panel
The panel is the key part of the dashboard. By visualizing the earnings, availability and occupancy data, this panel can display all important info to the buyers all at once.
The panel is the key part of the dashboard. By visualizing the earnings, availability and occupancy data, this panel can display all important info to the buyers all at once.
Calendar Key Features
Calendar Key Features
Multicalendar
Multicalendar
The multicalendar is for sellers to check leases in each parking structures or locations. They can also easily message buyers in this calendar.
The multicalendar is for sellers to check leases in each parking structures or locations. They can also easily message buyers in this calendar.
Availability Calendar
Availability Calendar
The availability calendar more solely focuses on helping buyers check available spots during a specific day range.
The availability calendar more solely focuses on helping buyers check available spots during a specific day range.
Components
Components
Reflection
Reflection
Designing the dashboard and calendar feature for BuyMySpot was an enriching experience that allowed me to delve into the unique needs of business owners in the parking industry. Throughout the process, I had the privilege of interviewing our buyer users, who provided valuable insights into their daily challenges and expectations. In creating the dashboard and calendar, I aimed to strike a balance between visual appeal and functional informativeness, focusing on presenting data in a clear and concise manner while incorporating visually engaging elements.
Looking back, I am proud to see that the dashboard and calendar feature has become a key selling point for BuyMySpot's website, validating the importance of understanding user needs and designing solutions that address their pain points effectively. Although my internship ended before I could gather extensive user feedback, I am excited to apply the lessons learned from this project to future endeavors, where I can further develop my skills in designing intuitive and user-centric interfaces that solve real-world problems and contribute to the success of businesses.
Designing the dashboard and calendar feature for BuyMySpot was an enriching experience that allowed me to delve into the unique needs of business owners in the parking industry. Throughout the process, I had the privilege of interviewing our buyer users, who provided valuable insights into their daily challenges and expectations. In creating the dashboard and calendar, I aimed to strike a balance between visual appeal and functional informativeness, focusing on presenting data in a clear and concise manner while incorporating visually engaging elements.
Looking back, I am proud to see that the dashboard and calendar feature has become a key selling point for BuyMySpot's website, validating the importance of understanding user needs and designing solutions that address their pain points effectively. Although my internship ended before I could gather extensive user feedback, I am excited to apply the lessons learned from this project to future endeavors, where I can further develop my skills in designing intuitive and user-centric interfaces that solve real-world problems and contribute to the success of businesses.
