Probe is a quick median to join with the world for your quick doubts and answers, chatting with people all across the globe made easy with just one post. Create groups of people and let them answer your doubts and probes.
Timeline: 1 month
How it works
Users may post a question or can help someone else regarding a query through a chat. BUT the thrill is that the asked question will disappear from the app after 24 hours, this is to maintain the buzz in the app and, so, the users don’t miss a question or the chat as it disappears after 24 hours. The asked question will lead the users to a chat they can join or not. The chat is the main platform to answer the questions for the users.
As a product designer, I managed the entire process starting from conceptualization to user research, competitor analysis, developing the UI including sketches, low-fidelity wireframes and final screens with the assistance of my teammate. With only two designers on the team, we effectively divided the tasks to meet our project timeline.
I was single-handedly responsible for the app’s prototyping.
User research
With the interview method, first step was understanding the user needs and pain points in order to shape the key features of the app. A set of a questions were sent to individuals who were regular users of various communication platforms to get an insight on what they were unsatisfied with. The result of this research was documented thoroughly
User persona
To better understand the expectations and needs of users in their early to mid-twenties, we developed two simplified user personas based on the identified pain points from our previous research. These personas include perspectives from both a stay-at-home individual and a student. A common trait between them is their curiosity about mundane topics, aligning perfectly with the objective of our app.
User Flow
Competitor Analysis
A crucial part of the research involved analysing mainstream communication platforms that offer similar services to our concept. Further, a SWOT analysis was conducted to identify their strengths and threats, enabling us to differentiate our solution and avoid repeating their weaknesses.
Initially, I navigated these apps as a user, observed their key features, and documented my findings.
I then conducted the SWOT Analysis of these platforms.
Initial Sketches
Low-fidelity wireframes
After the hand-drawn sketches, it was finally time for a transition to Figma. However, instead of rushing directly to the final screens and prototyping, we prioritized feedback. We created low-fidelity wireframes and gathered input from various individuals.
Final results
Homepage
We designed a homepage using dark colors to enhance eye comfort, considering the increased screen time across all segments of society. These colors were specifically chosen to promote a feeling of ease and comfort for users.
It offers access to all key features, including user posts and their following list, an icon directly leading to group chats, the number of people in live chat, and a taskbar leading to hashtags, the create post function, and the profile page.
The hashtag page showcases popular hashtags used in the past 24 hours and below that, an a-z glossary of all the hashtags. This is to simplify the process of question posting and to make it as quick as possible. All the users have to do is click on the letter and they will be presented with the hashtags that start with that letter.
Hashtag Page
Create a Post
This feature enables users to create a post, including a switch button for content labeling, an option to limit the number of participants in the group chat, an add option for including images, videos, or GIFs in the post and finally an interactive call-to-action share button.
Profile
The profile is a customizable page that displays a record of the user’s previous chats and questions. Given that our app aims to address users' daily queries, it is essential to provide a way for users to revisit solutions and answers from past interactions. Menu bar allows users to see their follower and following list.
Chatbox
Our chatbox feature is designed for a seamless experience with several customizable options. You can personalize your interface by changing the wallpaper and effortlessly search through messages. The number of participants is clearly displayed at the top. Additionally, you can switch between video and voice calls, as well as send images, videos, audio messages, and GIFs with ease.
Lessons learned from this project
User Research: Conducting user research helped me to look at my design from a user centric approach. Understanding the user's primary needs and pain points was also my first priority.
Iterative feedback: constantly improved the designs with the help of feedback and understood the value it holds. As you prototype an intense amount of screens and icons, it’s inevitable to miss out on a few features. I observed that the feedback I received from people helped me to notice those few things that my eyes missed. Overall, in this project we gave high priority to feedback. Our numerous design iterations were also motivated by it for ensuring a smooth UI experience.
Team coordination: worked on a team with only two designers including me. This placed heavy responsibility on my shoulders and therefore I grasped effective communication on a team with a restricted number of people. It also helped me improve my brainstorming and content documentation skills.
Early prototyping: creating low fidelity wireframes and prototyping helped me to acquire valuable feedback early on in the process. This way I could save time and avoid making beginner mistakes in later stages of design iteration. Prototyping helped in testing and validating user flows, ensuring that the navigation and interaction were intuitive and seamless.
Working with restrictions: Made this project from scratch and therefore, had to deal with many restrictions like time, feedback, team, and design/budget constraints. Ultimately, I learned that it is still possible to create a well balanced prototype despite these constraints.