EXPERTA: Product Design

Context

"In the dynamic landscape of professional environments, my journey within a woman-led company allowed me to uncover a stark reality: women are underrepresented, with a disproportionate 2-to-1 gap in leadership roles within both corporate and startup settings. This underrepresentation not only perpetuates a lack of mentorship, networking, and community-building opportunities but also stifles the growth and development of women professionals.

Through interviews with potential users, I discovered that these assertions were aligned with the lived experiences of women in professional spaces. However, what emerged as a priority was the need for a nuanced approach to support. While 1-on-1 meetings with experts were deemed essential, 80% of participants expressed a desire to start by asking questions. They felt the need to empower themselves through research before engaging with experts. Moreover, a consistent theme emerged - the importance of a supportive community alongside expert guidance. One respondent's insight, in particular, resonated: the practice of seeking advice from peers before turning to experts.

These revelations initiated a pivotal shift in my project's focus. Prioritizing user needs, I restructured the app's features, placing the 'Questions' section front and center on the home screen.

The overarching goal of my UX strategy became clear: to create a platform that empowers women to seek the support they need while fostering a nurturing community within a safe space. My approach adopted a minimalist perspective on information architecture and user flows, channeling the entire experience towards seamless connection and interaction within a community of like-minded individuals.

While the research journey did not yield any surprises, its importance lay in reaffirming the need for a holistic, community-driven approach to address the challenges professional women face. In the subsequent sections, I will delve deeper into the research process and lessons learned, shedding light on how these insights shaped the development of EXPERTA."

Seeking Understanding and Observe Behavior

Market Research & Competitive Analysis: After conducting market research and competitive analysis, I discovered that women are grossly underrepresented in corporate leadership roles and as startup founders. This lack of representation creates a gap in support for businesses within these spaces, making it challenging to build networks, access mentors, and find solutions to advance their careers. Additionally, I found that there are numerous expert advice apps on the market, but none cater specifically to women and their unique needs.

Target Audience: Our target audience comprises women entrepreneurs and professionals between the ages of 30 and 55. These individuals are deeply committed to learning, mentorship, and personal growth. They are highly ambitious but often juggle multiple responsibilities, including family, work commitments, and time constraints. As a result, time is their most valuable asset, necessitating a focus on efficiency and productivity.

User Interviews: I conducted several user interviews to gain insights into how the target audience utilizes expert advice, their feelings about such guidance, and their expectations from expert/coaching experiences.

Understanding the Data

Affinity & Empathy Mapping: I created an Affinity and Empathy map to understand how women are addressing their pain points without EXPERTA and where they currently seek the support they need.

‍Defining Pain Points: Based on my research, I discovered that women are underrepresented 2-to-1 in leadership roles within both corporate and startup settings. This underrepresentation results in a lack of mentorship, networking, and community-building opportunities for women to support each other's growth and development.

Potential Solutions: To address this issue, we propose developing a network of highly skilled individuals dedicated to helping women in business and their careers. This network would provide a simple way for women to connect with each other, build valuable connections, ask questions, and learn from each other's experiences.

‍PROTO-PERSONAS:

After selecting the target market, completing my initial user research, and identifying potential user pain points, I developed the following Proto-Personas.

User Flow:

• Crystal, a new business owner, needs help creating a go to market strategy. She logs onto EXPERTA and posts this question, "How do I create a go-to-market strategy for a B2B retail company?". She wants an expert to answer her question and help her begin the process of building her GTM.

• Tope, Retail Tech company founder and expert, answers the question and after a brief chat, suggests that Crystal takes a course and meets one-on-one with her to help her.

Clickable Prototype:

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Outcomes:

100% of participants loved the app and believed it could help them.

80% of participants agreed that having access to experts could help them in their business and professional lives.

100% of participants wanted to use the app to improve their network with skilled women.

90% of participants wanted to start the problem-solving process by posting questions and attending courses.

Conclusion: 

In this transformative journey, I've embarked on an exploration of gender disparities in leadership roles within corporate and startup domains, shedding light on the critical underrepresentation faced by professional women. The users' impact on my design process was nothing short of profound. Through interviews and feedback, I discovered that women craved a nuanced support system, with 80% expressing a preference for initiating their journey by asking questions and conducting research before engaging experts. This revelation triggered a significant overhaul of my app's structure, placing 'Questions' at the forefront. My UX strategy crystallized: empower women to seek support while cultivating a nurturing community. Although my research did not yield seismic surprises, it undeniably reinforced the need for a holistic, community-driven approach.

As I gaze forward, EXPERTA stands ready to effect meaningful change. The resounding affirmation from users, with 100% recognizing its potential to elevate their professional lives and 80% acknowledging the transformative power of accessing experts, underscores the platform's value. The users' appetite for growth, knowledge, and community is unmistakable. EXPERTA isn't just an app; it serves as a potent catalyst for change, bridging the gender gap and empowering women to ascend to new heights in their careers and businesses.

Throughout this journey, I've been profoundly impacted as a designer. The emphasis on user feedback and observational testing served as a guiding light, forcing me to simplify, refine, and adapt. Initially armed with a solid understanding of the target users' needs, I learned that the user experience they desired during problem-solving was a dynamic aspect that demanded attention. As a designer, I've always valued the human element in design, striving to avoid cognitive overload. However, this project pushed me further, challenging me to present a wealth of information in elegant, clutter-free ways, ultimately enhancing the user journey. The users' voices have indelibly shaped EXPERTA, reinforcing the transformative power of empathy-driven design.

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