Extending an Existing Design

Culture Booster, a bootstrapped B2B startup based in St. Paul, Minnesota, empowers businesses through employee engagement software (EES). Their mission: improve work lives by fostering feedback sharing, collaboration, goal setting, and employee innovation.

UX Researcher, UX Designer

Stephanie Lenertz, Anne Kaune, Aimee Lee

Competitive Audit, Affinity Diagramming, Stakeholder Interview, User Journey Mapping, Varying fidelity Wireframes, Feature Concept Cards, Tech Scoping, Kano Analysis, Annotated Wireframes

Figma, Adobe Photoshop, Google Doc, Google Sheets , Google Slides, Microsoft Excel, Zoom

Understanding the Employee Engagement Software Landscape (Competitive Analysis)

To identify opportunities for Culture Booster, my team and I conducted a competitive analysis of five leading EES platforms: Kudos, Bonusly, Kazoo, Awardco, and Refresh (some identified by the client, others through research). We compared them across key features like recognition, incentives, and social interaction (see image above for detailed criteria).

Teamwork and Data Organization:

Using a collaborative Figjam board, we documented each competitor's functionalities, focusing on similarities, differences, and unique features. We then employed affinity diagramming to categorize this data. Finally, a team member compiled our findings into a spreadsheet, using a simple "yes/no" system to indicate each competitor's capabilities due to limited hands-on experience.

Insights and Their Impact:

This competitive analysis revealed crucial insights:

• Recognition is a priority: All competitors prioritize recognition tools, suggesting its user value.

• Incentive gap: Notably, Culture Booster lacked an incentive program, a potential area for improvement.

• Social interaction focus: Most competitors incorporate or aim for social activity feeds, highlighting the desire for community within EES platforms.

Connecting Research to Problem:

These findings directly tie back to Culture Booster's current limitations (as outlined in the problem statement): While fostering collaboration and goal setting, the platform lacks functionalities to capture user feedback and innovative ideas. This absence hinders Culture Booster's ability to adapt and improve based on user needs, an area where competitor platforms excel through features like social interaction. By incorporating similar functionalities, Culture Booster can bridge this gap and create a more engaging user experience.

Stakeholder Insights and Feature Focus:

To align with Culture Booster's vision, we conducted a kickoff interview with the co-founder and CEO. This conversation provided valuable insights on the two desired features – STARs (recognition) and Suggestions (idea capture) – that directly address the identified limitations (refer to problem statement).

• STARs: The CEO emphasized the importance of positive reinforcement, currently lacking in most organizations, and hindering employee motivation. STARs aims to address this by offering a structured framework for delivering meaningful recognition ("sticks") across all levels.

• Suggestions: The CEO envisions a guided form for capturing employee ideas, fostering innovation within Culture Booster's platform.

Understanding Through Research:

By combining stakeholder insights with the competitive analysis, I gained a comprehensive understanding of the problem space, target users, and overall project goals. This holistic perspective proved instrumental in developing user personas and defining the user journey map for the design phase.

User Journey Map - Current State

User Journey Insights:

The user journey map depicts a manager's perspective on tackling employee stress, low performance, and burnout. It aligns with the user story: Managers seek to leverage Culture Booster to improve team morale through employee recognition and suggestion capture.

Highlighting Feature Gaps:

The map exposes limitations in the current platform. Without functionalities for sending STAR recognition or capturing suggestions, opportunities are missed to foster a positive work environment and employee well-being. These identified gaps directly informed the initial design concepts for the proposed features.

Addressing Core Needs Through Feature Designs

From the gaps in the user journey map for the current state and the focus areas identified by the client, I ideated five potential features that would meet the vision of the Culture Booster. These five features are displayed in the below feature cards.

Prioritizing Features Through Collaboration (Tech Scoping)

To streamline the design process and ensure technical feasibility, I collaborated with team members and the Culture Booster team. We consolidated our feature ideas (89 total) onto a FigJam board and used affinity diagramming for organization.

During a joint presentation, we walked the CEO and lead developer through each feature card. The developer provided estimated development time using a point system (1 point = 1 day). This valuable insight, alongside a predefined development budget of 20 points (equivalent to 4 weeks of work), would guide our recommendation process.

Prioritization Through User Research (Voting)

Following technical scoping with the client, my team and I employed a two-step approach to prioritize features

Step 1: Internal Alignment:

• Dot voting: We used a dot voting method to identify the top ten features. My vote focused heavily on functionalities within the STARs and Suggestions categories, aligning with the client's priorities identified during the stakeholder interview. These features, particularly the STARs recognition form, presented significant value for Culture Booster by enhancing the platform and offering a key differentiator in the competitive EES market.

Step 2: User Validation:

• User survey: The top ten features were incorporated into a survey sent to seven research participants. Participants rated each feature based on necessity, functionality, attractiveness, and importance.

• Kano analysis: The survey results informed the Kano analysis, a tool that helped us categorize features based on user satisfaction and prioritize accordingly.

User Feedback Through Kano Analysis

To gauge user needs and prioritize features, we employed the Kano analysis. Ten proposed features were presented to seven research participants through a survey. Each participant:

• Rated their feelings: Responded to questions like "How would you feel if this feature was absent?" on a scale of Like, Expect, Neutral, Tolerate, and Dislike.

• Assessed importance: Rated feature importance on a scale of 1 (not important) to 7 (very important).

Data Analysis and Prioritization:

• By analyzing survey responses, we categorized features using the Kano model's six classifications:

  • Performance: Desired but not essential. Users like it when present, dislike it when absent.

  • Attractive: Pleasant surprise. Users like it when present, but don't necessarily expect it.

  • Must-be: Essential feature. Users expect it and dislike its absence.

  • Questionable: Unclear impact. User response varies with presence or absence.

  • Reverse: Detrimental feature. Users dislike it when present, prefer its absence.

  • Indifferent: Users have no strong preference for presence or absence.

  Collaborative Approach for Efficiency:

  To streamline the analysis, my team adopted designated roles: one person reading survey results while another plotted them on a physical Kano table (see image). I volunteered to create a digital copy on FigJam for future reference. Following this process for each feature, we collaboratively determined the overall Kano category.

  This efficient and collaborative approach provided valuable user insights reflected in the Kano analysis. These insights directly informed the prioritization of features for the high-fidelity prototype, ensuring development efforts focused on user needs with a quick turnaround time.

Prioritization for Development

Guided by three key factors – the 20-point development budget, identified gaps in the customer journey map, and insights from the Kano analysis – I narrowed down the ten features to a focused set of six:

• STARs Recognition System (12 Total Dev Points):

  • Homepage (7 Points): Provides a central location to view all recognitions and facilitate interaction through comments.

  • Recognition Form (3 Points): Offers a user-friendly guided structure for sending peer-to-peer recognition.

  • Confetti Celebration (2 Points): Adds a fun, interactive element to acknowledge employee achievements.

• Suggestions Management System (8 Total Dev Points):

  • Homepage (3 Points): Creates a central hub for users to track the status of submitted suggestions (pending votes, implemented, etc.).

  • My Ideas Page (2 Points): Empowers users with a personalized view of their submitted ideas, including options to revisit and potentially revive rejected suggestions.

  • Suggestion Form (3 Points): Leverages a guided form similar to the STARs recognition form, streamlining the idea submission process.

Rationale for Feature Selection:

This selection prioritizes functionalities that address both user needs and development feasibility. The STARs recognition system, categorized as "Attractive" or "Must-be" in the Kano analysis, directly addresses a core gap in the current platform and fosters a culture of appreciation. Likewise, the Suggestions Management System, with features like "My Ideas Page" (categorized as "Attractive"), empowers users and encourages innovation. The inclusion of a guided suggestion form aligns with the successful implementation of the STARs recognition form, promoting user-friendly idea submission.

Balancing Budget and Impact:

By strategically allocating development points within the 20-point budget, these features effectively bridge identified gaps in the user journey map, while remaining within development constraints.

User Journey Map - Future State

Building upon the initial user journey map, I created an updated version reflecting the impact of the chosen features (mentioned above).

This map showcases how the "STARs Recognition System" and "Suggestions Management System" improve the user experience and address the limitations identified in the problem statement:

• STARs Recognition System: The ability to send and view recognitions fosters a culture of appreciation, directly addressing the lack of positive reinforcement in the current platform.

• Suggestions Management System: Features like the "My Ideas Page" and the ability to "revive" rejected suggestions empower employees and encourage them to contribute. This directly tackles the lack of a channel for user feedback and innovative ideas within Culture Booster.

The Power of User Input:

The figure-eight visualizes the cyclical nature of the "Suggestions" feature. Users can revise and resubmit ideas that weren't initially successful. This demonstrates a user-centric approach, valuing employee input and providing them with the opportunity to refine and advocate for their ideas. This fosters a sense of being heard and valued, ultimately leading to a more positive user experience.

Refined Feature Designs

The final project deliverable comprised high-fidelity wireframes with annotations for the recommended features. While initial low-fidelity sketches included concepts from teammates, I faced a challenge in fully interpreting their vision.

To bridge this gap, I leveraged these sketches for visual inspiration, incorporating key elements while redesigning the concepts based on my design style and research insights. This ensured the features aligned with client needs and user requirements (as defined in the problem statement and user research).

Annotated Wireframes for Clarity:

The following section presents annotated high-fidelity wireframes for the six recommended features (see below). These annotations provide a clear understanding of the design rationale and functionality for each feature.

The STAR Confetti Celebration design is one of my favorites. The design balances client and user needs with a familiar structure for easy adoption. It optimizes user experience and boosts engagement.

While the "STARs confetti" wasn't a top priority, I included it to bring a spark of joy to users, especially after the pandemic's challenges. Who doesn't love confetti?

This design, selected by Culture Booster to increase user engagement, was implemented in Q2 2022. The wireframes use clear annotations and a logical layout for easy scanning. Culture Booster logos and Kano analysis data support the design decisions.

CONCLUSION

Enhancing Employee Engagement: A User-Centered Approach

Culture Booster engaged our team to design new features for their EES platform within a 1-week development timeframe. Our approach addressed both user and business needs:

• Understanding Requirements: We began by delving into the founder's vision, analyzing the competitive landscape, and comprehensively examining the current user journey through journey mapping.

• User-Driven Design: This research informed the development of a prioritized list of 10 features. User feedback on these features was then gathered via a Kano analysis, allowing us to focus on features that demonstrably enhance user experience and address the platform's limitations as outlined in the problem statement. (Refer back to the problem statement for details on these limitations)

• Solutions for Growth: Six features were ultimately recommended, designed to foster employee engagement through recognition with the STARs system and encourage innovation with the Suggestions Management System. These features cater directly to the identified gaps in the current platform, aligning with business goals for differentiation in the EES market.

Investing in the Future:

While Culture Booster has a strong foundation with its engaging content and user-friendly design, these recommendations offer a strategic roadmap for further development. Implementing these features can be a first step, followed by usability testing to gather further user insights and refine the platform for optimal engagement. This iterative approach will solidify Culture Booster's position as a leader in the EES space.

NEXT STEP

Iterative Refinement Through User Testing

While time constraints limited usability testing with actual users during this project, the next crucial step involves creating high-fidelity, interactive prototypes. These prototypes will then be utilized for think-aloud usability testing with primary user groups.

Benefits of Usability Testing:

• Task Success Evaluation: Observing user interaction will reveal any difficulties users encounter while completing tasks on the platform.

• Performance and Functionality Assessment: Usability testing provides insights into the platform's overall usability and functionality, highlighting areas for potential improvement.

• Uncovering New Opportunities: User testing can often uncover unforeseen feature needs or areas for further exploration. These insights will inform future iterations and refine the recommended features.

Additional Features for Consideration:

The Kano analysis also identified user interest in two additional features:

• Preference Profile: This feature would allow employees to express their personal interests, potentially assisting peers in gift selection or informing managers about team culture activities.

• Suggestion Demographics Page: While acknowledging the sensitivity of such data, this anonymous feature could provide employees with valuable information about representation within the company, fostering inclusivity and support.

Prioritizing Further Development:

Based on the results of usability testing and the potential value of these additional features, a development roadmap can be established for future iterations, ensuring the platform continuously evolves to meet user needs.

Reflection and Key Takeaway

This project presented a valuable learning experience within a tight timeframe. While challenging, it fostered significant growth in several key areas:

• User-Centered Design: I honed my ability to design with the user in mind, prioritizing research and user feedback throughout the design process.

• Collaboration: The project emphasized the importance of effective collaboration within a team. By combining diverse perspectives, we achieved a more comprehensive solution.

• Prioritization and Iteration: Managing a limited development budget demanded prioritization skills. The project also highlighted the iterative nature of design, where user testing informs future refinements.

Moving Forward:

One key takeaway involves a constant learning mindset. I am actively working on overcoming the tendency to dwell on minutiae and embrace the efficiencies of leveraging existing design elements. This project solidified the importance of focusing on core functionalities and user needs while maintaining a flexible approach to accommodate future iterations.