HomesRunner App
Usability Testing & Review
Client
HomesRunner Client
HomesRunner’s is a Minnesota based phone app delivered by Tamadtech in 2022. HomesRunner’s goal is to directly connect homeowners with home service providers while empowering the homeowners to get the best services at the best possible price. HomesRunner currently allows you to quickly and easily find a service provider to take care of household tasks like painting, repairs, handywork, and cleaning. HomesRunner empowers the homeowner by allowing them to get bids from multiple providers resulting in lowering stress and financial burdens.
Project Overview
HomesRunner hired UX Designer and Researcher Matt Berdahl(myself) to approach this problem with the Prime Digital Academy UX Design and research program. HomesRunner stakeholders have asked him to research what’s wrong with the current app and produce a Findings and Recommendations Report based on key user tasks.
Key User TasksGet bids from service providers on a home project that needs to be done
Book a provider for immediate ASAP work (‘on-demand’)
Select and book a preferred service provider
Cancel a booked service
Check previous bookings for the scheduled appointment time, provider name and booking status
Primary User Groups
New home owners with older homes aged 18-35 looking to book a home repair service with a top notch service provider.
Existing home owners with older homes aged 36 and above looking to book a home repair service with a top notch service provider.
Managers of Old Apartment Buildings looking to find qualified home service providers to fix issues within their apartment units.
Homeowner Associations looking to find qualified home service providers to fix issues within their properties.
Direct & Indirect Competitors or Comparators
Task Rabbit: Good at offering lots of options (Task Rabbit has about 75-80% market share). But it’s missing any sort of service provider bidding system inside the platform. Task Rabbit lets providers name their price, instead of empowering users to get multiple bids and effectively name theirs.
Angi (formerly Angie’s List): Good at walking users through the process to submit a service request. It’s an easy to understand and intuitive user interface. However, it is missing any sort of service provider bidding system inside the platform or the ability for users to request on demand services. Users typically have to wait at least a few days to receive service, based on limited provider availability.
Story of Approach
In the span of 7 days, I had the opportunity to work with HomesRunner App on a client project in conjunction with the Prime Digital Academy’s UX Design and Research program. I was brought on to discover and highlight issues with the HomesRunner app with the data being synthesize into a Final Findings and Recommendations Report. To get the ball rolling on this situation, I wanted to start studying the history of the HomesRunner app and competitive landscape. A Heuristic Analysis of the current app was the next step. After educating myself on the HomesRunner app, it made the most sense to create a Usability Test Plan with UX peers, .
Next a Usability Review was developed. This helped generate a Usability Test Script. Dovetailing this I conducted an Individual Usability Test and that was an essential step leading to building a Raw Data Repository for myself and other UX Peers. Before collecting and synthesizing all the data we gathered so far, we met with a panel of professionals currently working in the industry for insight and feedback on systems they currently use that are successful for them. With all the systems now in place, as a group of UX peers, we conducted Group Usability Tests.
The eventual culmination of the project had results being gathered as a team was then taken individually to finally synthesize data into a Findings and Recommendations Report to be shared with HomesRunner.
My Role
UX Designer & Researcher
mattberdahlux@gmail.com
www.mattberdahl.com
(612) 367-6499
As a designer & researcher for this project, professional goals were:
Conduct research in order to understand pain points and opportunity areas.
Evaluate the usability of an existing design using a set of pre-defined success criteria.
Propose relevant methods for evaluating designs/prototypes.
Gain experience planning and facilitating in-person and remote usability tests.
Synthesize research findings to identify meaningful insights.
Visually present design recommendations that support key goals to stake holders.
Follow up goal, to present a professional portfolio showcasing my UX process and resulting work.
Design Toolkit
Notion - Tracking Projects & Sharing Documents
Figma - Wireframing & Prototyping Web Layout
Adobe Creative Cloud - Photoshop & Creating PDF’s
Apple MacBook Pro - Case Study Computer
Trello - Data Repository
Google Suite - Scheduling & Meeting Coordination, Internet Data Searching, File Collection, Text and Script origination, Emailing & Participant Communication
Usability Test Plan
Usability Test Plan
Approach:
To ensure a successful UX engagement for the HomesRunner application, we began by understanding our goals and questions. We reviewed user and site goals, established research goals and questions, and structured our usability test accordingly. During Phase One, we debriefed and laid the groundwork by using the phone application, familiarizing ourselves with the organization's documentation, and creating a shared whiteboard to discuss goals. We documented any hypothesized changes to the goals provided for the organization, user group, and application's intent.
Outcome:
As a result of our analysis, we found that the founder of HomesRunner had a clear understanding of the areas of help that were needed with the phone app. We concluded that the key tasks he requested assistance with needed the greatest focus, and we prepared for usability testing by proposing goals, solidifying key tasks, and creating realistic scenarios for the participants to use. Our approach helped us gain valuable insights, which we used to improve the application's user experience.
Usability Review
Approach:
I solidified the main tasks that a user should be able to accomplish with the HomesRunner app. Then I performed these tasks and recorded my findings in a Heuristic Analysis. Specifically, I recorded myself performing activities deliberately and slowly talking out loud about what I was doing, experiencing, and thinking. Then I went back to the audio recording and typed out the things that didn’t work as expected, things that did work as expected, and anything that could impact the user based on their unique context. All of the findings were collected and shared using Notion. It should be noted that I used The Nielsen Usability Severity Rating Scale.
Heuristic Analysis
Outcome:
Confirmation was established that the HomesRunner app was in need of a user experience upgrade. The app was full of various moments of issues of user control and freedom elements being difficult. The overall experience had very radical moments of simplicity that was enjoyed but then other moments where you get lost and no help is available for understanding or context.
Usability Test Script
Usability Test Scripts
Approach:
As part of our UX engagement for HomesRunner application, I created a usability test script with my peers after conducting a Heuristic Analysis. This script was based on our Usability Test Plan and included a moderator script and an observer/notetaker guide. The moderator script included follow-up questions, tech setup instructions, and note-taking space, while the observer guide contained scenarios, note-taking space, and metrics being observed.
Outcome:
Creating a usability testing script was essential in conducting a successful usability test for HomesRunner. By scripting out the test, we were able to review tasks and questions beforehand, which resulted in consistent methodology with the same questions and tasks. The script also provided a roadmap for what was said during the testing, eliminating the need to think on the fly. Additionally, the script helped determine the duration of the sessions, allowing us to time the sessions appropriately.
Individual Usability Test
Approach:
For this individual usability test, the Think-Aloud Protocol was utilized to collect data from participants by having them think out loud while performing tasks. The moderation process started with a set agenda and script but varied depending on the participant.
Outcome:
Throughout the testing process, I learned the importance of controlling all elements to truly test the intended content or workflows. I recruited participants based on specific criteria and collected data using Zoom and Google Docs, later transferring it to Trello. Despite some challenges, I gained valuable insights related to my testing goals and have identified areas for improvement in future research.
On a personal level, during the process of conducting research, an education moment was had with making sure that all elements that can be controlled are controlled to truly test the intentional content or workflows. Next time, I would have the setting established completely so the app or product is ready to be observed without worry of disruption from unintentional external elements.
Individual Usability Testing
Raw Data Repository
Raw Data Suppository
Approach:
During the research process, I made sure to properly organize my findings and share them with my team by labeling and tagging them correctly in the team's data repository. Additionally, I shared relevant research assets such as recordings and screen captures with the team.
Outcome:
As a team, we consolidated all of our data and notes from group testing into a digital repository. We chose to use Trello, which allowed us to tag and comment on each data point, keeping everything organized and focused. Although we were initially unfamiliar with the tool, we decided to push ourselves to learn it, and it ended up being a great choice for us as a team.
Group Usability Test
Group Usability Testing
Approach:
The evaluation goals were focused on understanding user empowerment, user comprehension of the app's purpose, and identifying pain points in navigating the core functions of the app. These goals included understanding terms like "on demand" and "bid," selecting providers and services, reviewing booking history, and canceling bookings.
Outcome:
The study found that IOS and Android users had different experiences with the app. While users were able to identify the purpose of the app, they found the language difficult to comprehend. Users wanted more information on service providers, pricing, and services. They found the app layout simple but the user flows difficult to navigate. When asked for improvements, users wanted more control and better language on the app, a search option on the home screen, and clearer language with tooltips to address ambiguous phrasing. Overall, the study highlighted the importance of clear language, upfront information, and simplified user flows to improve the user experience.
Findings & Recommendation Report
Findings and Recommendation Report
Title Slide
Findings and Recommendation Report
Usability Test Summary
Findings and Recommendation Report
Table of Contents
Approach:
To gain a comprehensive understanding of the HomesRunner app, I conducted a usability test that aimed to identify areas of improvement for the user experience. The test's objectives were to assess the app's usability, determine the effectiveness of the app's language and organization, and determine users' understanding of the app's purpose and core functions. The testing was conducted with a diverse group of participants, including both iOS and Android users.
Outcome:
After the usability testing, I synthesized my findings and created a 40-page report for HomesRunner stakeholders. The report included an executive summary, testing goals and methodology, screenshots from the test, usability review documentation, participant information, and my recommendations for improving the user experience. The report's recommendations were supported by the results of the testing and provided clear direction for improving the app's usability and user experience.
Various Recommendations For HomesRunner
HomesRunner Recommendation
Home Page
HomesRunner Recommendation
Service Page
Recommendation: Offer “Help” section in application navigation menu to reduce stress for users to engage application correctly.
Recommendation: Have product tagline on initial application home screens so users have understanding.
Recommendation: Offer “About” section in application navigation menu for users to understand all facets of application purpose.
Recommendation: Offer a “Returning Guest” option to allow for “Book Again” in bookings section or previous purchases.
Recommendation: Explore changing the language of the “On-demand“ button. Potential Opportunities: ”Emergency” or “Service ASAP”.
Recommendation : For Both IOS and Android users, offer a clear “Cancel” button not hidden in the “plus” button.
Recommendation: After entering user information and click “Bidding Option”, provide lead-in page explaining process.
Recommendation: Explore process for user to be able to have direct communication with service providers prior to bid officially being made and accepted.
Recommendation: Have “?” icon near “On-Demand” button to offer quick understanding.
Recommendation: Add “View Booking” in service orders to fix user issue with understanding how to engage each booking.
Recommendation: Make “Bill” graphic stand out so users feel in more control of their experience from start to finish.
HomesRunner Recommendation
Bookings Page
HomesRunner Recommendation
Appointment Page
Next Steps
I am excited in the long-term goals and needs of HomesRunner. It would be wonderful to see this 5 month old app/ product grow and with the Findings and Recommendations brought to light from these usability test users. The potential is their to evolve the current product to a Higher-Fidelity user friendly app!
Personal Growth
From a tools standpoint, using Trello for a raw data repository was a brand new experience.
From a personal growth standpoint, conducting a Group Usability test was a successful new exploration.
Conclusion
Upon completing the Findings and Recommendations Report for the HomesRunner stakeholders and creating this case study, a future opportunity exists to see the product grow bigger. Only time will tell what is in store for the future of this app. The mission behind this app of empowering homeowners in need of home services by lowering the stress and financial burdens placed on homeowners during significant home projects lends it self to being an app to rally behind. Thank you to all of the HomesRunner stakeholders who have taken this opportunity to explore and continue to revisit the needs of future users.
“I really like it. Concise and organized. Short blurb at top. I know exactly what this is now. Cute labeled thumbnails… Visual and words help with cognition and focus. All services can be checked out. Very clear.”
Group Usability Test Participant reflecting on accessible design for homepage.
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