Enhancing the browsing experience on the Baobab feed page
UX Research
Executive Summary
-
About
This UX research project aimed at improving the user feed page of the Baobab platform. I completed this project in a role as UX researcher, alongside a designer, program manager, and the Director of the Baobab. Together, we investigated how users feel and engage with their feed page to explore opportunities to enhance their experience. -
Approach
Through a mixed-methods process, which included contextual inquiry and user task scenarios, we conducted remote user interviews with multiple users who are based in Africa. We also used supporting quantitative data from user search queries from the platform to understand, compare and validate the findings from user interviews during this task. -
Outcome & Impact
Based on the findings from this research, we introduced a follow feature, a content filter, and an events page. Implementation of these recommendations led to increased user excitement, and approval. We are currently gathering additional qualitative feedback by embedding data layers in the new design to understand how users are interacting with the designs.
1.0 Background
1.1 About Baobab
The Baobab platform, managed by Arizona State University in collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation, provides young African leaders with access to educational content, entrepreneurship resources, mentorship, and a space to connect and collaborate. The platform has timeline (feed page) which displays recent content and activities to all its 30K users.
1.2 The Objective
This research task aimed at understanding how users currently view content on their timelines. Our goal is to identify opportunities to improve their browsing experience on the platform, with a focus on promoting access to personalized feed experiences.
2.0 Research Approach
-
Stakeholder Immersion
To understand the client's perspectives, assumptions and collaboratively frame the overarching goals of the project
-
Contextual -Inquiry
To understand users’ daily experiences and frustrations using the Baobab feed page, contextual inquiry offers the best approach.
-
Tasks Scenarios
To understand how users currently find the content they’re interested in, some activities were designed for users to complete
-
Supplementary Data
We also leveraged the search queries from the search bar to understand what users were searching for on their feeds.
3.0 Research Process
3.1 Stakeholder Immersion
A kick-off meeting with the project team was important to understand their goals, assumptions and to set a timeline for this task. We also used this meeting to discuss the foundational questions within the overarching goal that were important to the stakeholders.
Some of the emerging questions to be addressed through the research process include;
How do users feel about their timelines?
What kinds of content are users looking for on the feed page?
How do they find the content they are looking for?
How can the findings be integrated into the Baobab platform?
-
Remote Interviews
Since most users on the Baobab platform are based in Africa, the most effective approach to engaging users in the research process was remote interviews using video conferencing platforms like Zoom where possible.
Other platforms such as Whatsapp calls were helpful alternatives in places where internet access was unreliable.
-
Contextual Inquiry
This method offers the opportunity to understand the thought processes of the participants in-depth as they navigate through their feeds. By using screen-sharing tools and requesting users to think out loud, I was able to make observations and quickly validate why participants did things one way instead of the other.
-
Task Scenarios
I develop two activities based on the general goals users can accomplish on the Baobab feed page. Such as finding a post about a particular topic or a post from a particular user. This helps to understand how users currently complete this objective and to identify their frustrations with the current process.
4.0 Results
4.1 Respondent profile
12 Participants
In total, there were 12 participants in the research process. There were 58% of female participants and 42% male from across three countries; Ghana, Uganda, and Rwanda. Our participants were a mix of active and passive users. We also ensured that there was a diverse range of ages and educational backgrounds.
4.2 Users felt mostly detached from the content shown on their timeline
While the participants responded thoughtfully and positively, attributing the variety of posts on their feed to the diversity of users on the Baobab platform, there were strong sentiments from respondents, as seen in the highlighted quotes, indicating a sense of detachment. Users from different geographies described the content on their feed as "unserious," "unrelatable," and "not interesting."
Also, the single-column display approach for contents hindered easy scanning and browsing for their preferred content.
4.3 Respondents expressed interest in seeing more posts from specific users
Contrary to seeing posts from all users on the platform, the respondents showed interest in seeing content from a preferred user such as the Alumni in Residence Fellows*, and Elizabeth McDonald. In addition to specific users, users also showed interest in some content about topic such as STEM.
This suggests that if users were given the opportunity, they would prefer to see more posts from their preferred content creators instead of seeing posts from every user on their timeline. However, introducing such a feature may also reduce the reach and discoverability of new members and blog creators.
* Alumni in Residence Fellows are a small selected group of active users who share their life journey and experiences on the Baobab platform
4.4 Respondents were indifferent about location and partner affiliation.
Users focused on completing tasks in presented scenarios, paying little attention to the creator's affiliation. Further inquiry revealed that users perceive Baobab as a platform for cross-country and cross-program connections, for which reason most users are indifferent about whether or not a post on their feed was created by someone from their country or a program they affiliated with.
This implies that showing feed content based on geolocation could be counterproductive to users’ whose goals are to build network and friendships in other countries.
4.5 Quantitative data from search queries shows an increase in search for other users.
A search query refers to the words or phrases that a user enters into a search bar in order to find information. The Boabab search bar allows users to search for people, events, blog posts, and opportunities. Using Dedoose data analytics software, I created categories to match available search options that helped sorted each user entry into the search bar within the past three months.
I found that 77% of search queries completed by users within the time frame were in search of other users, while 14% and 9% of the remaining search terms sought for events and blogs respectively. This finding re-emphasizes the growing need among users to connect, network, and engage with content from specific people.
5.0 Recommendations for enhancing user feed experience
5.2 Use toggle button to enhance filtering on the user feed page
In order to ensure users have the power to control the content shown on their feed, the introduction of a toggle button will allow users to switch between general posts and posts from people they have followed.
The toggle feature will enable users who do not want to miss out on anything to see all the general content while enabling those who prefer a curated experience to filter through posts from people or topics they care about.
5.1 Introduce follow buttons for users and topics
The introduction of a follow button would allow the algorithm to recognize what topic or person a user considers interesting, and accordingly deliver post from people or topics a user is following to their feed.
This will help users find posts and updates from their preferred content creators faster and easily, effectively eliminating the extra task of searching for people.
5.3 Introduce an events page with on the Baobab platform
Most respondents in the interview processes highlighted that they check their Baobab feed page to see what events were happening on the platform.
The single column display of content made it extremely challenging for users to find the events they wanted, This could be an opportunity to introduce an events page where all upcoming events could be easily advertised, allowing users to create or simply register for events.
6.0 Implementation & Impact
Impact
With the approval of the Director and the program manager, the platform has introduced follow buttons for topics and people based on the outcome of my user research.
We have also seen user excitement about the introduction of the follow buttons.
My recommended toggle button was also implemented in the redesign of the Baobab platform, which enables users to switch from seeing all posts, at the click of discover, to seeing posts from people or topics they are already following.
The new designs have been launched with additional data layers embedded in the development to help gather insights on how users are currently using these features for further improvement.
I was also granted the opportunity to lead the UX design project to introduce a new events page to the Baobab platform. My events page design have been approved, and passed to development phase, with an anticipated launch in July 2023.
The ensuing design process and highlights from the Baobab Events page is available my portfolio.
Reflection
This project emphasized the importance of empathizing with users and providing control and customization options to enhance the overall user experience. Working on the project to improve the social learning website's timeline was both challenging and rewarding. Persuading senior management, who had varying levels of UX understanding, required clear and concise explanations to ensure the proposed recommendations were adopted. I also learned to be adaptable in situations as some users struggled with using Zoom or Google Meet: I was able to complete interviews using Whatsapp call and FaceTime as they are more effective in low-bandwidth zones. Throughout the project, I applied various skills such as user research, data analysis, visual design, and communication. In the end, the project was a great opportunity to put into practice relevant UX principles such as empathy, simplicity, and collaboration to improve the user experience and achieve the project's objectives.