About NameDrop.io

NameDrop focuses on providing consumers with a name pronunciation service that allows individuals to upload a personal voice recording of their name for others to accurately recognize, and serves as a framework for professional and social networking; allowing users to add their recording to emails and other platforms to share their background and accomplishments.

Original Premise of Project

The original premise of our project consisted of 3 components:

  1. Revamp the user onboarding and sign in process

  2. Identify and resolve points of friction with current user experience

  3. Validate assumptions about demand for a mobile (offline) version

Product Designer and Researcher

Nov. - Dec. 2022

Role in Design Process

Tools Used

Figma, Miro, Whimsical, Google/Microsoft Suite Applications

Research and Synthesis

7 Interviews

11 Survey Responses

We began by constructing surveys and reached out to volunteered individuals for interviews.

We concluded by obtaining:

7 interviews

11 survey responses

Concluded that the onboarding process was not the primary issue, but that they rather found the layout of the dashboard, email integrations page and sign up pages to be the most confusing and disorganized for all users on the platform.

We determined that 85% of our users found that they confused about the product, as well as lacked the knowledge of what NameDrop as a service actually provided for them, and how their service could be implemented in their daily routine.

Affinity Mapping

Affinity Mapping presented some invaluable information - most users found that the dashboard layout to be in need of a revamp, as most considered assumed it resembled a accounts/settings page.

Some points the users noted:

“I think the dashboard feels outdated”

“I think It looks like an account page rather than a home page”

“I think the dashboard has a lot going on”

“I find it difficult to understand”

Using this information, we received confirmation from the CEO to construct new Dashboard layouts and made that process our first and main priority. This was decided as an effort to increase user retention by reducing confusion after the onboarding process.

Personas

Joaquin

Age: 38

Location: SF Bay Area

Corporate Professional

Goals

Would like a more professional way of displaying their name pronunciation for colleagues via email.

Would like the application to memorize his name and send to clients and networking individuals rapidly

Wants to connect to others more easily

Siobahn

Age: 25

Location: SF Bay Area

UXDI Student

Goals

Would like to connect more with others but feels excluded because of their background

Wants people to pronounce her name correctly

Is interested in finding new friends

Joaquin, a corporate professional residing in the SF Bay Area, wants a more professional way to network and introduce himself through his name and connect with his peers and coworkers, as well as prospective employees. However, he finds that many networking applications do not provide the level of voice optimization and features that he is looking for. Because of this, Joaquin wants a name pronunciation service that also provides a plethora of professional information that will help in highlighting himself to others more formally.

Siobhan is a recent immigrant and full time UXDI student who is looking to socialize and make new friends here in the U.S. However, her difficult to pronounce name, along with her language barrier makes socialization and networking especially difficult for her. She wants an application that can help introduce herself and help others get to know her a little better, but finds that there are little services that help her in doing so. Because of this, Siobhan would like a service that allows her to accurately pronounce her name, while also using the application to socialize and network with others.

Problem Statement

Namedrop’s Solution

NameDrop is a name pronunciation service that allows individuals to upload a personal voice recording of their name for others to accurately recognize, and serves as a framework for professional and social networking by allowing users to add their recording to emails and other platforms to share their background and accomplishments.

Taskflows and Site Map

Ideation and Sketches

Original ideation, sketches and mid-fidelity designs for Namedrop’s online voice pronunciation platform. Revised 3 versions and iterated on designs based off feedback.

Client
Namedrop

Year
11/2022 - 12/2022

Original

Sketch

Iteration #1

Mid Fidelity #3

Finalized High Fidelity Version

Iterations implemented on Final Design

  • Relocated My Profile icon to Top Right for improved user-experience

  • Changed UI for Recording and Voice Signature Card

  • Added Try NameDrop Pro Button

  • Implemented Color Styles from Original Website

Additional Priorities

The next priorities we designed for our Client were to construct and reiterate the Integrate to Email and Sign up pages.

Upon our user research, we discovered that Integrate to Email was the secondary most critiqued page for layout and user experience, as well as the Sign Up page.

Additionally, our Client presented us with a new task: Revamping the Upgrade to NameDrop Pro page.

Upgrade to Namedrop Pro

Integrate to Email

Sign Up

Ideation and Iterations to Email Page

  • Original Website

  • Sketch Version 1

Usability Testing Feedback

2 Rounds

9 Participants

We conducted 2 rounds of usability testing, in which 9 participants voiced their feedback on the page layout. Findings and criticism from this first round of feedback provided us a baseline on the iterations we needed to implement and furthered our research in overhauling the “Integrate to Email”’ page.

Key Points from User Feedback

  1. Reduce Complexity

    • Difficult to understand premise of Integration page

    • Too many steps and too much information on the page

  2. Email Prompt was confusing and redundant

    • Participants wondered why they had to input email information again

  3. Graphical Example did not display useful information

  4. “Voice Signature Prompt” phrase was not clear

  5. Email Signature Input Box was confusing

    • Most users thought they had to input additional information in this area

Finalized High Fidelity Version

Iterations Made to Final Version

  • Renamed Page to “Add NameDrop to Email Signature

  • Removed Email Input Bar

  • Relocated Voice Signature Phrase to Instructions

  • Condensed Instructions

  • Incorporated “Copy” button into Instructions

  • Provided Example of Email Settings

  • Removed Email Signature Input Box

Ideation and Iterations for Sign Up Page

  • Original Website

  • Sketch Version 1

  • Sketch Version 1

  • Sketch Version 1

  • Sketch Version 2

Usability Testing Feedback

2 Rounds

9 Participants

We conducted 2 rounds of usability testing, in which 9 participants voiced their feedback on the page layout. Post test survey and findings after this first round of feedback provided us a baseline on the iterations we needed to implement and furthered our research in overhauling the Sign Up page.

Key Points from User Feedback

  1. Users were intimidated by multiple step sign up process

    • Likely led to less engagement and user sign ups

  2. Users wanted more information on sign up page in Version 1

    • Users lacked basic understanding of what they were signing up for

  3. Users wanted overview and instructions on how NameDrop worked in Version 1

  4. Additional Sign up button on Version 2 was confusing

    • All users clicked on Sign Up as opposed to scrolling to the bottom of the page

  5. Most users missed the personal information section on version 2

Finalized High Fidelity Version

Iterations Made to Final Version

  • Implemented color styles from NameDrop website

  • Omitted the “Sign Up” button from website header

  • Rotated the pricing plan with the Sign Up Personal Information Input section

  • Implemented and retained the Sign Up steps and “How to use NameDrop” section from Version 2

Ideation of Namedrop Upgrade Page

  • Original Website

  • Updated Final Version

Task Summary

Retention

Accesibility

Our Client advised the team on the final task of revising and redesigning Upgrade to Professional Tier page, which consisted of obtaining the ability to pay for a professional tier while also providing the ability to expand the user base by increasing user engagement through referrals.

We began by minimizing and condensing the original information to implement more user friendly and digestible layouts in the form of a features list, we well as designing a more accessible upgrade button that includes all payment types that are offered.

Iterations made to Final Version

  • Condensed Upgrade Box with Features List

  • Simplified Payment Button (with payment options)

  • Upgrade By Referrals Extension and revision to Copy Link Button

  • NameDrop Logo and Graphic

Conclusion and Next Steps

Project Overview

The process for NameDrop overall when developing their website layouts was rather seamless; the Client was understanding and took note of our research findings as well as our overall progress on the redesigns. I found it particularly helpful that the Client provided an abundant amount of style guides, as well as images from their original website that could be implemented within our iterations and mockups. Our team worked in an agile environment by constructing and iterating different frames and designs throughout the duration of our sprint, and worked closely with the CEO and development team to further our designs.

Overall, the design process for NameDrop was a well rounded and positive experience as our team collaborated efficiently with the CEO and the NameDrop team!

What I learned

This project held many new learning experiences; working with a collaborative team, constructing Client based initiatives, as well as constructing rapid iterations were all aspects of the project that I enjoyed throughout our time with NameDrop.

One point that I found invaluable during our design was understanding how to construct designs that included all aspects that were present during our research, and how to design new aspects that accurately portrayed the requirements that our users criticized. Additionally, making sure that all components and design aspects were organized and labeled seemed to be a crucial aspect of the design process.

Finally, one point that I found to be particularly insightful was recognizing the imperative component of verbiage and proper UX writing skills within the website's services, and reiterating many phrases to produce more user-friendly language for NameDrop’s consumers.