Improving the Initial User Experience of the Construction Operations Management App Punchzee
Koivusilta, Tommi (2021)
2021
Tietotekniikan DI-ohjelma - Master's Programme in Information Technology
Informaatioteknologian ja viestinnän tiedekunta - Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences
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Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2021-04-28
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202104193130
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202104193130
Tiivistelmä
Initial user experience optimization is very crucial in every situation. The first time a user encounters a new service determines how they initially feel about it. Will they return to it and keep using it? If the initial user experience is bad, it is very likely that the user does not want to give the service another chance, especially when there are other solutions available. The longer a user gets familiar with a service, the more likely it is for the user to commit to it.
Punchzee is a construction operations app that is meant for construction site professionals. It can be used to create, perform and track different construction related tasks, such as repairs and safety inspections. Detailed reports can also be generated using the app’s inbuilt report generator. Punchzee can be used on a desktop device, as well as in the field with a mobile device. It does not require an online connection all the time, meaning that the data saved locally will be saved onto the server once a connection is established.
In this thesis, the main focus is: “What should be changed in Punchzee so that it would provide a better initial user experience to new users?”. While Punchzee provides a lot of features and it is possible to accomplish a lot with it, it could be easier to approach. To be easier to approach is very important, because many alternatives to Punchzee exist, and Paranotek LLC, the company behind Punchzee, needs to impress every new user possible. One way to do this is to reconsider the steps the user takes when using the app for the first time. It is also worth improving the overall usability, so that the new user is not likely to encounter problems when getting familiar with the app during the trial period.
User-centered design and lean UX are the main ways of approach. To find out what should be changed, the following methodologies are used: benchmarking the existing solutions, heuristic evaluation based on Nielsen’s list of 10 principles, a usability test with users who have not used Punchzee previously, interviews and an anonymous survey sent to the current users. Using these methodologies it is possible to learn what should be changed in Punchzee so that it would provide a better initial user experience.
Based on the research, both literal and empiric, it turns out that to improve the initial user experience, it is important to make the registration as simple and understandable as possible. This means the least possible amount of fields and clear error messages in case the user encounters errorenous situations. After the registration, a tutorial should be offered to the user but not forced, in case the user wants to explore the app freely. At all times, a detailed guide should be available, so that the user can reach out to additional information. If they decide to skip the tutorial, they can still start it whenever they want or they can use the guide. Sample projects should also be available, so that the user could get familiar with how projects could be built to be operated.
Punchzee is a construction operations app that is meant for construction site professionals. It can be used to create, perform and track different construction related tasks, such as repairs and safety inspections. Detailed reports can also be generated using the app’s inbuilt report generator. Punchzee can be used on a desktop device, as well as in the field with a mobile device. It does not require an online connection all the time, meaning that the data saved locally will be saved onto the server once a connection is established.
In this thesis, the main focus is: “What should be changed in Punchzee so that it would provide a better initial user experience to new users?”. While Punchzee provides a lot of features and it is possible to accomplish a lot with it, it could be easier to approach. To be easier to approach is very important, because many alternatives to Punchzee exist, and Paranotek LLC, the company behind Punchzee, needs to impress every new user possible. One way to do this is to reconsider the steps the user takes when using the app for the first time. It is also worth improving the overall usability, so that the new user is not likely to encounter problems when getting familiar with the app during the trial period.
User-centered design and lean UX are the main ways of approach. To find out what should be changed, the following methodologies are used: benchmarking the existing solutions, heuristic evaluation based on Nielsen’s list of 10 principles, a usability test with users who have not used Punchzee previously, interviews and an anonymous survey sent to the current users. Using these methodologies it is possible to learn what should be changed in Punchzee so that it would provide a better initial user experience.
Based on the research, both literal and empiric, it turns out that to improve the initial user experience, it is important to make the registration as simple and understandable as possible. This means the least possible amount of fields and clear error messages in case the user encounters errorenous situations. After the registration, a tutorial should be offered to the user but not forced, in case the user wants to explore the app freely. At all times, a detailed guide should be available, so that the user can reach out to additional information. If they decide to skip the tutorial, they can still start it whenever they want or they can use the guide. Sample projects should also be available, so that the user could get familiar with how projects could be built to be operated.