CirclesUBI
Output: Mobile App | Role: UX Designer | Timeframe: 14 Weeks | Cooperate: CIRCLES
Circle is a community-driven platform designed to foster an exchange system that allows users to trade goods and services without relying on traditional currency. Each user is given a set amount of Circle Points daily, which can be used to purchase products or services from other members. This points-based system enables individuals to meet their daily needs while participating in a global network of people supporting each other.
# Universal Basic Income
# Financial assistance program
# Everyone receives a regular sum of money
# Basic economic security
Our Mission
Create a community-driven initiative that provides a consistent, equal amount of resources to all participants, helping them meet their daily needs, and expanding livelihood opportunities for all people in the network.
Problem Research
Before further optimizing the app, we conducted app testing
and brainstorming sessions to identify the following issues:
Usability Challenges
Users may find it difficult to quickly understand and use the conditions for Circles, indicating a need for a more intuitive interface.
Limited Ways to Earn Points
Additional methods are needed for users to earn Circles Points to enhance engagement and satisfaction.
Lack of Customer Support
There is a lack of a robust customer support center, affecting problem resolution efficiency, user trust, and retention.
Insufficient Shop Information
Limited information in shop listings makes it difficult for users to fully evaluate merchants and products.
Privacy and Security Risks
With the involvement of virtual currency, there are privacy and security risks to users’ personal information and payment details.
Limited Audience Coverage
Current coverage is restricted, impacting potential growth and adoption.
Complex Trust-Building
The process of building trust between users is complex, potentially slowing down transaction growth and community engagement.
Fraud & Fake Transaction
Relying solely on virtual currency functions may be insufficient to sustain users' long-term interest.
Lack of Communication
There are limited online communication options between users, restricting direct interaction and hindering trust-building.
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Target Audience
The main user groups for this app come from three distinct communities,
each with unique needs and interaction styles:
Jembrana community
Rural, low digital literacy, cacao and coconut producers. Interested in community engagement through charity programs and discounts.
Kerobokan Community
Middle-class residential/tourism area, small handicraft producers. Retailers focus on cash transactions and may use the app’s social and ad features for business visibility.
Denpasar Community
Densely populated, multicultural urban center, familiar with grassroots initiatives. Responds positively to community engagement, charity programs, and discounts.
We have organized the following three personas:
After a series of analyses, we have decided to focus on 4 key directions to optimize this app:
Design Principles 1 - Improve the Shop Listing Clarity
Design Principles 2 - Establishing customer service system
Design Principles 3 - Reach new users
Design Principles 4 - Creating a Community Engagement
Interface design
After the division of tasks, I was responsible for establishing the customer support system.
I invited some users to conduct initial interface version testing and received the following feedback:
Putu Wayan / 30yrs
I think the online messaging system is great, but sometimes if the wait time for a customer service representative is too long, I start feeling anxious. Could you provide more real-time status updates or faster response options? Also, could users select the types of issues they're most interested in to quickly contact the right specialist?
Ketut Sukma / 32yrs
The online messaging function is well-designed, but the response speed of customer service is critical. If I wait too long during busy times, it becomes frustrating. I suggest adding an “urgent processing” option so users can choose to speed up the response time.
Rama Agung / 45yrs
Made Agung / 35yrs
The FAQ design feels a bit outdated. I need to be able to quickly search for the answers I'm looking for. Sometimes the keyword search results aren't accurate. Could the search engine be made smarter? For example, after users input a keyword, it could automatically filter out the most relevant issues?
Nyoman Budi / 40yrs
For multilingual users like me, could you offer more language options for customer service? This would make it easier for us to find suitable solutions.
Wayan Ketut / 29yrs
The app's interface is still a bit complicated, especially the customer service system. For me, I just need a simple "Contact Customer Service" button, rather than having to choose between online messaging, phone, or email, which feels a bit confusing.
I think the language options for phone support are important. It would be great if there were a voice recognition feature that allows users to quickly select the issue type and language, reducing wait times.
Sukma Dewi / 38yrs
The FAQ section is quite basic, but sometimes I need more detailed answers, especially regarding payments and point transactions. It would be helpful to add more specific case examples or even video tutorials.
Budi Nyoman / 36yrs
The FAQ design isn't intuitive enough, and some answers aren't very clear. I suggest adding a "help guide" feature that would briefly guide users to the most common issues before entering the FAQ section.
Dewa Rama / 42yrs
The frequency of announcement updates is too low, which may cause important information to be missed. I think it would be helpful to add push notifications to alert me about important announcements or security warnings, ensuring that information is more timely.
The final high-fidelity model designed after feedback:
Summary
User Preferences
Conversations with users revealed their preferred communication styles and desired features, guiding us to make relevant changes.
Priority Features
Understanding which features are most valued by users helped us prioritize our efforts, enhancing key functionalities and merging community features for a more enjoyable experience.
Effectiveness of Incentives
We assessed the impact of incentives like Circle Points on user engagement, leading to enhancements that simplify earning and using points according to user preferences.
Community Engagement
Our findings emphasized the need for user interaction, prompting us to implement changes that foster a more engaging platform, such as enabling product and service recommendations.