Google Calendar.
Scope: UX Research, Feature Adding, Mobile App Design
Client: Google Calendar (This is a conceptual project)
Timeline: 4 weeks (November - December 2021)
Role: UX/UI Designer
Team: Self-directed; with feedback from mentor and peers
Tools: Figma, Whimsical, Zoom
The Company.
Google Calendar is a time-management and scheduling calendar service developed by Google. It has become one of the most popular calendar services used by people nowadays. Google Calendar has a variety of features such as creating and editing events, setting reminders, inviting guests, etc. Over the years, Google has also added functionality that makes use of machine learning.
The Challenge.
Although many features were added, both the website and mobile app version of Google Calendar has received several criticisms from users. Many stated that it has still met the goal of time management. We want to find potential new features to be added on Google Calendar to help with users’ time management.
The Objectives.
Understand current users’ struggles and define the main problems when using Google Calendar through an extensive set of user research.
Add a new feature that would solve users’ problems and help them with better time management.
Deliver a UI mobile design and prototype that stays aligned with Google material you 3 design guidelines and general user flow.
The work is here.
1. Emphasize
Planning Research: Goals, Methodologies, Results, Synthesis
Research Plan
Research Goals
We want to understand existing users’ behaviors when using Google Calendar, including their goals, motivations, frustrations, and problems. We also want to understand the techniques and styles of time management, so we can think of solutions to help with time management.
Research Objectives
Understand Google Calendar’s current features and integrations.
Identify a few direct and indirect competitors and analyze their features.
Understand current users’ motivations, goals, needs, and frustrations using Google Calendar.
Discover how current users use Google Calendar’s current features.
Discover current users’ opinions on its current UX and UI Design.
Explore people’s time management styles, techniques, and some of the tools they may use.
Explore people’s opinions towards time audit and goal-setting in matters of time management.
Research Methods
Literature review on time management, its facts, concepts, strategies, tools, etc. using trusted sources.
Existing product research on Google Calendar’s current target audiences, main features, and comments from their official site as well as Play Store reviews.
Competitive research on the similar calendar, scheduling, and time management products to analyze their features and to see their strengths and weaknesses.
User interviews to hear from current users first-hand their current struggles using Google Calendar, as well as how they wish to improve their time management.
Secondary Research
To get a brief idea of the market, I conducted market research on trends of freelancing jobs as well as people’s attitudes towards trading services. I also identified a few direct and indirect competitors who offer similar services to see their strengths and weaknesses.
User Interviews
To dig deeper into this matter, we wanted to hear from current users first-hand their current experiences using Google Calendar, as well as how they wish to improve their time management.
Participants
Female, 36, Librarian. Toronto, Canada
Male, 25, Master Student. San Diego, USA.
Male, 24, Financial Advisor. Toronto, Canada.
Male, 26, PhD Student. Denver, USA.
Female,, 25, Freelance designer. Montreal, Canada.
Based on the notes from the interviews, I gained some very helpful insights.
Persona
After analyzing the results from both primary and secondary research, I created 5 provisional personas that Google Calendar’s potential users are like.
To get further in detail, I specifically chose a persona who’s a busy student with extra-curricular activities and part-time job. I listed her needs, motivations, concerns, and frustrations. Meet Natalie!
2. Define
Defining the problems, prioritizing the features
Defining the Problems
After empathizing with our target users, I was able to identify the key problems. Through the research insights and the needs gotten from it, I created POV (Point-of-View) statements and HMW (How-Might-We) questions.
Prioritizing the features
After defining the problems, I thought of some features that may solve users’ problems and reach their goals. I further prioritized them by importance as well.
3. Ideate
Site map, wireframes
Site Map
To help better plan the structure of Google Calendar with the new features added in, I created a site map to illustrate the listings of the pages on the site.
Wireframes
For the main four features that we have added, I sketched out a few layouts and created Hi-fi wireframes for illustration.
4. Prototype
UI Design & Prototype
UI Design
To apply the new features on the current Google Calendar design, I recreated a few screens of its current flow. I further followed the Google material you 3 new guideline and made the colour scheme matching with the wallpaper.
Prototype
After having the full UI design, I created a prototype on Figma to show the navigation flow.
Please find the full prototype here.
5. Iterate
Usability test, affinity map
Usability Test
Test Objectives
Test whether the users can easily navigate through the flow.
Note users’ feedback on the new features added.
Note any generation hesitations, confusion, difficulties in the process.
Test Subject
A high-fidelity prototype (from Figma) that contains fully completed mobile app UI design.
Test Methodology
Remote, one-on-one test, via Zoom with screen recording.
Test Participants
Male, 25, master student, USA.
Female, 36, freelancer, Canada.
Male, 30, service worker, Canada,
Male, 26, PhD Student, Australia.
Female, 23, undergraduate student, Canada.
Affinity Map
It’s good to hear that all participants have successfully completed the said tasks with no errors. They liked the features and thought it was useful. Even for a few who may not use them frequently, they still appreciated it being helpful for other organized people and won’t get bothered. Overall the flow is nice and match with its current Google Calendar flow.
