Boldr
Boldr is a platform designed to simplify communication between employees and their managers, making it easier for employees to seek help when needed. This graduate capstone project, conducted remotely from December 2022 to May 2023, aimed to address employee dissatisfaction with work-life balance by bridging communication gaps. As the UX Research Project Lead, I was responsible for initiating diary studies and interviews to gather in-depth feedback on workers' needs. This research was crucial in ensuring that the platform incorporated features that supported our vision of effective team management. The project involved a team of four, each with specialized roles, working together to create a tool that would improve productivity, engagement, and overall job satisfaction by streamlining the check-in process between managers and employees.
01
Problem Statement
Through six months of extensive user research, our team uncovered that poor communication with management was a significant factor hindering employees' ability to balance their work and personal lives. This insight led us to focus on developing a tool that would improve communication between employees and their managers. The challenge was to create a platform that would empower employees to communicate effectively with their managers, promoting greater work-life balance and job satisfaction, while also providing managers with tools to better support and understand their team members.
02
Solution
Boldr was developed as a comprehensive communication platform with several key features:
One-on-one check-ins: Regular meetings between employees and managers to discuss progress, goals, and concerns.
Shared agendas: Allowing employees to share tasks with managers before check-ins, enhancing productivity.
Automated reminders: Ensuring regular check-ins occur by sending notifications to both parties.
Help requests: Enabling employees to easily ask for assistance from managers or colleagues.
Performance tracking: Providing managers with insights into employee performance over time.
These features were designed to create a more open, supportive, and efficient workplace communication system, addressing the core issues identified in our research.
03
Research and Insights
Our research process was extensive and multifaceted. As the UX Research Project Lead, I initiated diary studies and interviews to gather in-depth feedback on workers' needs. This qualitative approach allowed us to understand the nuanced experiences and challenges faced by employees in their day-to-day work lives.
The six-month research period revealed that poor communication with management was a key factor in employee dissatisfaction with work-life balance. This insight was crucial in shaping our approach to developing Boldr. We engaged in multiple rounds of user research to continually refine our understanding of target users' needs and preferences.
Our research methodology ensured that we were not just creating a product based on assumptions, but one that directly addressed real, identified needs in the workplace. This user-centric approach was fundamental in developing a platform that could genuinely improve workplace communication and, by extension, work-life balance.
04
Design Proccess and Iterations
The design process for Boldr was iterative and user-focused. We began by translating our research insights into a feature set that directly addressed the communication gaps we had identified. This led to the development of our product roadmap, which included key features like one-on-one check-ins, shared agendas, and automated reminders.
Throughout the process, we continually referred back to our user research, ensuring that each feature we developed aligned with the needs expressed by our target users. This approach helped us create a platform that was not only functional but also intuitive and user-friendly.
As the UX Research Project Lead, I learned the immense value of thorough, ongoing user research in product development. The insights we gathered through diary studies and interviews were instrumental in shaping a product that truly resonated with its intended users. I also gained experience in translating research findings into actionable product features, a skill that bridges the gap between user needs and technical implementation.
Furthermore, working on this project taught me the importance of cross-functional collaboration. Our team of four, each with distinct roles, had to work closely together to ensure that our individual contributions aligned towards our common goal. This experience enhanced my skills in communication, project management, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Lastly, I learned the importance of creating a product roadmap that is both ambitious and realistic. While we developed a comprehensive feature set, we also recognized that some aspects of the project would need to be reserved for future development. This taught me about prioritization in product development and the value of having a long-term vision for a product.