Objective

Enhance the search functionality of this famous collaborative tool. I am to make some recommendations on how to improve the user’s experience.

 

Company

Freelance

Timeline

May 2021

 
 
 

Role

UX designer
UX researcher

 

Teams I collaborated with

Designers, Slack users

 
 

Skills

User Research, User experience, Interaction Design, User Interface, Product Thinking

 

Tools

Figma, Miro

 
 
 

Timeline and process

 
 

Background

User need

 
 
 
 
 
 

User research

In my opinion, user research is an essential and mandatory stage in every project I undertake.

This research can take different forms. For this project, I combined several. I put my empathy at the service of my mission by putting myself in the shoes of a user, I interviewed users with different levels of familiarity with the tool, and I also observed them using the tool to note changes in attitude, facial expressions and body language.

 
 
 

Audit

The audit enables me to systematically identify inefficiencies within the current user experience while engaging with the search feature on Slack, pinpointing areas of friction in alignment with established UX standards. Subsequently, it empowers me to offer viable solutions and recommendations for improvement.

 
 

User experience

Qualitative research with a map provides nuanced insights into human experiences and behaviors, offering a rich understanding of context, emotions, and interactions. It helps uncover deeper meanings, facilitates empathetic design, and informs targeted improvements in products or services.

 
 
 

Quantitative research

In my research, I employed quantitative methods, utilising interviews, questionnaires, reviews, and surveys to delve into human behaviours, attitudes, and experiences. For data collection and statistical analysis, I utilised tools such as Google Analytics. In the quantitative interviews, I conducted structured one-to-one interactions. During reviews, my focus was on observing and quantifying user sentiments. Surveys, featuring closed-ended questions, were employed to collect quantifiable data that could be generalised to the entire population with minimal discrepancies.

I concluded my research with a competitive analysis and a matrix to prioritise solutions along 2 axes: price and feasibility.

 
 
 

Recommendation

My recommendations primarily encompass best practices aimed at retaining users and enhancing their interaction with the Slack platform. In the implementation phase of an actual project, these recommendations will undergo refinement during the previously detailed workshops and will be subject to thorough discussion with project stakeholders.

 
 
 

Best practices for User interaction

  1. Improve accessibility of search operators (from, in, for, before, after, on, during, contains, is) for enhanced user convenience.

  2. Introduce keyword association in the search process, especially after initial filters have been applied.

  3. Implement a user-friendly navigation system, such as an arrow or breadcrumb trail, to facilitate easy backtracking and prevent user disorientation.

  4. Strategically separate the "history" and "help" icons to maintain their significance without overshadowing the primary focus on the search tool's functionality.

  5. Introduce some kind of tutorial during the experience of the user to facilitate it and make it clearer.

Best practices for Visual Design

  1. Incorporate a familiar "magnifying glass" icon within a clickable button, seamlessly integrated with the search bar.

  2. Enhance the surface area of the header, thereby expanding the search bar for improved visibility.

  3. Optimise color contrast between the search bar and header, ensuring the search feature stands out distinctly.