Darius’ User Experience

Research Journal
Created by: Darius Goh Jun Kang
Student ID: P7398403
 Week 1 Newcomers

This was the start of a new journey for most of us.

For me, it was an opportunity for me to learn more about

user research and the methodologies behind it.

Prior to joining the course, the mindset I always had was

anchored around how “I” was able to create things that could
impact people.

This was the week that I realised that sometimes, it isn’t just
about me. It’s about creating things for the people around us,
and that ultimately the success of a product is not just
dependent on what our creative minds can come up with, but
rather if it’s accessible or likeable by the users of the product.

In this journal I will document how I took on the challenge of

Reflection

growing from a Content Creator to a UX Researcher.

Page 1
 Introduction

Our assignment was to immerse ourselves into the role of a

UX researcher to see how we can gather data, synthesize
the data, uncover insights and identify key opportunities
to improve the user experience of the MyTransport.SG app
that is created by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) of
Singapore.

This assignment was carried out over the course of eight

weeks.

To tackle this challenge, we were taught how to use certain

UX research techniques, tools and methodologies that will
allow us to reach conclusions and determine facts or
Introduction

problems, which will thereby reveal valuable information for

us to use during the design (or redesign) process.

Screenshot from the MyTransport.SG application

Page 2
Executive Summary

1. Research Methods
- Contextual Inquiry
- Empathy Map
- Interviews

2. Affinity Diagram

3. Personas

4. Customer Journey Map

5. Storyboarding / Storytelling

6. Summary of Insights /
Opportunities for Design

7. Closing Statement

Page 3
 Research Methods

BEHAVIOURAL ATTITUDINAL
Techniques Techniques

Research by Watching Research by Asking

Fly-on-the-wall Interviews
Shadowing Focus Groups
Contextual Inquiry
Methodology

There are two categories of UX Research Methods that we use. Behavioural research methods revolves

around what people do while Attitunal research methods revolves around what people say.

For this assignment, I used Contextual Inquiry and Interviews to carry out my research.
Page 4
 Contextual Inquiry

Image: https://www.testingtime.com/en/blog/contextual-inquiry/
Gathering Data

Contextual Inquiry is the process of selecting a suitable user with his/her consent, observing the user

closely as he/she does certain tasks or is in a specific context and taking down relevant notes with

meaningful quotes.

Page 5
 Empathy Map

What He/She What He/She

Does Thinks

User
What He/She What he/she
Feels Says
Gathering Data

Our data is then recorded using a tool called the Empathy Map where we record what the user

Does, Says, Feels and Thinks.

Page 6
 Empathy Map
Does
Searches for traffic camera
option on the search bar for
addresses
Opens up hamburger menu
Clicks on traffic camera option
Searches for traffic camera that
she wants on the map
Vanessa Feels
27yr Female Feels frustrated for not getting the
Police Officer results she requests for
Feels exhausted for looking for the
camera that she wants to look for
Gathering Data
With regards to our assignment, I conducted Contextual Inquiry on an acquaintance of mine and
compiled my findings into the following empathy map.
Says
“Cannot find any option to look for traffic cam leh”
“Only can see bus stop, mrt notification bus service, nothing on
traffic”
“I can see a map, then I still need to key in the location ah”
“Nothing comes out on search after i click on traffic camera”
“I type orchard road but nothing comes out leh”
“why is every traffic camera listed on map appearing?”
Thinks
Finds it very taxing and time consuming
Not everyone knows that the hamburger menu is
represented by the 3 line icon
That everything should be represented at the start
The app is not user friendly
Page 7
 Empathy Map
turns into
Observations Interpretation
Searches for traffic camera This is because when we use
option on the search bar for google’s search engines, we
addresses always search for directions
or solutions straight off the
bat.
“why is every traffic camera There are too many options
listed on map appearing?” for selection when the user
clicks on the traffic camera
option
Gathering Data
After listing out what the user Does, Says, Feels and Thinks,
I was able to turn my observations into potential opportunities for re-design!
turns into
Opportunities
We can include icons next to
the navigation area under
the drive tab to make the
options easier to find!
Perhaps we can include a
method that can only show
what the user wants to see
Page 8
 Week 2 Diving In

Now that I was able to briefly understand what a UX

researcher does, it was time to delve deeper into other tools
that UX researchers use to gather their data.

It was also when we learnt that just carrying out Contextual

Inquiry on one person is not enough. More data is required if
we were to find out the root cause of user problems and
issues.

That was when we were introduced to another tool called

Interviewing.

Through practicing how to carry out interviews, I was able to

get used to being more extroverted and making
conversation, which to me was quite a challenge as I was
more introverted as a person.
Reflection

Page 9
 Interviews

Image: https://resources.workable.com/tutorial/how-to-conduct-an-interview
Gathering Data

Interviewing is the process of listening and connecting to the stories of our users.

This helps to uncover potential insights which will then lead to further opportunities for design.

Page 10
 Interviews

Topics Questions
After introducing ourselves,
Introduction

Introducing the project and “How do you plan your routes to your destination?”
Finding out about the user “What’s your experience with transport applications?”
“Do you know of any transport applications?”

“Have you use MyTransport.SG App before?”

To understand their transport and
Main Questions

- if they say no,

route planning experiences
“Which transport or navigation apps are you familiar with or have
used before?”
To test their impression of
“What do you like about that application?”
MyTransport.SG
...

- “Would you recommend this app to your acquaintances?”

- “How would you rate this application?”
Reflections

To uncover any wishes or

- “What did you like/dislike about the application?”
underlying needs they might have
Gathering Data

- “What improvements would you suggest (if any) for the

for a transport application
application?”
...

For this assignment, to attain further data and specific insights from users, I worked together with one

of my classmates to come up with an Interview Guide for us to follow during the interview itself.

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 Interviews
Notetaker
Supports the interviewer
Takes down direct quotes / notes
Adds on missed questions
Takes charge of the recording
Gathering Data
When conducting interviews, there will be two roles that will need to be filled.
There will be a Notetaker and an Interviewer.
Interviewer
Leads the interview
Builds rapport and encourages user
Must be familar with the interview guide
Ensures safety and comfort of the user
Page 12
 Interviews

Screenshots of our remote interviews

Limitations

For our assignment, we carried out interviews with seven individuals with similar backgrounds.

However, due to the current Covid-19 situation in Singapore, me and my groupmate decided

that it would be safer for us and our interviewees to conduct these interviews over Zoom

as part of safety distancing measures.

Page 13
 Week 3 Analyzing Data

Now that I’ve managed to have an opportunity to conduct an

interview, it was time to take the data that we were able to
get from our users and start making sense of it.

When it comes to making sense out of data, one useful and

important method that UX researchers use is Affinity
Diagramming.

During this week, we were taught how to translate our raw

datas into valuable insights, organise our feedback and come
to a common understanding of it.
Reflection

Page 14
 Affinity Diagram

Image: https://miro.com/blog/create-affinity-diagrams/
Analyzing Data

Affinity Diagrams help to make sense of data from qualitative research by grouping and categorising data

such as user quotes or actions that highlight similar issues or opportunies.

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 Affinity Diagram

Screenshot from the Miro board

Analyzing Data

After recording our interview notes on a word document, we reformatted our data into sticky notes in Miro.

This helped to itemize our findings and make it easier for organisation later on in the process.

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 Affinity Diagram
Analyzing Data

Screenshot from the Miro board

The next step we took was to start categorising our data that had an affinity for each other.

This helped us to gain a shared understanding of all our users as well as creating insights from our findings.

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 Affinity Diagram

Insights Opportunities

Our interviewees use applications that focus on one mode of Instead of having an application that tries to do everything (like
transport (e.g CityMapper if looking for bus routes). This means how MyTransport.SG even has traffic cam footages), perhaps
that they would rather have an application that has a focus than choose to focus on providing a complete information for public
an application that tries to do everything transports only.

Our interviewees always look up their route details online using a Perhaps we can shorten the amount of user actions needed to
browser first. This could mean that they would prefer to search it achieve their goals and needs.
up on google than use a mobile application

Our interviewees were millenials, and from our research,
millenials seem to know their way around applications and seem
to have little to no trouble navigating around the app.
Analyzing Data
When designing for millenials, we can use common terminologies
and iconologies that are used across most applications, this is
because millenials are so used to associating a certain icon or
term with a certain action (such as having a left facing arrow to

signify a back button).

Through Affinity Diagramming, I was able to uncover the following insights and opportunities that can

help to improve the user experience of using the MyTransport.SG application.

Page 18
 Week 4 Personification

At this point of the research process, now that we have made

sense of our research findings, we have to figure out how to
present our data.

That was when we were taught about how to use our findings
to create a persona, a personification of all our users data.

At first it was hard to wrap my head around how strange it

was to use a Persona as a representation of our research, but
as I started to learn more about the reasons behind why
personas are so useful, the pieces of the puzzle started to
come together.
Reflection

Page 19
 Personas
Presenting Data

Image: https://torchbox.com/blog/why-you-should-stop-using-demographics-personas/

Personas are fictional, yet realistic descriptions of a typical or target user with thorough descriptions of

it’s needs, concerns and goals.

Personas also help to foster empathy for the specific users that we design for.
Page 20
 Personas

David the Young Upstart Personality:

Age: 24 POSITIVE CHATTY EASY-GOING AMBITIOUS ADAPTABLE PRACTICAL
Occupation: Entry Level Executive
Location: Singapore
David’s Questions:
Biography: - I need to get to office, but will I be able to get a quick answer from this application?

Having just graduated recently and someone who

just started working, David is an ambitious young
man that is always looking for efficient ways to go
about doing his tasks throughout the day.
"I want to get to
office quick, but the As someone who grew up alongside the rise of
experience of getting smartphones, David is familiar with how smartphone
there is just as applications work, and uses an array of applications
important too" to assist him with his daily life. Be it using navigation
- David applications or just about any relevant apps really.
But one thing to note, is that David is an avid user of
Google's search engine, as he feels that it is an
extremely convenient tool to get information quick.
Presenting Data
- If I would like to look at alternatives for MRT travel, will the application give me
sufficient information on it?
Goals: Needs:
To be able to access the routes to
To get to office conveniently,
office quickly
efficiently and pleasantly
To be able to keep up with whats
currently happening on the roads
Obstacles:
Only sees first hand information, To be able to plan his route using
might miss out on hidden details clear instructions from the app

From the user data that we researched, I crafted a Goal-Based Persona, David.

David’s goals and needs were derived from our findings with the seven interviewees.

Crafting this persona made it easier for me to understand who we are designing for as it is

more relatable than just looking at raw data.

Page 21
 Week 5 User’s Journey

Now that I was able to come up with my persona for this

assignment, I need to be able to get people to understand
and feel what the persona is going through while he’s trying
to achieve his goal, which in this case was for David to get to
his office on time.

The next step is to create a Customer Journey Map.

The Customer Journey Map helps designers or stakeholders

to understand what our users feel, think, do and say from the
moment they start their journey to the moment they reach
their goals, unfolding further opportunities for redesign.
Reflection

Page 22
 Customer Journey Map
Presenting Data

Image: https://digitalready.co/blog/how-to-integrate-customer-journey-mapping-into-your-digital-marketing

“A Customer Journey Map is a UX tool that visualizes the process that a user goes through to accomplish

a goal. It starts by compiling a series of actions into a timeline, which is then fleshed out with user

thoughts and emotions in order to create a narrative, which eventually leads to a visualization.”

Referrence: https://www.nngroup.com/articles/journey-mapping-101/

Page 23
 Customer Journey Map

David Scenario: Expectations:

The Young Upstart
It's David's first day at work. He forgot to look up his Being an existing Google Maps user, David expects the
route beforehand, but after seeing an advertisement most convenient route to appear straight up just by
about the MyTransport.SG application, he decides to use searching the destination on the app.
it to guide him to his office. He leaves for office earlier to
factor in margins of error.
Presenting Data

After crafting the persona, It was time to create a map that details David’s journey.

First, we must create a setting for David, in this case crafting a scenario for him as well as

setting his expectations while he is using the application.

This step will be the foundation for the customer journey map.
Page 24
 Customer Journey Map

David Scenario: Expectations:

The Young Upstart
It's David's first day at work. He forgot to look up his Being an existing Google Maps user, David expects the
route beforehand, but after seeing an advertisement most convenient route to appear straight up just by
about the MyTransport.SG application, he decides to use searching the destination on the app.
it to guide him to his office. He leaves for office earlier to
factor in margins of error.

START RESEARCH DECISION EN ROUTE END

Actions

Opens Enters Choose Select transport Looks up Choose Checks Route Checks again Closes
application location address mode different routes preferred route Information before reaching Application
Presenting Data

After crafting a scenario and setting David’s expections, we can proceed to list out the actions

that David took while he was using the application from the start to the end of his journey.

This would act as the backbone of the customer journey map.

Page 25
 Customer Journey Map

David Scenario: Expectations:

The Young Upstart
It's David's first day at work. He forgot to look up his Being an existing Google Maps user, David expects the
route beforehand, but after seeing an advertisement most convenient route to appear straight up just by
about the MyTransport.SG application, he decides to use searching the destination on the app.
it to guide him to his office. He leaves for office earlier to
factor in margins of error.

START RESEARCH DECISION EN ROUTE END

Actions

Opens Enters Choose Select transport Looks up Choose Checks Route Checks again Closes
application location address mode different routes preferred route Information before reaching Application

*Wakes up from *Looks around* “Alright, I’m

Thoughts

“I hope this app “Okay, just need “Okay, I should take a

“Yup, this “Alright it shows nap* “Ah, these buildings here. Luckily I
would provide to type my “Hmm. Which route bus so I can sleep a
address sounds both MRT and Bus “Wait, theres a jam? the same on the left earlier, or
clear destination should I choose...” little more before I
right.” routes, not bad.” luckily I left a little map.. This should be else i’d be late
instructions.” right...?” reach.”
earlier!” the area.” from the jam”
Presenting Data

Now that we have a list of David’s actions, we can start to pen down his thought processes

while he was carrying out those actions.

This can help to provide context for David’s emotions at the various phases of his journey

while using the application.

Page 26
 Customer Journey Map

David Scenario: Expectations:

The Young Upstart
It's David's first day at work. He forgot to look up his Being an existing Google Maps user, David expects the
route beforehand, but after seeing an advertisement most convenient route to appear straight up just by
about the MyTransport.SG application, he decides to use searching the destination on the app.
it to guide him to his office. He leaves for office earlier to
factor in margins of error.

START RESEARCH DECISION EN ROUTE END

Actions

Opens Enters Choose Select transport Looks up Choose Checks Route Checks again Closes
application location address mode different routes preferred route Information before reaching Application

*Wakes up from *Looks around* “Alright, I’m

Thoughts

“I hope this app “Okay, just need “Okay, I should take a

“Yup, this “Alright it shows nap* “Ah, these buildings here. Luckily I
would provide to type my “Hmm. Which route bus so I can sleep a
address sounds both MRT and Bus “Wait, theres a jam? the same on the left earlier, or
clear destination should I choose...” little more before I
right.” routes, not bad.” luckily I left a little map.. This should be else i’d be late
instructions.” right...?” reach.”
earlier!” the area.” from the jam”

- David did not like

- David did not like - David didnt like
- David also how the app did
+ve / -ve

- David appreciated how you just how routes did not how the map did
Points

appreciated that it not take live traffic

need to enter the address inside to go into details not show the
showed both public into consideration
start searching for your routes. about the stops en details of each
transport routes. when stating route
route. passing bus stop.
times.
Presenting Data

Feelings

After listing out David’s thoughts, we can identify the positive and negative points of David’s

journey based off his thoughts, and make a graph of his feelings throughout his journey.

This would help list out parts of his Journey that screams for attention.
Page 27
 Customer Journey Map
David Scenario: Expectations:
The Young Upstart
It's David's first day at work. He forgot to look up his Being an existing Google Maps user, David expects the
route beforehand, but after seeing an advertisement most convenient route to appear straight up just by
about the MyTransport.SG application, he decides to use searching the destination on the app.
it to guide him to his office. He leaves for office earlier to
factor in margins of error.

START RESEARCH DECISION EN ROUTE END

Actions

Opens Enters Choose Select transport Looks up Choose Checks Route Checks again Closes
application location address mode different routes preferred route Information before reaching Application

*Wakes up from *Looks around* “Alright, I’m

Thoughts

“I hope this app “Okay, just need “Okay, I should take a

“Yup, this “Alright it shows nap* “Ah, these buildings here. Luckily I
would provide to type my “Hmm. Which route bus so I can sleep a
address sounds both MRT and Bus “Wait, theres a jam? the same on the left earlier, or
clear destination should I choose...” little more before I
right.” routes, not bad.” luckily I left a little map.. This should be else i’d be late
instructions.” right...?” reach.”
earlier!” the area.” from the jam”

- David did not like

- David did not like - David didnt like
- David also how the app did
+ve / -ve
Insights

- David appreciated how you just how routes did not how the map did
appreciated that it not take live traffic
need to enter the address inside to go into details not show the
showed both public into consideration
start searching for your routes. about the stops en details of each
transport routes. when stating route
route. passing bus stop.
times.
Feelings
Presenting Data

Opportunities

- We can refer to - We can place

- We can provide - There can potentially
how apps like features in the map
- There can be additional welcoming additional details be a way to remind
Google Maps view for users to
features we can include to make the that are along the users of cetain
update their see the moment
app feel like a conceirge. route for the user’s checkpoints of their
traffic information then they see their
reference. travel.
for their users. route information.

After noticing the points that require our attention from the feelings graph and the positve and

negative points, we can now start to gather our insights or opportunities for improvement.
Page 28
 Week 6 Presenting Our Case

Now that we were able to come up with our Persona’s

journey and the opportunities that we can work on, we need
to find a way to visualise the experience that our users went
through.

One way to do that is through storyboarding or storytelling.

Telling a story would capture the attention and give clarity of

the user’s experience to the teams and stakeholders involved
in developing a product, thereby inspiring the team to take
action to improve the user’s experience.
Reflection

Page 29
 Storyboarding / Storytelling
Visualizing Data

Image: https://www.nngroup.com/articles/storyboards-visualize-ideas/

“A storyboard communicates a story through images displayed in a sequence of panels that

chronologically maps the story’s main events. We use storyboards to provide additional context to our

teams and stakeholders. Using images makes the story quick to understand at first glance and easy to
remember.”
Referrence: https://www.nngroup.com/articles/storyboards-visualize-ideas/

Page 30
 Storyboarding / Storytelling

After completing my Customer

Journey Map, I was able to come up

with a storyboard that helped to

visualise the experience that David

went through as he was trying to get

from his house to his office.

This was created to show the what

our users felt and went through as

Visualizing Data

they used the application to provide

some clarity as to why additional

improvements are needed for the

MyTransport.SG application.

Page 31
 Summary of Key Findings / Opportunities

Now that my research process is compelete, I would like to

list out a compilation of my key findings and opportunities
that can help improve the user experience of the
MyTransport.SG application.
Reflection

Page 32
 Insights / Opportunities for Design

Insights

Our users use applications that focus on one mode of transport (e.g CityMapper if looking for bus routes).

Our users always look up their route details online using a browser first.

Our users were millenials, and from our research, millenials seem to know their way around applications
and seem to have little to no trouble navigating around the app.

Our users appreciate how you just need to enter the address inside to start searching for your routes.

Our users also appreciate that the MyTransport.SG application showed both MRT & Bus transport routes.
My Findings

Our users did not like how the routes information did not go into details about the stops en route.

Our users did not like how the app did not take live traffic into consideration when stating route times.

Our users did not like how the map did not show the details of each passing bus stop.
Page 33
 Insights / Opportunities for Design

Opportunities

Instead of having an application that tries to do everything (like how MyTransport.SG even has traffic cam
footages), perhaps choose to focus on providing a complete information for public transports only.

Perhaps we can shorten the amount of user actions needed to achieve their goals and needs.

When designing for millenials, we can use common terminologies and iconologies that are used across
most applications, this is because millenials are so used to associating a certain icon or term with a certain
action (such as having a left facing arrow to signify a back button).

There can be additional welcoming features we can include to make the app feel like a conceirge.

We can provide additional details that are along the route for the user’s reference.

There can potentially be a way to remind users of cetain checkpoints of their travel.
My Findings

We can refer to how apps like Google Maps update their traffic information for their users.

We can place features in the map view for users to see the moment then they see their route information.

Page 34
 Closing Statement

At this point, we have learnt a lot about the techniques that

UX researchers use through ethnographic studies.

Getting to know the methods of developing and conducting

useful research interviews, learning the ropes to user testing
and studying the lifestyles of our users to develop an
understanding of them all seemed daunting at first as it was
something completely new to us.

I always felt that designing for users was an easy thing to do,
but never did I realise that it seemed easy only because I had
my own biases and assumptions that weren’t challenged
before.

Going through this process helped to change my mindset,

and made me realise that there is more to user experience
Reflection

than meets the eye.

Page 35
END

Thank you for your time!

- Darius