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For 20 years, Techpoint has highlighted the best past technology projects in<a href="https://techpoint.org/mira-awards/"> Indiana through the Mira Awards.</a> The award show is named after a<a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Mira-Ceti"> star called Mira</a>, the first star to be observed giving off light of changing intensity. Every year the awards show nominees and winners get bigger and brighter as Indiana’s tech innovators get more support and interest on a national level. Crafted Labs is honored to be among the nominees for the<a href="https://techpoint.org/2019/02/mira-awards-nominees-2019/"> Mira awards on Saturday April 13</a>. In the category of Innovation of the Year, we are also excited to be part of the only group nomination. Along with<a href="https://www.counterpart.biz/"> Counterpart</a> and<a href="http://www.bebigforkids.org/about/"> &nbsp;Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana</a>, we are nominated for development of<a href="http://www.bebigforkids.org/resources/the-big-app/"> The Big App.</a> This digital product has revolutionized the way Big Brothers Big Sisters engages volunteers and helps Bigs build lasting and impactful relationships with their Littles. Here’s how we leveraged collaboration to make this project bigger and better than any one group could have achieved alone.



The Vision for The Big App



For more than 100 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has facilitated relationships that strengthen every child’s innate ability to succeed. This organization is the nation’s biggest donor and volunteer supported mentor network. The Central Indiana chapter realized that one barrier to attracting and retaining volunteer Bigs was helping them understand how to connect with and support their Littles in ways that matter. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana undertook a Six Sigma Match Intentionality Project with Cummins Inc to assess match satisfaction and strategize ways to improve the mentoring experience for adults and kids. This resulted in a deeper understanding of 12 Thriving Indicators and how they could be mapped to hundreds of local and general activities that lead to growth in kids. From attending sports games to doing science projects or heading to the park, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana had tons of targeted ideas to share with volunteers. The next question, of how to deliver this content to Bigs, led to the idea for The Big App.



The Growth of The Big App



Crafted was brought in on this project after some initial development on the back-end functionality had been completed by Counterpart. As UI/UX development specialists, we reviewed the initial designs and made recommendations and suggestions. One of the biggest was related to creating stickiness in the app. By asking questions about the existing communications process with the Bigs, we learned that volunteers were getting flooded with emails. There was simply too much communication for a volunteer to sift through and judge what would be the best choice for them and their Little.



During the six-month process of developing the first version of the app, we worked closely with Counterpoint and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana to enable targeted push notifications in the front end. This means a Big now gets a few pings a day based on their Little’s age group, goals for personal growth, or something their liaison at Big Brothers Big Sisters finds important. This feature has led to high adoption and high daily usage of the app among volunteers.



The Future of The Big App



In addition to ensuring The Big App was something that engaged users, we also worked together as a trio of stakeholders to design the app as multi-tenant software as a service (multi-tenant SaaS). This means that while the Central Indiana Big Brothers Big Sisters chapter created and owns the app, they can make it available to other branches of their organization nationwide. When Big Brothers Big Sisters went through a recent rebranding, we did a little more work on the front end to bring everything in line with the new standards.



Today, we are extremely proud of the impact this project has made on the communities of Central Indiana, and the impact it is beginning to make in other states as well. Ultimately, it was the combined focus and applied passion of each one of our groups that made this final product possible. We appreciated the opportunity to work to our strength in UI/UX development. We are humbled yet excited to see the achievement of all these teams recognized through this nomination.



See you at the Miras!

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Compared to companies that do not prioritize design thinking, design-driven companies have <a href="https://wwwimages2.adobe.com/content/dam/acom/au/landing/DT18/Econsultancy-2018-Digital-Trends.pdf">out-performed their competitors by 219%</a> (Vatash 2018). This is due to the fact that design-thinking is comprised of three crucial elements &#8211; desirability to solve a user problem, feasibility to solve that problem using technology, and viability of business success for the product. When strategically executed, desirability, feasibility and viability will lead to the innovation necessary for a successful app.



Before designing an interface for an app, there are many steps to be taken beforehand.&nbsp; A design thinking approach is not just colors and font choices, but also utilizing empathy, psychology, and research. To be successful, one must embody the perspective of the user and figure out how the product aims to improve lives and experiences. Here are the necessary steps to maximize a product’s potential using design thinking. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Part 1: Desirability to Solve a User Problem</h2>



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Someone usually has the idea for an application when they are inspired by a problem. For instance, maybe it’s a struggle to find an affordable taxi in a major city. This might lead to an “a-ha!” moment where the person decides to create a product that will help others solve this same issue. In design thinking, it’s essential to start with the problem that needs solving, whether it’s a small scale problem, or a problem that plagues all of mankind. From there, two steps help to define the problem and narrow a few things down.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Empathize</h3>



The problem that the app solves should be one that is common to lots of people. That’s why the first step is to confirm that a good amount of other people share a similar sentiment. A great way to do this is to conduct discovery interviews. The goal of discovery interviews is to uncover pain points of potential users. Knowing this gives insights and inspiration on how to go about how an app can be used to solve the named problem. Later in the process, interviewees may be used again to test the ideas that have taken shape. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">List the Possibilities </h3>



Now that the initial flurry of great ideas has a little bit more shape around it, it’s tempting to start coming up with more ideas about how to make and release a solution. Resist that urge, take a breath, and step back. This is where “how might we” questions come into play. If trying to make it easier for a user to catch a cab, one might ask, “How might we make it easier for our users to connect with cab drivers?” Or conversely, “How might we make it easier for a cab driver to know where riders are concentrated?” 



The process of asking these questions is designed to spark imagination in order to see possibilities. Think of this as a brain-storming session where there is no wrong question, only desire to solve the problem. By asking every “how might we” question one can can think of, the creators are opening their minds to new ideas–which could, in turn, lead to some game-changing innovations. This will also help gauge the scope of the project and what the minimal viable product (MVP) aims to achieve. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Part 2: Feasibility to Solve the Problem Using Technology</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://wordpress.craftedup.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/emotions-illustration.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-111877"/><figcaption>Source: Ukususha / iStock</figcaption></figure>



Now it’s time to become the Neil Armstrong of design thinking and begin the exploration phase. This means in intense session of brainstorming all possible solutions and seeing which ones have the most potential. This is where creators will explore the different ways that technology can be used to achieve a solution to the problem.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Ideation</h3>



The next step is to brainstorm around all feasible ways the target problem could be solved. For instance, going back to the taxi problem—could the app help people locate rideshares? Could the app call taxis on-demand? How about a private helicopter rideshare? Some of these ideas will seem more feasible and within the scope than others, but don’t eliminate any from the conversation until they are all out there.



Remember, innovation starts somewhere, and one “weird” idea might just have a kernel of brilliance that can be built upon. One word of warning though, it’s easy for an entire team to get hooked on one idea/solution, especially if the leader seems excited by it. For this reason, it’s a really good idea to <a href="https://hbr.org/2017/05/your-team-is-brainstorming-all-wrong">let members of the team make their own lists first</a>, so everyone has something fresh to bring to the table.&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Analyze</h3>



Now it’s time to see what everybody else is doing by conducting a competitive analysis. This involves looking into all known competitors, deciding who the strongest competition is, and analyzing their product, web presence, and more. How are these competitors solving the problem? What differentiates this solution from one that already exists?&nbsp; If the exact app is already out there as a strong competitor, this may be a time to pivot the idea to something that addresses a different pain point.



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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Prototype</h3>



This is where the project really goes into overdrive. Now, it is time to take the best ideas and put real design around them. Start with designing information architecture and user flows–the basic design concepts of how users will navigate through the app using the technology that will solve their problem. Following this, low-fidelity sketches and mockups will allow the creators to get tangible feedback from the potential user group early on in the design process.&nbsp; This information is invaluable and should help chisel away unnecessary design elements and processes.



After tweaking, reiterations, and many rounds of design enhancements, the lo-fidelity hand-sketch will transform into a hi-fidelity prototype that can be given to the user focus group to test the concept. Revision is a fact of life and should be embraced during every step of the process, especially when it comes to what focus groups have to say during interviews and concept testing. This practical and quantifiable information should help creators stay focused on where they need to go. Once the prototype has been revised based on the collected feedback, it is not ready to be developed into a functioning application.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Part 3: Viability of Business Success for the Product</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Test</h3>



Once the development team has turned the prototype into an actual product, the team might feel “finished.” The reality of this situation is that this has been Phase Zero. It’s once again time to test the application in a controlled environment and make any adjustments needed to enhance the product’s success. Taking early action allows for testing to eliminate bugs and glitches prior to release. No matter what the feedback is, especially if it isn’t positive, it’s important to take it seriously. The team has to be committed to designing with the user at the center of creation. Try to avoid the hubris that comes with thinking that their users are “wrong” or that “they just don’t get it.”&nbsp; After all, they are the target audience!



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"> Launch</h3>



At launch, the app becomes available to the market, not just the controlled testing group. The creators should continue to monitor the market and collect user feedback. Doing so will ensure the app is current with user needs, while allowing creators to be at the forefront of future innovation. An app is rarely ever a finished product, but rather one that continues to evolve and cater to user needs, which also tend to change over time.&nbsp;



Some teams developing apps might only conduct some of these important steps. Others might think their idea is so great and unique, most of these steps aren’t needed. This type of design work reminds us of that fun old saying, “Pride cometh before the fall.” Taking a design thinking approach is imperative to creating a successful app and will lead to increased satisfaction from users and increased revenue for the product.&nbsp;

Business

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While there is a noticeable difference between the major roles played throughout the design process, user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) are almost inextricable from each other. Good UI cannot happen without good UX and vice versa. Therefore, using UI and UX teams to collaborate on projects is highly recommended.



UI and UX teams are constantly working together to ensure a product is of its highest quality when entering the market. When designing a website or application, teams need to work with the same intention to carry out a graceful design. This is where both user experience and user interface experts are needed. What’s the difference between the two? How can they work together to help your application succeed beyond your wildest dreams?



The design process starts with user experience, more specifically, figuring out what problem a&nbsp; website or application is solving. It could be anything from trying to help people find their parking spot, tutor them in a new subject, or a daily reminder to feed an exotic fish.&nbsp;&nbsp;



&nbsp;After choosing a problem to solve, it’s time to decide on a path to solution. This is done by selecting a target audience and beginning the formation of a minimal viable product (MVP). An MVP is a product that has just enough features to be efficient and effective for the user. Typically, a UX designer will form the MVP of an app through a combination of research, live interviews and data collection. 



With a clear goal in mind, specific user requirements can be defined through documents, user flows and wireframes that are used for collaboration between the UX team and the UI team. After reviewing these assets,&nbsp; the UI designer is ready to begin the visual design process. The UI designer begins implementing the user actions and requirements discovered during the UX research phase with the product’s brand in mind.



Throughout the design process, the two disciplines consistently interact in order to discuss how the design fulfills the UX requirements before moving on to user testing. There are numerous ways to test users, but one of the more common ways is through the use of a clickable prototype. The prototype gives users a full experience of the product while providing the UI/UX team insight on potential issues with usability, accessibility or design. User testing is crucial to ensure a product is ready for the market.&nbsp;



Once a prototype has passed user testing, it is now ready for development. In this stage, UI/UX teams and development teams work together to discuss design notes, MVP features and any other questions concerning the prototype. While the developers analyze the information given, they can then accurately estimate the time and effort required for implementation. As a direct result, the company can approximate a budget for the buildout of the product.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://wordpress.craftedup.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/UI.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-111875"/><figcaption>Author/Copyright holder: Teo Yu Siang and Interaction Design Foundation. Copyright terms and licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0</figcaption></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">A Worthwhile Investment</h3>



Twenty years ago, user interface and user experience were unknown disciplines. Today, many companies find a growing need for specialized UI/UX teams for their digital products. Doing the necessary research at the beginning of a project saves time and money for companies in the long run. Fixing a problem in development costs 10 times as much as fixing it in design, and 100 times as much if you’re trying to fix the problem in a product that’s already been released (Pressman 1992).



At Crafted, our team members wear multiple hats. Our UX designers know about UI and our UI designers know about UX. This makes our design process fast and efficient as they can anticipate the needs of the other. For this reason, our clients get the websites and applications they need quickly and with great design and functionality. <a href="https://craftedup.com/work/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Take a look at the work that we did with USA Football</a>, a fast and reliable web app that handled a Super Bowl’s worth of web traffic.

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="461" src="https://wordpress.craftedup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Database-migration-1st-image-1024x461.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-111964" srcset="https://wordpress.craftedup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Database-migration-1st-image-1024x461.jpeg 1024w, https://wordpress.craftedup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Database-migration-1st-image-300x135.jpeg 300w, https://wordpress.craftedup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Database-migration-1st-image-768x346.jpeg 768w, https://wordpress.craftedup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Database-migration-1st-image.jpeg 1100w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption><a href="https://progressive.in/database-migration-made-easy-with-aws-dms">image source</a></figcaption></figure>



When you’re mopping the floor, you need to remember to start in a corner opposite the door. Tons of work can be put into something only to find that there is no clear way to move forward because the work that’s been done so far has severely limited possible options. Like mopping yourself into a corner! When designing a website or app, you might want to jump right in to what it will look like, but this is about the same as mopping right at the doorway. Starting from the outside in is often downright inefficient, especially if you are creating an individual template for each page. Here’s why Crafted Labs approaches every design process from the inside out—and what that means for efficiency and quality.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Designing a Database that Supports Your Visions</h2>



Database architecture is the process of designing and implementing software that stores and organizes information. When building a complex app or website, the team needs to spend time strategizing the architecture before they even start thinking about appearance. Thinking about how the homepage is going to look is small potatoes in the grand scheme of things because it doesn’t affect how the website will work. On the back end, it’s essential to have a larger perspective on how each piece is going to work together. This is because it can be difficult to alter the structure of the database after it’s complete. Nobody can tell the future, but you do need to look ahead to what the app or website might need to become in a year or two. It’s vital to account for inevitable change from an architecture perspective. The more the database is scalable and adaptable, the better. that’s often much easier said than done. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Starting Your Application Design Process </h2>



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One of the&nbsp; best things you can do to enhance the design and development process is to &nbsp; create a<a href="https://craftedup.com/blog/design-systems-according-to-a-designer/"> design system</a>. This is a library of components that have been pre-designed and approved to build your application.&nbsp;Keep in mind that a design system isn’t only about creating a unified design. It’s about creating a process for design and construction that is hardwired into your team’s mindset. <a href="https://medium.com/eightshapes-llc/team-models-for-scaling-a-design-system-2cf9d03be6a0">This can take many shapes</a> and the more the team uses a design system, the quicker it will become second nature. &nbsp; 



After creating a design system for your application, functionality will be ready to be implemented extremely efficiently across your entire code base. The real cherry on top is that a design system can built into your codebase so that once you update something in your library, the live components will update automatically–no muss with very little fuss. This makes design changes automatic and uniform across the board, so you don’t have to change things one at a time.



Database design and visual design are both critical aspects of building scalable, resilient apps. Investing in your backend architecture makes your design scalable from both data and user interface perspectives. This scalability means you have design and development processes that are reusable, resilient to change, updatable, and well documented. By designing from the inside out, your website or app will have a long shelf life and look great in the process.

So, you have a great idea for a website or app and it’s going to change the world. This might seem like a fateful beginning, but it is also just the start. First you need to figure out what features your app or website needs to have up front so that it will be both useful for your audience while being easily maintained by your team. Basically this means you need to start the process with a minimum viable product (MVP). 



The ultimate goal of building an MVP is to ship features that are essential to your products core functionality and essential to your company’s value proposition. Due to differences in budget and complexity across the different types of products, defining your MVP is an imprecise process, but there are some general steps to take to manage your risk, and ship the right features in your first release. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">1. User Experience Research</h2>



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A user experience (UX) team is your ace in the hole for getting a start on your minimum viable product. The first step is to do research to find out who their target audience is going to be.&nbsp; Then, they head out and start having conversations with that audience about what the product is intended to do or solve. Before any journey begins you need to figure out where you’re going. To identify your MVP’s end destination, the UX designer will construct personas of the people who are most likely to use your app. This is to design the app with a target demographic in mind. This step helps you find out whether your idea has a good product/market fit. For example, if your app is supposed to help people learn English, should it be geared towards children who need help reading, or adult English Language Learners? This is important to define based on the feedback of your target demographic which is based on research as well as interview feedback, which is why a UX expert is essential. This part of the development process is also where they will learn which features and functionality, like a login page, GPS connectivity, or voice recognition, are needed to support the user’s experience in order to have a successful MVP. Now that you have a solid jumping off point and an idea of the app’s final destination this is where the UI team jumps in and works with the UX team to get the project on its feet.&nbsp; 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">2. Prioritize List of Features for an MVP </h2>



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The “P” in MVP doesn’t stand for prioritize, but maybe it should. Your next step is to take a hard look at your list of features and ideas discussed during the research process. Now, do a risk ranking from most important to least essential. Deciding what the app needs for launch helps give it shape so you can also start thinking about design. This is about balancing what can be done efficiently in order to get your MVP tested and launched without blowing your budget (the minimum part). Also in the balance is making sure it helps your user along their journey (the viable part) so you will get good feedback to develop future features.



Ranking features is a pretty straightforward process. If a feature is part of the core value proposition for the app, then it probably needs to go in the MVP. For instance, in the language learning app, students will need to create a login and sign up in order to use it. At first, you probably won’t have a ton of users, so maybe full functionality of the profile system isn’t the most important aspect of your launch. 



By asking users to send a sign-up email and creating profiles for them, you can build out more important features for your MVP. Then when you have the resources, after launch, you can go back and set up a more efficient (and complicated) automated system for registration.



It’s important to note, you won’t always know everything about your target user base, which is one reason not spending tons of time and a big percentage of your budget on and MVP is important. For example, imagine a team working on a new social media app for retail workers. Their research tells them that direct, one-on-one messaging will be the most used feature in their app. However, after the release of the MVP, it’s found that the less fully-developed and lower priority group messaging feature is more popular. This is where being open-minded and accepting of user feedback is key. Now the team has the insight to develop that feature more, so this kind of incident isn’t really a failure. But it is an example of why you don’t want to invest too much in any one part of an MVP.&nbsp; 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">3. Remember: A Solid MVP is a Solid Foundation </h2>



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An MVP feels finished in itself, but it’s just the first iteration. It serves to build momentum for your idea and garner the feedback you need to make it truly great. Your users will probably have a lot of input for how you can improve it by adding features that will set it apart from any other product in the field. Take this feedback as constructive criticism that will make your investment in an MVP pay off in a second or third iteration and beyond.&nbsp; 



A good MVP wears many hats. Like any other web-based project it will probably change as new design trends come along and new technology enables new features that you may have never dreamt of before. By investing in an MVP, in many cases, you are also signing up for a continued education in the technological innovations that will help keep your app or website fresh, useful, and indispensable for your users who rely on it everyday.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Feedback can be a tricky thing to navigate, because sometimes, it’s way too early or too emotional for everyone involved to think objectively. This is a problem. And worse &#8211; If key stakeholders aren’t all on board with the product, it won’t succeed. This is why handling feedback properly is essential to any act of creation. Here are some things we’ve learned to keep in mind while taking early-stage feedback on a project.&nbsp; 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">First Impressions Aren’t the Most Important</h2>



While many people find satisfaction in diving into a project headfirst and working until it’s done, there are a few drawbacks to this style of work. Chiefly, one might lose sight of how others might perceive their work. In other words, the way you do your work makes sense to you&#8211;so that’s just how it needs to be done. Working day and night on a project like an app, flaws might go unseen, or be accepted, or fixing them gets put off until later. However, other people with a stake in the app might only see the flaws, or maybe your focus on one area wasn’t what they were expecting. Regardless, they will see the work you’ve been doing differently than you do when it’s unveiled to them for the first time.&nbsp; Positive or negative that initial reaction will skew the outlook on the project from then on.&nbsp;



If the feedback is positive, sure, It’s nice to hear good things about your work. But mistakes that are then overlooked through rose-colored glasses <a href="https://www.techrepublic.com/article/risks-and-rewards-of-making-project-decisions-based-on-gut-feelings/">could manifest into larger problems in the future</a>. If the feedback is negative, it may be because they were expecting a product to turn out exactly how they envisioned it or would have done it, and that’s never reality. Their immediate reaction is born from juxtaposition between what they expected and what they see. This means that even if what they see is objectively better than how they envisioned it, they will never like it. 



Many scientists agree that relying on gut reactions in business situations <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/40575508/why-go-with-your-gut-is-terrible-advice">isn’t the best idea</a>.The negative reaction might make developers or designers hesitant to share future iterations with the audience or owner. That ultimately leads to a worse final product. 



If feedback is based on a quick glance take it with a grain of salt. If they love it, there may eventually become reasons they don’t. If they don’t like it, that doesn’t mean it’s bad, just far from their individual concept. Either way, these quick reactions don’t provide much value.&nbsp;



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading"> How to Get Better Creative Feedback&nbsp;</h2>



When trying to get constructive feedback, it’s important to remember that context is king.First of all, present the design, MVP, or other critical deliverables yourself to the stakeholders, either over the phone or in person. Otherwise, an uninformed intermediary might run their opinion up the chain and influence reactions. This presentation will help provide them context of your decision making and choices about the product or project. This might mean explaining risks you took, innovations you discovered, or unexpected limitations that you’re still trying to work around.&nbsp; 



During this presentation, though, there shouldn’t be any big reveals. You should also be in touch with stakeholders throughout the process any time there’s a big change or deviation from the original direction. This will help to head off negative gut reactions at the pass and allow the client to look at the product with grounded expectations.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How to Take Creative Feedback Better</h2>



It&#8217;s important to remember not to take feedback personally. There is no crying in baseball, business, or the feedback process. Try to remain objective and listen so that there is no appearance of defensiveness, which could be interpreted as an unwillingness to collaborate. However, at the same time, don’t be shy about explaining your reasoning or how you ended up in what someone else sees as “the weeds.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



Taking feedback better gets easier the more you practice, so our best advice for designers and developers is to expose yourselves to feedback more often, more early. Part of the issues that come up with gut reactions could be avoided if stakeholders saw the design or product earlier in development. Yes, that’s scary, because they might not like it. You might fear they don’t have expertise and perspective to appreciate a work in progress. But you’re also limiting your ability to be objective about the work by keeping it close to the chest and thinking of it as “your own.”&nbsp;



When it comes to feedback, be an open book, but don’t absorb every critic’s reaction at face value. Good or bad, take the time to parse out useful input and put the emotional gut reactions behind you. Your project isn’t an oil painting that can be ruined by one mistake, so don’t be afraid to justify your decision making and talk through the next steps that make sense from all sides. In this way, feedback plays its true role in the creative process, and isn’t a trap to success.

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Is your business
ready for structured content?

Crafted is Going to the Mira Awards!

Contents

Is your business ready for structured content?

Crafted is Going to the Mira Awards!

Is your business
ready for structured content?