SnapTrack
Streamlining Photography Workflow: A UX Design Case Study
Introduction
Welcome to the case study on SnapTrack, a comprehensive client management app tailored specifically for photographers.
Created as a mock project for the UX Google professional certification course, while it's not a real-world application, the insights and methodologies used in its design process are applicable and valuable in real-world design projects.
MY ROLE
Entire product design from research to conception, visualization and testing
DELIVERABLES
Competitive analysis report.
User persona.
User journey map.
Empathy map. Wireframes. Prototypes.
Usability testing plan
Style guide
DURATION
3 Months
As apart of the structured curriculum
OVERVIEW
The problem
Many photographers face challenges in efficiently managing clients and projects while handling day-to-day administrative tasks.
They struggle with organizing client information, maintaining effective communication, and managing their busy schedules.
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Goal
Create a client management app to assist photographers with admin work, enable efficient communication with clients and project management within a unified platform.
DESIGN PROCESS
RESEARCH
Both qualitative and quantitative research were conducted. The goal was to gain insight into the challenges photographers encounter , which would help to better identify important feature requirements of potential users and to find out to which extent existing tools meet their needs.
Key findings:
Organizational Challenges:
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Interviewees expressed difficulties in keeping track of client details and project timelines, with 90% highlighting the need for a centralized platform.
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Survey data revealed that 70% of photographers struggle with managing multiple projects simultaneously, leading to confusion and missed deadlines.
Communication needs​
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80% of interviewees shared challenges in effective client communication, especially when coordinating appointments and sharing updates or getting important information
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Survey responses revealed a preference for a unified platform for client communication, with 75% expressing frustration with juggling multiple channels.
Streamlining workflow​
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60% of interviewees shared the need for automation features to help them streamline administrative tasks particularly document generation, email correspondence and record keeping
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Competitor analysis showed gaps in customizable workflow options, presenting an opportunity for SnapTrack to differentiate itself.
Competition analysis findings
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Limited or no customization options
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Often overwhelmingly complex with steep learning curve
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No dedicated app or the app offers only basic features
THESE WERE SOME MAJOR LEARNINGS OR PAIN POINTS TO CALL OUT
Time-Consuming Administrative Tasks
Managing administrative tasks such as scheduling,client data organization, and project details take a significant amount of time
Ineffective Communication with Clients
Struggle to maintain clear and consistent communication with their clients, leading to misunderstandings regarding project requirements, scheduling, and pricing
Task coordination
Challenges in managing workflow seamlessly, especially when it involves multiple tasks such as location scouting, equipment preparation, and post-production work.
Complexity of existing CRMs
Challenges in adopting and utilizing traditional CRMs (Customer , which often have steep learning curve and may not be tailored to their specific industry needs.
DEFINING USER GOALS AND PERSONA
After analyzing the data gathered in interviews and surveys, I created user personas. These personas act as a tool to understand and empathize with the users, and provide valuable guidance when making design decisions.
Problem statement:
Amy is a busy photographer who needs an easy way to convey pricing and schedules to clients because communication gaps make it hard to deliver personalized photography services effectively.
Problem statement:​
Jamie, a multitasking professional, needs a unified platform to track tasks and contacts because the current scattered tools and distractions compromise his efficiency, resulting in missed opportunities and errors.
User journey map:​
Mapping Amy ’s user journey of one of her basic tasks helped identify possible improvement opportunities and some of the core features that the app should include.
Planing
Next phase started off with individual brainstorming using 'How Might We' and 'Crazy Eights' methods to generate design ideas quickly and freely.
I then proceeded to sketching them out on paper which allows adjustment to be made without much effort, coming up with the elements which will be included in the digital wireframe later.
Digital wireframes
As the initial design phase continued, I started crafting the digital wireframes that will be used in the first round of usability study in order to find potential issues or areas for improvement before proceeding to high-fidelity prototyping, visual design and mockups.
Below are just few of the screens showing some of the features that the app will include based on the pain points discovered earlier.
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Customizable workflow interface addressing key needs for smoother task handling.
Basic outline of a project is provided to which users can add tasks depending on the type of work or their preferences, and create reusable workflows that they can assign to a new lead or client that they have.
An option to automate workflow tasks
Equipping users with customizable availability settings addresses their scheduling frustrations, allowing seamless client bookings that that match users' preferred timeframes.
User can create, save, and reuse a collection of availability options which will be displayed in an online scheduler.
Shareable link for an online scheduler
TITLE OF THE CALLOUT BLOCK
PROTOTYPING AND USABILITY TESTING
Using the completed set of digital wireframes, I created a low-fidelity prototype.
The screens were connected to display three separate user flows : adding a new lead manually, creating a workflow and setting up an availability service for online scheduler so that the prototype could be used in a usability study.
Usability testing
In an unmoderated usability study, participants were given a list of prompts, and their behavior was observed and recorded. Following this, they completed a System Usability Scale (SUS) Collected observations were then organized using an affinity diagram to identify patterns that can be translated into actionable insights.
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Design iterations
After getting feedback and insights from usability studies, I moved on to refining and improving the designs to provide more intuitive service for the user.
Before
After
The lead page now includes a client portal as a third segment, seamlessly integrated and easily accessible for the user.
This update directly addresses the findings from usability study - meeting users' requests for a client portal within the lead management interface.
Tooltips and short feature introductions are added , to enhance confidence in app navigation using simple language.
The workflow stages are now visually differentiated with color coding, to make them easier to understand at a glance.
Before
After
Before
After
Updated homepage includes expandable calendar view for quick appointment previews and the condensed dashboard is redesigned to offer at-a-glance summary of activity.
Vibrant colors are used to mitigate information overload.
The ‘add’ button is now highlighted and core functions are relocated to bottom navbar for quick access.
High-fidelity prototype
The final high-fidelity prototype presented met user needs for shareable client portal,enhanced task management and more efficient client communication.
Demonstration
I have included animated prototype demonstration to provide a dynamic view of some of the user flows in action.
These animated user flows offer a visual representation of how users interact with the app, showcasing the seamless journey through key tasks and interactions.
Take a closer look to see the design in motion!
User is sending a quote to via client portal
User is creating their own workflow
User is setting up their availability for schedular
TAKEAWAYS
Impact
While the course project lacked real-world metrics, user feedback was overwhelmingly positive.
​One participant noted,
"The smooth workflows and easy-to-use interface would really make running my photography business a breeze and more fun."
What I learned
Through this course project, I deepened my understanding of the importance of user-centric design.
Working on the app, I learned that first ideas for the app are only the beginning of the process
The real learning came from diving into UX research – conducting usability studies and getting feedback from peers.It showed me firsthand how crucial this phase is in shaping practical, user-friendly designs.