Coord: Work Management Tool for Remote Teams
How might we help remote teams and workers improve their productivity by optimizing communication and scheduling?
Role
UX Researcher and Designer
Duration
September 2024 - November 2024
Design Tools
Figma, FigJam
Skills
Problem Framing, Conducting User Interviews, Developing Personas, Storyboarding, Mapping User Journeys, Creating Paper and Digital Prototypes, Performing Heuristic Evaluations, Usability Testing, Iterative Design.
Team
Yelnaz Rysbek, Youngeun Yu, Boran Yang
Overview
According to a U.S. Census Bureau 2023 Report on home-based workers, the percentage of people working remotely at least one day per week rose from 16% in 2019 to 26% in 2021, with the majority working entirely online. Remote teams often struggle with a lack of productivity due to communication challenges and scheduling conflicts across time zones. This project aims to address this issue by prompting the following HMW statement: How might we help remote teams and workers improve their productivity by optimizing communication and scheduling?
As a result, we developed Coord, a unique blend of communication and schedule management systems, with a smart AI assistant that intelligently coordinates meeting times, personalizes recommendations, and streamlines scheduling to enhance team efficiency.
This project was developed as part of the SI 582 Introduction to Interaction Design graduate course at the University of Michigan School of Information, and all three members worked together at each step of the project.
Research
Methods
Competitive Analysis
Literature Review
Stakeholder Interviews
Blurred Work-Life Boundaries Impact Productivity: Flexible hours in remote work offer convenience but often result in procrastination, irregular work schedules, and blurred boundaries between work and personal life. This creates a cycle of lower productivity and increased stress as employees struggle to separate their roles effectively.
Communication Challenges Reduce Efficiency: Remote work exacerbates communication issues due to time zone differences, lack of non-verbal cues, and awkward virtual interactions (e.g., unmuting mics or interpreting facial expressions). These barriers hinder collaboration, particularly when discussing complex topics or during onboarding phases, leading to inefficiency and frustration.
Perceptions of Well-Being Vary, But Social Isolation Is Common: The mental and physical health impacts of remote work differ among individuals, with some feeling isolated or demotivated without face-to-face feedback and interaction. While a few perceive health benefits, addressing social isolation and fostering connectedness remains crucial to supporting employee well-being.
Key Insights
Initially, we hypothesized that employee productivity is closely linked to their well-being, which could be measured using various health metrics. Our focus was on addressing this connection to enhance productivity. However, our research and interviews revealed that the primary factors influencing productivity for remote employees are communication inefficiencies and scheduling challenges. As a result, our HMW statement changed from “How might we help to improve remote employees’ productivity while preserving their well-being” to “How might we help remote teams and workers improve their productivity by optimizing communication and scheduling?”
Problem Statement Evolution
Development
Personas
Using affinity mapping to analyze our research results, we created two personas, Max and Jessica, who work together as a team across different time zones.
Storyboard
As a team, we created storyboards for different users to further explore the scenarios in which they might interact with our system and how those interactions would unfold.
User Flow
The next step in our design process involved creating a user flow chart. This activity enabled us to refine interactions by addressing the complexity of certain actions and optimizing the overall user experience.
Paper Prototype
Through rapid paper prototyping, we explored multiple iterations of the product, enabling us to evaluate possible issues and remove them at the early stage of product development.
Wireframes
To enhance fidelity and provide a clearer representation of the product's structure and interface, we developed detailed wireframes.
Final Design
Coord is a unique blend of communication and schedule management systems with a smart AI assistant that intelligently coordinates meeting times, personalizes recommendations, and streamlines scheduling to enhance team efficiency.
