2023
MiningPro
Streamlining the end-to-end purchasing journey for individual miners in Africa through MiningPro's user-friendly services
Product Design
As a Stanford Seed intern for a mining company in Ghana, I designed a B2C mobile app, achieving 95% user satisfaction rate.
TIMELINE
Jun - Sep 2023
ROLE
Product Design Intern
TEAM
Product Manager
Software Engineer
TOOLS
Figma
Qualtrics
Stanford Seed is a global initiative that empowers enterprises in emerging economies.
As the only product design intern for Stanford Seed, a Stanford Graduate School of Business initiative that empowers emerging businesses in developing economies, I had the opportunity to work with Georgette Barnes Ltd., a service-based mining company located in Accra, Ghana.
I was responsible for designing an interactive B2C app that streamlines the end-to-end purchasing journey for individual miners across Africa.
PROBLEM
The current website only allows users to request a quotation instead of putting direct orders.
What's the solution?
Replace quotation requests with streamlined in-app orders and services.
Although quotation requests may be suitable in B2B contexts, it's inconvenient for individual buyers. To address the needs of our users and align business goals, my design focused on simplifying the ordering process and access to services.
DIVERGENT THINKING
After exploring different design solutions, I reached the decision to design an app.
I considered different solutions, such as redesigning the website or integrating mobile-optimized chat support. I ultimately chose to design an app because of the following rationales.
USER INTERVIEWS
In-depth interviews uncovered pain points emphasizing lack of guidance.
In order to gain a better understanding of user motives and expectations, I conducted 8 structured in-depth interviews. I used the interview outline below to capture various aspects of the problem.
USER JOURNEY
By analyzing user behavior, I identified touchpoints to optimize and simplify.
I synthesized the interview findings under 4 categories (awareness, search, contact, and purchase) to gain a more structural understanding of our user journey and behavior.
USER JOURNEY MAP
The user journey map highlights that users are most frustrated during the contact phase.
Users want to directly purchase GBL's products, instead of having to contact officials, which is time-consuming. Designing a B2C app would therefore solve this problem.
What are the user goals?
Users want more agency in purchasing products.
Seamless process finding products
Users want a more seamless experience finding the products they're looking for. Organized IA and intuitive filters that meet user affordance would enhance this issue.
Easier recurring orders
Since most users make recurring orders, including a subscription feature would save consumers' time and allow the company to establish a recurring revenue stream.
Responsive customer service
Designing a centralized platform where users can not only buy products but also request mining services would simplify the overall user journey.
USER FLOW
The user flow chart outlines user tasks in as few steps as possible.
USABILITY TESTING
PROTOTYPE OVERVIEW
PRODUCT FEATURES
Personal account for individual miners.
Personal accounts allow easy access to order history and enables users to manage their information securely, ensuring sensitive data is stored safely.
Seamless process finding products.
Filters, personalized recommendations and digestible product details allow users to minimize the time spent on finding the right products.
Recurring orders.
The recurring order feature automates the purchasing process for frequently bought items, saving users the time and effort of reordering.
Mining services at your fingertips.
The Help button allows users to immediately dial emergency, contact various specialists, and get help in multiple areas.
BUSINESS IMPACT
Key metrics indicate a significant improvement in user purchasing journey.
3x Increase in In-App Purchases
3 times as many in-app purchases were made, as a result of user-friendly interfaces and streamlined purchasing journey within a centralized platform.
75% of All Orders are Recurring
For every 4 purchases, 3 are recurring orders, conveying that many users are utilizing the subscription model. This will positively impact customer loyalty and retention rate.
95% Satisfied with Services
The majority of users have expressed great satisfaction particularly with the app’s responsive services and user-friendly interface.
TAKEAWAYS
This project gave rise to business, cultural, and technical implications.
Customer retention through UX
I saw firsthand how features like quick reordering contribute to retention, teaching me the importance of UX in fostering long-term user engagement.
Supporting user empowerment
Digital tools can empower users by making resources accessible and easy to obtain. I saw how design can directly support miners' work efficiency and safety.
Balancing usability and complexity
Although it was challenging to translate complex, technical information into a simplified app, the iterative process enhanced usability.
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