Banjaiga
One stop shop for construction
Project
Agenc-K
Role
Lead UX
Context
Brief
Banjaiga works as an online marketplace for the local construction industry. As part of their goals, they wanted to create a unique experience that went beyond listings and profiling of various stakeholders from the construction industry. We discovered that users had different expectations from the platform and redesigned the experience from the ground up.
Role
I was responsible for leading the branding and UX on the project – conducting research, producing site maps, personas, wireframes, user flows and helping shape the design direction along with hi fidelity designs. I also worked alongside strategy and development teams to help identify the best information architecture for a complex user journeys for multiple stake holders.
Outcome
We designed a solution that included an information clustering system that focused on problem solving. This method allowed the use of associating different information packages together in varied combinations, allowing users to reach the same information in multiple ways. The new direction also allowed the user instant help through an offhand assistance system that could be used anytime to get a call back from the customer care team. We were able to considerably increase the time on platform and form submission rates.
Brief
Banjaiga works as an online marketplace for the local construction industry. As part of their goals, they wanted to create a unique experience that went beyond listings and profiling of various stakeholders from the construction industry. We discovered that users had different expectations from the platform and redesigned the experience from the ground up.
Role
I was responsible for leading the branding and UX on the project – conducting research, producing site maps, personas, wireframes, user flows and helping shape the design direction along with hi fidelity designs. I also worked alongside strategy and development teams to help identify the best information architecture for a complex user journeys for multiple stake holders.
Outcome
We designed a solution that included an information clustering system that focused on problem solving. This method allowed the use of associating different information packages together in varied combinations, allowing users to reach the same information in multiple ways. The new direction also allowed the user instant help through an offhand assistance system that could be used anytime to get a call back from the customer care team. We were able to considerably increase the time on platform and form submission rates.
Brief
Banjaiga works as an online marketplace for the local construction industry. As part of their goals, they wanted to create a unique experience that went beyond listings and profiling of various stakeholders from the construction industry. We discovered that users had different expectations from the platform and redesigned the experience from the ground up.
Role
I was responsible for leading the branding and UX on the project – conducting research, producing site maps, personas, wireframes, user flows and helping shape the design direction along with hi fidelity designs. I also worked alongside strategy and development teams to help identify the best information architecture for a complex user journeys for multiple stake holders.
Outcome
We designed a solution that included an information clustering system that focused on problem solving. This method allowed the use of associating different information packages together in varied combinations, allowing users to reach the same information in multiple ways. The new direction also allowed the user instant help through an offhand assistance system that could be used anytime to get a call back from the customer care team. We were able to considerably increase the time on platform and form submission rates.
Creating the buzz
Building happiness in the construction industry
Banjaiga is Pakistan`s first and the biggest online platform for building and construction. The platform connects various stakeholders together; house contractors, architects, building material suppliers and service providers are curated. An end user seeking their services or any material information can go online and get in touch with them, or call Banjaiga`s in-house consultants to get personalized assistance on any construction related query.
The mission of Banjaiga is to build happiness in the construction industry by providing information, trust and transparency to the house builder.
The challenge
The first variation was launched a couple of years ago. Although the product direction was set, we noticed that there was a huge drop off of users after they would come to the website. we were trying to answer some fundamental questions relating to one particular user type, the end client looking for information online. Since there were five distinct user types, all with a very different set of expectations from the platform, for this particular documentation we will focus on only one - the client looking for construction related information.We had four basic challenges to overcome.1. Why were the users dropping off without taking action from the home page?2. What were they looking for and how could we group the information better in order to make it more useable?3. How could we represent supplier/vendor/architect/product information in a way that was actionable for the clients?4. Could we create interactions that would allow the client to trust us more?
I was the co-founder and lead designer / UX working with a transient team of contracted designers and an inhouse lead developer.
Right from the very start we tested out various MVPs and user tested them and incrementally made changes to the UX. It was an opportunity to roll with the punches and create a product market-fit in a unique market.
(UX audit, Stakeholder analysis, Heuristic evaluation, User testing, user flows, card sorting, surveys, Information architecture (AI), Experience mapping, customer journey mappings, wireframing, high fidelity prototypes, User personas)
THE HORSE BEFORE THE CART
From the very start we had data (few months) to make educated decisions. Although the metrics were showing engagements, it was very difficult to understand what the real users were thinking and why they were getting lost and not returning. This phase was all about discovery.User ResearchUX/UI Audit / Basic Heuristic evaluationBefore starting, we conducted a basic UX audit of the platform. Based on the ten point Jacob Neilson system (visibility, match, user control, consistency, design, help and documentation). It was part of our User testing focus group.User Testing We designed surveys for the user testing focus groups to understand which questions the users came to the platform with and how they went about looking for solutions. Our focus was to see how they went about interacting with the platform and where they stumbled. Card Sorting (Closed)There are many phases in the Construction cycle: Pre construction phase, Construction and Post-construction. We had to create a was to better streamline information. Closed-Card sorting was used to get the users to try to put cards into the right category according to their understanding of the terms.
The first variation was launched a couple of years ago. Although the product direction was set, we noticed that there was a huge drop off of users after they would come to the website. we were trying to answer some fundamental questions relating to one particular user type, the end client looking for information online. Since there were five distinct user types, all with a very different set of expectations from the platform, for this particular documentation we will focus on only one - the client looking for construction related information.We had four basic challenges to overcome.1. Why were the users dropping off without taking action from the home page?2. What were they looking for and how could we group the information better in order to make it more useable?3. How could we represent supplier/vendor/architect/product information in a way that was actionable for the clients?4. Could we create interactions that would allow the client to trust us more?
I was the co-founder and lead designer / UX working with a transient team of contracted designers and an inhouse lead developer.
Right from the very start we tested out various MVPs and user tested them and incrementally made changes to the UX. It was an opportunity to roll with the punches and create a product market-fit in a unique market.
(UX audit, Stakeholder analysis, Heuristic evaluation, User testing, user flows, card sorting, surveys, Information architecture (AI), Experience mapping, customer journey mappings, wireframing, high fidelity prototypes, User personas)
THE HORSE BEFORE THE CART
From the very start we had data (few months) to make educated decisions. Although the metrics were showing engagements, it was very difficult to understand what the real users were thinking and why they were getting lost and not returning. This phase was all about discovery.User ResearchUX/UI Audit / Basic Heuristic evaluationBefore starting, we conducted a basic UX audit of the platform. Based on the ten point Jacob Neilson system (visibility, match, user control, consistency, design, help and documentation). It was part of our User testing focus group.User Testing We designed surveys for the user testing focus groups to understand which questions the users came to the platform with and how they went about looking for solutions. Our focus was to see how they went about interacting with the platform and where they stumbled. Card Sorting (Closed)There are many phases in the Construction cycle: Pre construction phase, Construction and Post-construction. We had to create a was to better streamline information. Closed-Card sorting was used to get the users to try to put cards into the right category according to their understanding of the terms.
The first variation was launched a couple of years ago. Although the product direction was set, we noticed that there was a huge drop off of users after they would come to the website. we were trying to answer some fundamental questions relating to one particular user type, the end client looking for information online. Since there were five distinct user types, all with a very different set of expectations from the platform, for this particular documentation we will focus on only one - the client looking for construction related information.We had four basic challenges to overcome.1. Why were the users dropping off without taking action from the home page?2. What were they looking for and how could we group the information better in order to make it more useable?3. How could we represent supplier/vendor/architect/product information in a way that was actionable for the clients?4. Could we create interactions that would allow the client to trust us more?
I was the co-founder and lead designer / UX working with a transient team of contracted designers and an inhouse lead developer.
Right from the very start we tested out various MVPs and user tested them and incrementally made changes to the UX. It was an opportunity to roll with the punches and create a product market-fit in a unique market.
(UX audit, Stakeholder analysis, Heuristic evaluation, User testing, user flows, card sorting, surveys, Information architecture (AI), Experience mapping, customer journey mappings, wireframing, high fidelity prototypes, User personas)
THE HORSE BEFORE THE CART
From the very start we had data (few months) to make educated decisions. Although the metrics were showing engagements, it was very difficult to understand what the real users were thinking and why they were getting lost and not returning. This phase was all about discovery.User ResearchUX/UI Audit / Basic Heuristic evaluationBefore starting, we conducted a basic UX audit of the platform. Based on the ten point Jacob Neilson system (visibility, match, user control, consistency, design, help and documentation). It was part of our User testing focus group.User Testing We designed surveys for the user testing focus groups to understand which questions the users came to the platform with and how they went about looking for solutions. Our focus was to see how they went about interacting with the platform and where they stumbled. Card Sorting (Closed)There are many phases in the Construction cycle: Pre construction phase, Construction and Post-construction. We had to create a was to better streamline information. Closed-Card sorting was used to get the users to try to put cards into the right category according to their understanding of the terms.
Early insights from the field
Our assumptions were put to test and very quickly we realized the reason for users not engaging more with the website was to primarily do with 1) design and 2) information clustering.
The users found the layouts distracting and didn't know how to proceed with finding what they were looking for. Our goal became to understand what was distracting them and why were they were hesitant in prolonging their search.
We redesigned some other variations and tested again.
Deeper Insights
"Users didn't want a simple listing website"
It seemed counter institutive but the fact was that we had user behavior confused with the an earlier version of the platform that was tested at an earlier time. Back in 2017-2018, the way users were consuming information was very different but in 2020, their behavior had changed considerably and their expectations were definitely not to see a vendor listing website.
"Users came to the website to do research, not to solve an instant problem"
The second most important discovery was that that a majority of the users were not in the process of making a house or doing renovations. They were in the process of doing their preliminary research and wanted to know very pertinent questions based on which phase they were in as identified by our customer journey mapping.
Deeper Insights
"Users didn't want a simple listing website"
It seemed counter institutive but the fact was that we had user behavior confused with the an earlier version of the platform that was tested at an earlier time. Back in 2017-2018, the way users were consuming information was very different but in 2020, their behavior had changed considerably and their expectations were definitely not to see a vendor listing website.
"Users came to the website to do research, not to solve an instant problem"
The second most important discovery was that that a majority of the users were not in the process of making a house or doing renovations. They were in the process of doing their preliminary research and wanted to know very pertinent questions based on which phase they were in as identified by our customer journey mapping.
Deeper Insights
"Users didn't want a simple listing website"
It seemed counter institutive but the fact was that we had user behavior confused with the an earlier version of the platform that was tested at an earlier time. Back in 2017-2018, the way users were consuming information was very different but in 2020, their behavior had changed considerably and their expectations were definitely not to see a vendor listing website.
"Users came to the website to do research, not to solve an instant problem"
The second most important discovery was that that a majority of the users were not in the process of making a house or doing renovations. They were in the process of doing their preliminary research and wanted to know very pertinent questions based on which phase they were in as identified by our customer journey mapping.
While it seems obvious now, I was surprised to discover this major issue through user testing.
This statement became the north star for the next phase of design iterations.
The curse of perfection was raising its ugly head and it was clear that in order to make a product for designers where they were showcasing their designs for feedback, they also had a lot of feedback to dish out first.
While it seems obvious now, I was surprised to discover this major issue through user testing.
This statement became the north star for the next phase of design iterations.
The curse of perfection was raising its ugly head and it was clear that in order to make a product for designers where they were showcasing their designs for feedback, they also had a lot of feedback to dish out first.
While it seems obvious now, I was surprised to discover this major issue through user testing.
This statement became the north star for the next phase of design iterations.
The curse of perfection was raising its ugly head and it was clear that in order to make a product for designers where they were showcasing their designs for feedback, they also had a lot of feedback to dish out first.
1.INFORMATION CLUSTERING
I created a clear hierarchy of information clusters. Instead of users searching for individual pieces of information, we clubbed together the most sought after questions from the user side. The information clustering were multiple pages deep and would allow the end users to reach the correct information without getting lost.
1.INFORMATION CLUSTERING
I created a clear hierarchy of information clusters. Instead of users searching for individual pieces of information, we clubbed together the most sought after questions from the user side. The information clustering were multiple pages deep and would allow the end users to reach the correct information without getting lost.
1.INFORMATION CLUSTERING
I created a clear hierarchy of information clusters. Instead of users searching for individual pieces of information, we clubbed together the most sought after questions from the user side. The information clustering were multiple pages deep and would allow the end users to reach the correct information without getting lost.
Frictionless help engine
It was very important to build a help engine within the platform without wasting user time and also eliminating useless time wasting queries from their sides as well, we created a friction-less form based information gathering system that gathered the right type of information from the users and instantly allowed the customer care team to get in touch with them with the right amount of information. This solution also compliments the new business vertical of integrated services.
Frictionless help engine
It was very important to build a help engine within the platform without wasting user time and also eliminating useless time wasting queries from their sides as well, we created a friction-less form based information gathering system that gathered the right type of information from the users and instantly allowed the customer care team to get in touch with them with the right amount of information. This solution also compliments the new business vertical of integrated services.
Frictionless help engine
It was very important to build a help engine within the platform without wasting user time and also eliminating useless time wasting queries from their sides as well, we created a friction-less form based information gathering system that gathered the right type of information from the users and instantly allowed the customer care team to get in touch with them with the right amount of information. This solution also compliments the new business vertical of integrated services.
Interactive tools/assistants
Based on the feedback received, we built simple yet very powerful ways to help the users get the right type of information. This was done by designing tools that they could interact with. In the form of cost calculators and home configurators, it allowed the users to get estimates and learn about the construction before getting into the process.
Interactive tools/assistants
Based on the feedback received, we built simple yet very powerful ways to help the users get the right type of information. This was done by designing tools that they could interact with. In the form of cost calculators and home configurators, it allowed the users to get estimates and learn about the construction before getting into the process.
Interactive tools/assistants
Based on the feedback received, we built simple yet very powerful ways to help the users get the right type of information. This was done by designing tools that they could interact with. In the form of cost calculators and home configurators, it allowed the users to get estimates and learn about the construction before getting into the process.
The impact
The redesign helped the platform achieve it`s goal of maintaining user engagement and becoming useful as a platform that was geared towards helping people build.
We were able to convey a clear value proportion to the user, that of a house concierge service that should occupy their head space whenever it comes to construction related activities. (Deployment WIP, Prototype metrics)
Time spent on platform (Increase)
220%
Pages visited/User (Increase)
300%
Form completion rate (Increase)
50%
The redesign helped the platform achieve it`s goal of maintaining user engagement and becoming useful as a platform that was geared towards helping people build.
We were able to convey a clear value proportion to the user, that of a house concierge service that should occupy their head space whenever it comes to construction related activities. (Deployment WIP, Prototype metrics)
Time spent on platform (Increase)
220%
Pages visited/User (Increase)
300%
Form completion rate (Increase)
50%
The redesign helped the platform achieve it`s goal of maintaining user engagement and becoming useful as a platform that was geared towards helping people build.
We were able to convey a clear value proportion to the user, that of a house concierge service that should occupy their head space whenever it comes to construction related activities. (Deployment WIP, Prototype metrics)
Time spent on platform (Increase)
220%
Pages visited/User (Increase)
300%
Form completion rate (Increase)
50%