Ably
Abstract
Ably is a mobile app that empowers neurodiverse creatives to network and share their work in a comfortable and accepting manner with other creatives who share their struggle.
An analysis of the current networking industry for creatives showed what conventions should be included in our solution and what could set Ably apart. Additional analysis of digital resources for neurodiverse individuals helped to define what features would promote inclusivity and feelings of safety and acceptance. Research revealed that many neurodiverse creatives feel a significant amount of pressure from their colleagues to project a sense of normality in their lives, and many digital experiences can trigger reactions that lead to mental unwellness.
Ably alleviates the struggles of this audience by fostering accessibility through its visual simplicity and use of augmented alternative communication, facilitating a pleasant, sensitive and empathetic experience.
Through these unique solutions, Ably allows this underrepresented community of unique creatives to develop a network of support and gives them the confidence they need to promote themselves.
Project Goals
To research our audience and their needs, frustrations and challenges in daily routines
To understand conventions of networking resources and technology in an effort to stand apart
To create an accessible and empowering solution that motivates our users to continue use
Role
Project Manager, UX Researcher & Designer
Tools Used
Adobe XD, Google Suite, Slack, pen & paper
Deliverables
High-fidelity mobile prototype
Awards & Accolades
Ably was entered into the Adobe Creative Jam contest, and was scored by a panel of judges based on the categories of Audience, Innovation, User Experience, and Design. Ably placed within the top 10 submissions in 3 of the 4 categories.
Out of 103 project submissions, Ably finished 14th overall and received an honorable mention during the Adobe Creative Jam contest finale.
Research & Discover
Initial Research
Before digging into the project, it was imperative to gain an understanding of the standards and guidelines around accessibility on the web. Through our research, we found several important resources to guide the scope of our work which we would return to throughout the process to validate our decisions and keep our solution inclusive and accessible. These resources included:
Competitive & Comparative Analysis
To understand conventions that existed among accessibility-focused products and networking tools, we ran an analysis of direct and indirect competition to find out what our audience might be expecting in terms of features, and how our solution could stand out as a networking solution.
User Interviews & Personas
In an effort to exercise empathy and gain valuable insight into our audience, we conducted interviews to understand the habits, hobbies, goals and frustrations of our users. A research plan was drafted to articulate who we wanted to interview and what we wanted to learn, and an interview script was written with open-ended questions to obtain rich and insightful information. This resulted in two distinct personas, covering the breadth of experiences and accessibility requirements our audience would need met.
Problem & Hypothesis
With our research synthesized and personas established, we developed a concise statement to define the problem our solution would solve:
Alice & Rich need a better way to build their creative network because of various triggers affecting their confidence and mental well-being.
To find our solution, we asked the following questions:
How might we help Alice & Rich network with ease?
How might we foster comfort and empathy for Alice & Rich in their community-building?
How might we implement an experience that facilitates creativity and comfortability for Alice & Rich?
Which led us to the following hypothesis:
We believe that through a mobile app offering various sensory experiences and augmented alternative communication, we will allow Alice & Rich to easily develop a network of support to give them the confidence they need to promote themselves.
Ideate & Design
User Flow & Feature Prioritization
Keeping inclusivity and accessibility guidelines top-of-mind, we listed out the features to be included and omitted from our solution, based on our analysis of competitors and the needs of our users. Given the time constraints of the project, we would have to narrow the extent of our user’s flow; we used the MOSCOW method to determine what features must be included, should be included, could be included, and wouldn’t be included.
Wireframes
After sketching out the various screens that would comprise our user’s flow, we took the designs and made them digital. We started with lower fidelity grayscale wireframes so we could focus on the layout and information and make sure we had all the screens necessary for our user to navigate the app.
High-Fidelity Prototype
Once we fleshed out our prototype with color and imagery, we connected the wireframes into a cohesive prototype. Our end product had an onboarding process that would cater the app visually to the users needs, taking into account their sensory needs, triggers and boundaries, privacy concerns and augmented alternative communication requirements. The finished prototype utilized gentle language and recognizable iconography to facilitate a comfortable and safe space for our audience.
Imagery courtesy of Jéan Béller, Julie Ricard, Christopher Alvarenga, Kentaro Toma, GESPHOTOSS, Ugur Akdemir, Eric Ward and Vek Labs via Unsplash.
Reflection
Next Steps
Due to the time constraints of the project, our team utilized Lean UX practices. Therefore, the conducting research and usability testing was minimal. Further research into our users would enable greater empathy and sensitivity, and additional testing would reveal any pain points and ambiguity to be cleared up in further iterations. Additional user flows could also be added to demonstrate the various sensory experiences catering to users with different needs, such as more dynamic visual design to keep their attention and direct their navigation.
What I Learned
Learning to create and produce within accessibility guidelines and adapt to the various creative differences of a neurodiverse audience was an invaluable experience. Inclusivity, diversity, and the cultivation of safe spaces for everyone, physically and virtually, are an integral part of society and are more relevant and important now than ever. The insights gained through this project have resonated throughout all my subsequent work and have had a lasting impact on my mission as a designer and as a person.