Discovery
There is currently a lack of a quick and reliable way for people to connect with experts across various fields when they need personalized advice
This leads to frustration, wasted time searching for answers, and reliance on generic how-to videos that may not address specific needs.
Hive provides a simple way to connect with experts instantly through scheduled video sessions.
Understand
To get an idea of what the users can expect from my application, I conducted a competitive analysis of two competitors: CommonGenius and The ONE.
I was able to see which competitors solve users' problems well, which ones don't, and what opportunities I could take to meet users' needs.
CommonGenius
- Membership for a lower price
- Easy communication with sharing screens, hosting chat conversations or sending documents
- Recommended experts according to the user's profile
- Adding ratings and reviews for both callers and experts
- Attracting people with everyday problems Improve searching functionalities
- Focused on professional's career, network
- No web app
- New apps on the market
TheOne
- Free webinars to attract new users
- Price per minute for short advice
- Experts and callers, ratings, reviews
- Credit systems
- Ratings and review system
- Better marketing strategy to increase app awareness
- Develop free chat conversations with experts
- Mainly focus on the expert instead of people who need advice
- New apps on the market
Research
Once I had clear ideas about what was out there, I started looking at potential users. I first conducted a survey to gather information on a large group of users quickly. Then I conducted in-person and online interviews with potential users to get in-depth information.
Survey
Key takeways :
- Many varied domains of use
- No particular application or website
- Instant message and Scheduling a video call interesting
- Instant video call not interesting
Interviews
Ideation
Based on interview data, I created two user personas to highlight their goals and frustrations. I then mapped their journeys to understand their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors as they worked toward their goals. Next, I designed user flows to outline the exact steps they would take to achieve them. Finally, I conducted an online open card sorting with OptimalSort to see how users interact with the information in my application and find a better way to organize the application.
Design
With the key features, user flows, and the site map in my hands, I was able to start sketching the first screens of my application, then a mid-fidelity wireframe. Finally I designed my first high-fidelity prototype, in gray- scale, not to distract users with colors during usability testing.
Test
Once the high-fidelity prototype was ready for use, I conducted moderated remote usability testing to see how well users could complete tasks related to the key features of the application. I was able to identify two major problems which I was able to work on and improve.
Usability Testing
Iterations
Redesign
Over the past year, I came back to this project with new skills and a fresh perspective.
What Changed
- UI Overhaul
I redesigned the interface to improve clarity, consistency, and visual impact. - New Color Palette
I went from a subdued blue to a bright yellow and black - inspired by the beehive symbol and name - to create a stronger contrast, personality and brand memorability. - Updated Typography
I chose the Nunito font for better readability and tone. - Added Motion Design
Subtle transitions and micro-interactions were added to support usability and create a more engaging experience. - Better Use of Figma
Leveraged advanced Figma techniques, including a design system, component libraries, auto layout, and prototyping with motion for a smoother dev handoff.
Why I Did It
This project started during a UX immersion course, but after completing several additional courses in UX/UI, Product Design, and Motion Design, I wanted to push my skills further. Rather than starting from scratch, I chose to refine and elevate an existing idea — turning it into a more polished and functional product.
Prototype
What this project taught me…
While further testing wasn’t conducted post-iteration, the next steps could involve A/B testing and gathering real-world user insights to refine the experience further.
This project strengthened my UX skills and ability to iterate based on user needs.
