Problem Statement
An average corporate employee has almost 5-7 hours of free time post work on a weekday and almost 12 hours on a weekend. This time can be effectively utilised in multiple ways to engage, learn and socialize with peers from workplace.
However, the currently available messaging platforms do not have any such capabilities. This is where BeHeadsUp taps in.
BeHeadsUp was an engagement platform for corporate employees. These employees would be segregated into cohorts at a company level, allowing them to speak to their colleagues and have elaborate discussions, either openly or anonymously.
Role
- Research
- Branding / Style Guide
- UI / UX Design
- Product Design
Timeframe
- Duration: 12 Weeks
Objectives & Goals
Absence of such a platform does not indicate its disposability. In fact, there is an ever-growing need for such a stage where the users can discuss issues that they are hesitant to due to the fear of adverse career impact.
The goal of BeHeadsUp was to fabricate this platform for employees, allowing them to voice their concerns without worrying about the outcome.
Style Guide
Features & Functionalities
Using BeHeadsUp is possible in 2 ways:
1. Open profile
One could utilise free time effectively by interacting with work people in chat rooms and achieve professional/personal growth. It was also possible for users to ask questions, conduct polls, share memories and plan events/activities for colleagues or peers to engage in.
2. Anonymous profile
The user could engage in candid chats, ask questions and conduct polls about any issue they are anxious or hesitant to discuss directly. Their identities would be untraceable.
Another additional functionality of BeHeadsUp was its capability to organize events and invite one’s colleagues. Here, users could create events, mentioning details like date, time and type of event(indoor or outdoor activities) and share invites for the same with others.Â
Research & user needs
The number one prerequisites of any project are statistics and research that suggest the affinity or need for your product in the market, without which it is pointless to launch it.Â
There are 2 sides to this, one is the research that the founding team does. Here, it is the potential end user who is quizzed, in the form of public surveys. The data gathered herein can be analysed to conclude why and if a user would choose to use the proposed concept.Â
The second research is purely done by the developer/designer to understand the requirements and goals of the product. Along with the end user’s needs, it is also vital to pay heed to the needs of the founding team and their expectations and ideations.       Â
So, I had to study the research material for the end users along with doing my own, in the form of discussions with the clients. This helped me get an abstract idea of what I was supposed to deliver. Â
Competitor Analysis,
Unique Selling Point/Proposition (USP)
As useful as the concept of BeHeadsUp sounds, it comes off as a surprise that there are only a handful competitors in the market.Â
1. Blind
Blind is an anonymous professional network where employees can talk about diverse topics whilst keeping their identities concealed.Â
2. FishBowl
Fishbowl allows verified professionals to have candid conversations with people other people working in roles and industries similar to their own.Â
The Design Process
1. Brainstorm
To ensure that your design and development is on the right path, gathering information about the project and the client is crucial. To do so, I had detailed and complex conversations with the client to get a perspective backed with research. I sat down with the client and concluded various requirements and features of the product. This helped me understand the purpose, target audience of the project and more. Hence, allowing me to make audience-suitable decisions.
2. Define
The next part of the process included designing drafts, also known as prototypes. These prototypes are of 2 types, low-fidelity and high-fidelity. Low-fidelity prototyping included creating a skeletal framework of the app/website. These were made on paper and shared with the client for a feedback. Only the basic navigational functionalities and links were drawn in these.
3. Design
Here, the designs, styles, colours and typography were added. So, the low-fidelity draft was given a visual body in this stage.Â
Buttons, tabs, menus, dashboards were added to resemble the final product. There are several tech-tools available in the market that can be used to achieve this.
After trying out several different styles and designs, one final prototype was prepared. This prototype was sent to the client for feedback and review. Any changes notified by the client were made in the prototype and this cycle went on till the client was satisfied by the final draft.
4. Development
To ensure that your design and development is on the right path, gathering information about the project and the client is crucial. To do so, I had detailed and complex conversations with the client to get a perspective backed with research. I sat down with the client and concluded various requirements and features of the product. This helped me understand the purpose, target audience of the project and more. Hence, allowing me to make audience-suitable decisions.
Complete product
One of my main focuses whenever I take up any project is to ensure that I fulfill my role as a UI/UX designer and satisfy the needs of the user. I keep in mind the mental model of the users and create innovative solutions within the diameter of this model.  Â
Being a good UI/UX designer and developer requires me to know machines, design and people extremely well. And this is an ever-growing domain where I get to learn every day and keep on adding to my existing knowledge.Â
The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.
They were professional, friendly, informative and able to offer their views or suggestions with confidence. When I consider the first draft from Ali to our finished product I stand AMAZED!! Thank you!!