Making data entry convenient for all users.

Minnowtech App

IOS/Android • User Interface • Wireframes • Prototyping

Streamlining Data Entry

Problem Statement: Minnowtech, a leading aquaculture company known for its expertise in shrimp biomass assessment, faces a significant challenge related to the accurate recording of weekly manual readings by its users. The inconsistency in data entry hampers the reliability of biomass assessments and impacts decision-making processes.

Goal: Our goal is to create a user-friendly mobile app that simplifies Minnowtech's data entry process, ensuring it's both efficient and consistent. By leveraging strategic engagement techniques like timely push notifications, late entry alerts, and intuitive indicators for missing data, we aim to enhance user accountability and keep them well-informed. Ultimately, our objective is to elevate the user experience, facilitating a streamlined data collection workflow that boosts the reliability of biomass assessments for Minnowtech's clients.

Role
Solo UX Researcher & UX Designer - user research, visual design, animation, prototyping

Company
Minnowtech

Date
July 2023 - August 2023

UX Challenge

With the successful completion and imminent launch of Minnowtech's biomass recording system, both the hardware and software components entered the beta testing phase, involving several ponds from the two major sites integral to Minnowtech's development: one in Hawaii and another in Ecuador. During this crucial beta testing period, a significant issue came to light that pertained to the maintenance of biomass reading accuracy. The root cause of this challenge was identified as a simple user oversight. Shrimp farmers, the primary users of Minnowtech's innovative technology, frequently neglected to input their weekly shrimp data into the system, resulting in inaccuracies in shrimp biomass tracking.

In response to this issue, a strategic solution was devised: the creation of a dedicated mobile application designed to remind users of the software to regularly input their weekly shrimp data. These reminders would initially be sent on a weekly basis, escalating to daily notifications when data entries were overdue. The sole purpose of this application was to simplify the data input process for users and ensure that Minnowtech's biomass readings remained consistently precise, thereby enabling users to fully harness the potential of this technology.

Visual Design

In my role as a UX and visual designer for Minnowtech's data entry app, I meticulously maintained brand consistency while enhancing the user experience. This involved carefully adjusting elements of the color palette and introducing a bespoke background gradient to elevate the minimalist interface and foster greater user engagement.

Furthermore, in alignment with the company's professional style, I selected typography that complemented our overall aesthetic. By choosing a font familiar to users in web and app design contexts, I aimed to ensure readability and familiarity, ultimately contributing to a cohesive and user-friendly experience within the data entry app.

Getting Started Guide

UX Design

The primary objectives of this application were to enhance user experience with consistent notifications and efficient data input, ensuring the accuracy of the biomass system. To achieve these goals, we adhered to key design principles:

  • Functionality: We prioritized universal accessibility, considering users' varied connectivity and language needs in remote farm locations. The app was designed to operate seamlessly in areas with limited Wi-Fi and across diverse regions, accommodating different language preferences.

  • Simplicity: To overcome language barriers, we adopted a visually intuitive and straightforward design approach. Emphasizing simplicity in visuals helped users quickly grasp each screen's context, promoting inclusivity and ease of navigation without relying heavily on text-based instructions.

  • Ease of Use: Our design focused on streamlined usability for busy users entering data. We implemented a direct pathway from app launch to data entry, minimizing steps and workload. Urgent data submissions were facilitated through intuitive alerts, ensuring efficient input from login to completion.

Mobile Slides

What I Learned

Working on world-scale projects for a unique company.

The demand for Minnowtech's technology goes beyond linguistic and cultural boundaries. Consequently, when developing this app, it was crucial to ensure the design was universally accessible and not confined by language.

Designing academic technology for non-academics.

While Minnowtech's technology was initially developed for aquaculture specialists and data analysts, the data app’s primary users are typically shrimp farmers. To streamline the data input process, I designed the app with user-friendly features and minimized technical jargon.