Social Platform for Members of the 'Hamefalga' Party
Research & Insights
As part of a UX study assignment, I was asked to characterize an application for members of the Hamefalga party. The purpose of the application is to enable proper management, contact with voters, transparency of information and voting in the primaries.
The Problems
1. Complex Information Architecture
If the information architecture of the application is too complex, party members may find it difficult to navigate and find relevant information related to the party and the election. Simplifying the structure and using clear labels can improve usability.
2. Cognitive Load
Presenting too much information at once or using complex terminology can increase cognitive load. It is important to design interfaces that will reduce the mental effort of the users in order to produce a positive experience.
3. More Than One Persona
Since each party has several different personas, a balance must be created between personalization for each persona and the simplicity of the application in order to meet the needs of the diverse users.
Research
After that, I started researching applications from tangential areas, such as member clubs, and noted next to each system what its advantages and disadvantages were, based on the knowledge I acquired in characterizing screens.
1. ReichmanU
2. Maccabi Tel Aviv
1
3. Arbox
Advantages
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The application is organized according to Gestalt principles, which creates order for the user and transmits intelligence and expectations for a positive experience.
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The distribution of the options in the secondary menu was done correctly, which will help the user find the page he wants easily.
Disadvantages
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When the user opens the side menu, the icon changes position - something that will make it difficult for the user to close the menu.
2
Advantages
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There is a bottom navigation bar that applies the most important categories for quick and easy navigation.
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There are direct links on the home page to the community's WhatsApp, and to the club's main YouTube page - important features.
Disadvantages
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The design of the app is outdated and does not convey elegance and appeal.
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The accessibility button is above the chat button and prevents access to it.
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The icon of the main page and the games page in the bottom navigation bar stand out from the rest, and this can make it difficult for the user to navigate the application.
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The icon of the page the user is on does not stand out from the rest - which makes it difficult to understand which page the user is on.
3
Advantages
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The the training schedule is displayed correctly and aesthetically, and the entire page is displayed symmetrically.
Disadvantages
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On the store screen, the user has to click on "Products" to see the items. There is no need for this as it adds an extra interaction to the user that is not really needed.
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In the training schedule there is no indication that you can register for a class by clicking on the class. In classes that can be registered, I would add a plus icon to make it clear to users that clicking the button will register them.
Survey
In the next step, I conducted a survey among ten members of the party, in order to identify what expectations and needs they have from the new application, and what features they would like to see in the application, in addition to the list of features we received from the lecturer.
The results of the survey showed that the users would like the application to have:
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Policy Research Information: Offers access to in-depth policy research, articles and reports published by the Party to promote transparency and informed decision-making.
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The Party's Support for its Members: creating a dedicated section for members to request assistance with government services, policy inquiries or requests for support from elected representatives.
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Collaboration and Project Management: Facilitate collaboration between members by integrating into the app project management features, which allow teams to work together on specific initiatives, campaigns or research projects.
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Social Media Integration: Option to integrate the app with popular social media platforms to encourage sharing of party-related content, appeal to a wider audience and spread party values.
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Gamification and Rewards: implementing a Gamification system that rewards members for their involvement, activism and participation in the party, while fostering competition and healthy motivation.
Insights & Solutions
Following the survey and interviews, the insights that emerged are:
1. Unnecessary Features
From the point of view of the respondents to the survey and the interviewees, there is no need for the application to contain features such as online seminars, workshops and courses, which enable the improvement of political skills and advocacy abilities.
2. Collaboration Feature
There is value in allowing party members to collaborate with each other, and manage political projects through the app.
3. Various Platforms that Provide Important Notifications
Potential users are not interested in alerts regarding urgent political developments or calls to action, as they use other platforms for this information.
4. Integration With Various Social Platforms
Potential users are interested in creating collaboration between different social platforms, in order to spread important messages.
5. Users Need for Transparency
Potential users expressed the need to provide access to information concerning the decision-making process of Knesset members - promoting transparency.
System Characterization
List of Features and Prioritization
According to the calculations of the chart based on the answers of the interviewees, these are the most important features:
1. News and Updates
2. Collaboration and project management
3. Party polls
4. Volunteering
5. A history of the party
Site Map
User Flows
New Message to a Knesset member
Viewing the Party's Calendar and Registering for the Event
