This was a solo User Interaction project for a class assignment.
Design Challenge
“Today approximately 51 million eligible Americans are still not registered to vote. This represents almost 1 in 4 eligible persons"**. I found through interviews that many eligible voters become most interested and engaged with the election in the last few weeks before Election Day, just as registration deadlines may be closing or have closed in their state.
**http://www.demos.org/
Opportunity & Solution
TexasVotes is a political app that will assist the user in registering to vote online. It also gives them local and general election candidate information knowledge so they feel competent in casting a general and local vote when at the ballot booth.
Research
I started my research by interviewing my family and friends. In my immediate circle only 2 out of 10 were registered. The two that were registered only voted in presidential general elections and never followed any local government ballots. Most interviewees said they would likely be more involved with local politics if it were less overwhelming and would register if it were more convenient. My target audience became the unregistered and curious citizens wanting to be more involved and engaged in the political system.
I researched about voter registration, as I myself was also unregistered. I found that Texas does not allow online registration while 32 other states do. In Texas you are allowed to fill out a form online yes but then have to print it out and mail it in. The other option is to track down a postage paid voter registration form at your local library or county tax office.
I heavily researched the election/ voting domain and gathered data. I also opened up a rabbit hole far beyond the scope of one person working this project. I focused on my interviewee/user stories and worked to solve their immediate pain points.
Empathy Map
Analysis of interviews, finding goals, pain points and motivations.
Persona and Storyboarding
Storyboard
In the first storyboard panel Adrian has relocated from Austin to Round Rock which puts him in a new county. He needs to register asap in order to be able to vote in the next local and general elections.
In the second storyboard panel Adrian is an unregistered voter and feels ashamed and guilty when his friend has proudly informed him that he has early voted. Adrian confesses that he is not even registered. His friend updates him about TexasVotes app where he can easily register and stay informed on general and local elections.
Requirements Definition
- App must have voter registration form
- Must have GPS locating or form for user to input legal address- Candidate profile pages
- Sign and Date form component
- Upcoming and current election information
- User needs to know where to go vote (district /precinct)
Design Framework (Sketches) & Elements
I sketched screens with the persona scenarios, needs, goals and pain points in mind. And stayed focused with the requirements from the data I researched.
Sketches
Design Features
User is able to register and sign to vote through app and waits for voter card in mail.
Usability and Testing
I created a short task brief to my testers and asked them to go through the prototype and verbalize what they were experiencing and doing. I sat down next to my test subjects and observed their behavior and took notes on their verbal feedback so I could take into a refinement phase. The tested prototype is shown below with hotspots.
Prototype
