Connecting Communities, One Sidekick at a Time!
Summary
Sidekick initially originated during my participation in the General Assembly UX Design Immersive course in 2018. Subsequently, it underwent significant iterations and was further developed into a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) for a startup at Draper University in Silicon Valley, California. The process involved comprehensive refinement to align with the specific requirements and demands of the target market.
Project Brief
The project focuses on developing "Sidekick," a mobile application that offers a unique twist on the traditional service marketplace model, catering specifically to casual, student-friendly, and location-based needs. Unlike existing platforms, which primarily emphasize services sought by customers, Sidekick will create a balanced ecosystem by focusing on connecting individuals who are both seeking services and willing to provide them. This app will serve as a convenient and trustworthy platform for people looking to offer their services or find assistance in their local community.
Challenge
In my research, I found that all similar applications to Sidekick focus on what they can provide the customer and the services they’re looking for. None of which focus on finding the individuals seeking to do these services. The challenge was finding a way to balance between consumers and providers.
Approach
Based on the findings of user-centric methodologies and focusing on user interviews, I created personas and scenarios to help fit the qualitative analysis and reflect on designing the wireframes and prototypes. The product will continue its iterations and feature research based on its growth and usage.
Personas
Interview Key Findings
Parents seeking independence for their children: Many parents wish to help their children find ways to earn extra money, fostering independence.
Building trust through time and exposure: Users are more likely to trust individuals providing services if they have the opportunity to interact over time.
Eagerness among the 18 to 35 age group: Individuals aged 18-35 demonstrate a high level of interest in both offering and obtaining services from locals.
Trust in local services: People generally have more confidence in services provided within their local area.
Scenarios
User 1#:
Laurel has a newborn baby kitten and she just got an urgent call for a meeting that isn’t during her working hours and needs someone to watch it for 2 hours.
User 2#:
Jonathan is about to buy a birthday present for his best friend and he just realized he’s a little short on cash. He needs to get it today so his friend suggests he checks out Sidekick.
The primary objectives of the Sidekick app project include:
Developing a user-friendly and intuitive mobile application with a focus on user engagement and trust-building.
Creating a platform that caters to both service seekers and providers, ensuring a balanced ecosystem.
Leveraging the power of location-based services to help users find assistance or offer their services within their local communities.
Providing students and young adults with flexible opportunities to earn extra income and gain valuable experience.
Promoting the development of trust through user interactions and feedback mechanisms.
Enhancing the Sidekick brand as a reliable, community-based service exchange platform.
