Type Project
SoSafe
Client
SoSafe
Min read
SoSafe
SoSafe
Context
This project was conceived and designed within CO-UX.
CO-UX is a collaborative organisation that brings together several teams of UX designers to participate in different phases of creating digital solutions to social problems.
Objetive
Analysis of an existing website or application on the market that needs to be redesigned.
What’s Sosafe?
Sosafe is a mobile application launched in April 2015 and developed in Chile. Its purpose is to strengthen safety and interaction within communities. Its main function is to allow users to report risk situations that require immediate attention.
Problem
Some users have expressed concern and have stopped using the app. With an average of 11,006 reviews in the markets where it is available, its value as a free collaborative tool for the community is highlighted.With growing concerns about crime, 49.3% of people believe that coordinating with neighbours is an effective way to prevent crime.
We found a cognitive load on the information on the map, the way elements of it were filtered and a lot of colour and iconography.
Process
To conduct the research, we collected data on how users felt and behaved when using Sosafe. We also analysed the entire application with quantitative data and various analyses to understand how the application works.
About Sosafe
SOSAFE is a crowdsourcing app, meaning that reports are posted by anyone with access to the app. The app targets the communities themselves.
According to reports from SOSAFE representatives, the number of users is increasing, perhaps due to the associations that have joined various communities in Chile, but a quick check can reveal unfavourable comments and complaints that could lead to a loss of users.
Analysis
While the use of a universal language and its efficient flow to create reports supported by tooltips and iconography is noteworthy, consistency in design shows areas of opportunity. Although some screens adopt a minimalist approach, the lack of coherence in others and the absence of a clear design line are evident.
The app complies with the guidelines, but some flows, such as buying and selling, need improvement. Although users have control and freedom for various actions, the lack of an essential function, such as deleting reports, stands out.
Conclusions of the analysis
The Sosafe application presents an interface with positive aspects, such as the use of a universally recognisable language and the efficiency of the reporting flow.
However, shortcomings are identified in flows such as buy/sell and in the aesthetic coherence of the design on several screens.
The absence of key functions, such as the ability to delete reports, and the difficulty to recover from errors in some flows are critical points.
Although it offers help and documentation, the app needs substantial improvements to provide a more consistent, functional and user-friendly experience.
User Research
We conducted user interviews and designed a survey to collect quantitative and qualitative data from users. With this data we were able to visualise and go into detail about what users think and feel when using SoSafe.
Insights
Although the function of the app is to be able to make reports, most users express that they do not feel safe using the app.
There are reports (of losses, refusals, crimes) where there is no feedback on the resolution of the report, so there is no certainty as to when the report was published.
There is no way to delete or hide old reports, making it unsafe to travel in areas where dangerous situations have occurred in the past.
There is no certification of vendors offering services or products on the app.
Presentation
During the research process, we had the opportunity to meet with SoSafe's product team to present our findings, which resulted in our work being recognised and SoSafe gaining new insights into their product and service to consider.
Learnings
Leadership and management. This project was the first time I had a leadership role in a team of designers. At first I struggled to understand and maintain this responsibility, until I slowly learned what it was like to take on this role. By the end of this issue, I had managed to adapt this role and this new soft skill to my way of working as a designer.
We started this project within CO-UX as something ambitious, but we had the opportunity to present our findings to the Sosafe product team. Some of our team would not have had the experience of presenting to stakeholders, and the SoSafe team for taking the time to trust us to present this data.