SUMMARY
TIMELINE
Feb 2023 – Dec 2024
TEAM
1 Manager/Engineer
5 Designers
SKILLS
Product Strategy
Information Architecture
UX/UI Design
TYPE
Contract→Part-Time
Increase user engagement by transforming MyShake into an authoritative, yet friendly all-in-one earthquake care package
I worked on reinventing the MyShake app, specifically on restructuring the information architecture to prioritize relevant features and information for users with the goal of increasing user retention.
Key insights from user research revealed that users have a breadth of needs from an earthquake app, which I sought to address by transforming MyShake into an all-in-one earthquake care package.
INTRODUCTION
What are Early Earthquake Warnings?
Early Earthquake Warnings (EEW) are government-issued alerts sent out seconds before shaking begins, based on rapid detection of initial seismic activity.
Even a few seconds' notice can help save lives and minimize damage by allowing people and systems to take protective actions.
MyShake is the ONLY app that can issue these warnings.
Because of this, MyShake is uniquely able to alert and inform people on earthquakes in a way that actually matters. However, many users are unaware of this feature and struggle to set it up.
THE PROBLEM
Less than 5% of MyShake users were actively using the app.
While MyShake has a strong unique selling point against other earthquake apps with their ability to issue Early Earthquake Warnings, the developers noted that users struggled to complete or understand crucial tasks and functions as well as the lack of sustained engagement and activity.
After an initial audit of the existing product, it was clear that MyShake had an outdated interface that was difficult to navigate, with many key features being tucked away.
GOALS
Boost citizen safety through enhancing user retention.
MyShake developers wanted to improve user retention by incorporating more engaging features that would encourage users to return to the app more frequently. To do this, we needed to address the lack of earthquake information on the app.
Developer Goals
Increase user retention and engagement
Encourage users to return to the app and interact more frequently
User Goals
Be informed on earthquakes
Users want to know how to stay safe during an earthquake and explore earthquakes worldwide.
OUR PROCESS
Prioritized restructuring MyShake’s information architecture around specific use-cases, using rapid, usability testing–driven iterations to guide our design decisions.
PHASE 01
Research
We carried out user interviews and surveys to truly understand what our users prioritized when it comes to an earthquakes. We also conducted competitive analysis, more specifically, a SWOT analysis of the other earthquake apps on the market.
PHASE 02
Information Architecture
To ease and improve navigation, I had to rethink the information architecture of the app, prioritizing information and features that were most valuable to users, based on the research we uncovered.
PHASE 03
Ideation
Once we had the structure of the app, we began ideating in terms of the rebranded aesthetic of MyShake, as well as to flesh out the details of key features, specifically Pinned Locations. TL;DR – It took 7 months to figure out the Pinned Location set-up flow.
PHASE 04
Iterations
We performed numerous rounds of iterations, especially for Pinned Locations. To do this, we conducted 3 rounds of usability testing and continued to refine the design and product based on our results.
RESEARCH
Users have a breadth of needs from an earthquake app.
Knowing our users can range from earthquake enthusiasts to earthquake newbies, we also carried out interviews and surveys to a wide range of audiences in order to understand our users' needs and concerns related to earthquakes.
Personal Safety
Users need to know how to evacuate safely in the case of an earthquake. Alerts and safety guidance are helpful features.
Family Safety
Knowing the status of loved ones and being able to check in with them during and after an earthquake.
Property Damage
Assessing damage to home and personal belongs. Users desire data on relevant earthquakes and regional risk.
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
Auditing 3 other earthquake apps to generate key insights for MyShake.
With the goal of remaining competitive within the market, we conducted extensive competitive analysis of 3 other leading earthquake apps, analyzing them for their strengths and weaknesses, and eventually, summarizing our takeaways for MyShake.
Prioritize simplicity to prevent cognitive overload
A common pain point was a cluttered UI and information overload. Specifically, we needed to be intentional with our use of color and icon semantics.
Utilize the half-list, half-map view
Both a list and a map of earthquakes are valuable to users. Most competitors used a layout that displayed both; it is intuitive and relevant.
Ensure intuitive navigation
We can restructure the app based on the use-case of MyShake: map, explore, education, and setting.
EUREKA!
Revisiting the project scope after recognizing that MyShake is uniquely positioned to meet the breadth of user needs.
The turning point of this project came when we took a step back from exclusively thinking about improving the navigation or simplifying the interface and started looking at the bigger picture.
What do our users want to see when they first open the app?
How can we leverage MyShake's unique selling points in our designs?
With our key insights in mind, we aligned with developers to rebrand MyShake as a comprehensive earthquake care package that meets all of our users needs. This shift ensures users can easily access essential tools, reinforcing MyShake as both a friendly and authoritative guide in earthquake situations. The shift of our project then changed to:
How might we redesign MyShake to serve as a friendly, yet authoritative earthquake care-package, meeting our users' breadth of needs?
To accomplish this, we started off by centralizing crucial features that directly address user priorities of personal & family safety into a dashboard landing page.
IDEATION
Restructuring information architecture based on use-case for clarity.
The key to restructuring the information architecture was in the choice of navigation tabs.
The existing navigation failed to consider the use-case of the tabs, with valuable real estate being taken up by obsolete features such as My Log, as people don't experience earthquake often enough to have an extensive log of earthquake reports.
Navigation Tabs – Before vs. After
The key to restructuring the information architecture was in the choice of navigation tabs.
The existing navigation failed to consider the use-case of the tabs, with valuable real estate being taken up by obsolete features such as My Log, as people don't experience earthquake often enough to have an extensive log of earthquake reports.
FINAL SOLUTION
Dashboard - Your one-stop-shop for all your earthquake needs.
The Dashboard acts as a one-stop-shop for all the important features and information that MyShake offers.
At the top, users can quickly view and access earthquakes that are relevant to them through a map and list. We also included articles to earthquake safety and information on the difference between alerts and notifications.
Considering what users would want to see when they first open the app, we took into account their top considerations: earthquakes that were personally relevant to them.
We immediately display this with the map and list view of such earthquakes.
FINAL SOLUTION
The dashboard interface allows for banners, used to highlight crucial and time-sensitive information to users.
The Dashboard also allows for banners, which can be used to highlight critical information for various scenarios.
Notably, for first-time users, we have a banner welcoming users to MyShake, prompting users to set up a Pinned Location. There are also other banners involving the experience report, another key feature of MyShake.
Upon examining the use-case of MyShake, it was clear that a banner was essential.
For example, if you felt an earthquake, you would open MyShake for guidance on how to stay safe, which we offer with a infographic.
It also addresses the issue of features being tucked away.
FINAL SOLUTION
Designing for peace of mind – Users can instantly check up on themselves and loved ones with the swipe of a finger.
Users are able to swipe between Pinned Locations in the Dashboard, quickly accessing locations that are important to them.
Furthermore, users can tap on each of the locations to open the full, half-map, half-list view.
From our research, we uncovered that personally relevant earthquakes were by-far the most important information to users.
With this in mind, it was crucial that users were able to access all the locations of interest quickly, and easily.
FINAL SOLUTION
Optimizing the Explore tab for exploration with the half-map, half-list view of earthquakes.
The explore page adopts the standard half-map half-list view. This page offers customization, including filter + sort of the list as well as changing the map layers.
Here, we also encourage users to set up a Pinned Location with the CTA at the top of the screen.
We opted for this design as our competitive audit revealed that the half-map, half-list view was common amongst earthquake apps as it provides intuitive and relevant navigation for users.
IMPACT
The redesign evolved MyShake into a more trustworthy companion, empowering users to feel informed and prepared in moments of crisis.
Our redesign is currently being developed for a 2025 launch.
Our redesign consisted of rebranding MyShake as a friendly, yet authoritative earthquake care package that meets the breadth of users needs. We accomplished this the introduction of a dashboard that acts as a one-stop-shop for all your earthquake needs, restructuring the navigation of the app for a friendlier user experience, and making crucial information more digestible for the average user.
Refreshed UI with updated look
The existing interface had outdated UI that struggled to keep up with the earthquake market.
Increased visibility of key features
With the introduction of Pinned Locations, I highlighted the defining feature of MyShake to users
Introduced engaging elements
With the education tab as well as Pinned Locations enabling users to check-in with loved ones.
4.5/5
Overall satisfaction from users with the redesign
35%
Improvement in engagement with the app
REFLECTION
Overcommitting to a project has never been easier and fun.
I will remember working on this project for the rest of my life. Our team's commitment to MyShake was truly special. We superficially complained about how saw each other more than anyone else in our lives, but we all dedicating many hours every week to this redesign, simply because we all cared so much.
NEXT UP →
MyShake
2024