Black Swan Data
Overview
Project Description
The Black Swan Data Market Insight Platform Enhancement project aimed to revolutionize market research and client insight services for the retail goods industry. Over a period of 2 years, the project focused on providing Black Swan Data's clients, including industry leaders like Pepsico, Heineken, Mitsui, Johnson & Johnson, Cosnova, and Conagra, with a more accessible and intuitive platform. The goal was to reduce the reliance on clients' data science knowledge and offer instant analysis and concept development ideas derived from comprehensive social data scraping.
Project Duration
2 years
Role
Senior Product Designer
Problem Statement
Background
Black Swan Data identified a need for a more user-friendly and efficient market insight platform. The existing process required clients to possess significant data science expertise to extract valuable trends from the vast amount of information available on social platforms.
Problem Statement
The challenge was to create a platform that could deliver accurate and instant analysis and concept development ideas without the need for clients to be well-versed in data science.
Research and Discovery
User Research
Conducted in-depth interviews with Black Swan Data's clients, including representatives from Pepsico, Heineken, Mitsui, Johnson & Johnson, Cosnova, Conagra, and others. Explored their experiences, pain points, and aspirations related to market insight platforms. The collaborative nature of these interviews allowed the team to gain a nuanced understanding of the challenges faced by users with varying roles and responsibilities.
Competitive Analysis
Conducted a multidisciplinary evaluation of competitors in the market research industry. The collaborative effort involved designers, developers, and product managers. The goal was to not only identify design patterns and user interface trends but also to assess the technical capabilities and data processing methodologies employed by competing platforms.
Ideation and Concept Development
Brainstorming
Facilitated collaborative brainstorming sessions with a multidisciplinary team, including designers, developers, data scientists, product managers, and other stakeholders. Recognizing the need to cross-collaborate with the diverse and complex specializations involved, these sessions aimed to harness the collective expertise of the team.
Concept Selection
After the brainstorming sessions, concepts were rigorously evaluated based on a set of criteria that considered user needs, technical feasibility, and alignment with the overarching project goals. The inclusion of developers, data scientists, and product managers in this evaluation ensured that the chosen concepts were not only user-friendly but also feasible within the technical and data-driven constraints.
Design Development
Wireframes
Based on the selected concepts, the design team created wireframes that incorporated feedback from the multidisciplinary ideation sessions. These wireframes served as a visual guide for the development team, outlining the structure and flow of the enhanced platform.
Clarity from users
Engaged in user testing with the involvement of developers and data scientists. This cross-functional approach aimed to identify any technical or data-related challenges that might impact the user experience. The feedback loop between design and technical teams contributed to continuous improvement.
By facilitating brainstorming sessions that included a diverse range of specialists and fostering collaboration throughout the ideation and development process, the project successfully merged design excellence with technical prowess, resulting in an innovative and effective Market Insight Platform.
Final Design
Visual Design
The final visual design embraced Black Swan Data's brand identity while introducing a clean and intuitive interface. The color schemes and typography were carefully chosen to enhance readability and highlight key data points. The design aimed to convey professionalism and instill confidence in users interacting with the platform.
Features and Functionality
Implemented a robust real-time trend analysis feature that allowed clients to stay ahead of market shifts. The collaborative effort between designers and data scientists ensured that the algorithmic models were not only accurate but also efficient, providing clients with instant insights into emerging trends.
Recognizing the potential to provide clients with capabilities beyond their current capacity, the team strategically re-adjusted its focus to emphasize value streams. This involved identifying key pain points for clients and aligning design and functionality enhancements to address those pain points directly.
Product Re-Launch
Finalized the visual design, incorporating Black Swan Data's branding elements. Emphasized a clean and intuitive interface focusing on engaging with the user through chat and complimenting the responses with clear data visualizations.
Conclusion
Lessons Learned
The re-adjustment of focus to value streams underscored the importance of agility and adaptability in project development. The collaborative effort to identify and address client pain points demonstrated the potential for projects to evolve beyond initial expectations.
Future Enhancements
Identified opportunities for future enhancements include expanding customization options, incorporating more advanced machine learning algorithms, and continuously refining features based on evolving client needs. The collaborative approach would remain integral to the ongoing success of the platform.