Startup Commons: Ecosystem mapping tool
My role: Analysis, Synthesis, Ideation, Interaction design, Wireframing, Prototyping, Usability testing , Visual design
Design kit: Figma
About Startup Commons
Startup Commons has 12 years of experience working with startups. The main focus was on educational services: seminars, webinars, workshops, consultancy services.
The company wants to create a suit of SaaS products to cater to the needs of their growing base of clients. Such tools as training program & mapping tool for all actors in a startup ecosystem.
Challenge
Services within a given startup ecosystem are very diverse, which makes it difficult to document them in a universal, standard way
Information about services can change or initially be inaccurate. To stay relevant Startup Commons needs to maintain the most up-to date and accurate data about all of many services on the map.
Each startup ecosystem may vary in size, from 50 actors to 1000s to be mapped and represented. The mapping tool needs to be effective in either of those scenarios and anything in between.
Goals
Create an interactive map that represents services in a startup ecosystem
Sign up existing and new clients for the new product
Clear, simple user interface for a data heavy application
Build easy process for adding services to the map
Create universal map, that can be used in any startup ecosystem by anyone
Design Process
Discover
Research
There are many startups that have a good idea, solving the right problem, but don’t get enough and the right resources needed to succeed
60% of all economic growth depend heavily on innovation and entrepreneurship
There is a lot of dormant capital in Europe
Investors don’t invest in many worthy companies due to lack of data: how is the company performing? how truthful are the metrics?
User Interviews
Interview findings:
70% of startups in EU struggle securing the investment needed to continue their enterprise
80% of investors would like to invest in emerging markets, but have a lower trust in company standing and history
90% of startup ecosystem actors want to be connected with resources or talent in one place
90% of startup ecosystem actors have a need to share and have access to data about local markets
Competitors analysis
There is no service exactly like Mapping tool available at the moment. The visual representation of services available is mostly static and needs research about the items it represents.
Define
personas
There are two main categories of users for the Mapping tool. First is the actor of the startup ecosystem, someone who provides or consumes a given service. Second is the map manager, who maintains the map, has experience and training to manage it. I synthesized the interview findings into personas, to help me make design decisions that would serve the users best. For the scope of this case study I will be focusing on the experience of a map manager.
I concluded the DEFINE phase with a series of How Might We questions, in order to help formulate solution statements for the users’ problems.
How Might We…
… make on-boarding process simple?
… cater to startup ecosystems that vary in size from few actors to thousands?
... make adding services to the map canvas easy?
… document services in a universal, standard way?
… organize services on the map in a clear logic?
… maintain the most up-to date and accurate data about all of many services on the map?
… help users navigate between types of services based by industry, development phase, availability, location?
design
I have brainstormed a few solutions for HMW questions stated earlier. Among all the ideas I focussed on the few most viable
HMW make on-boarding process simple?
Have a pre set service template with services ready to publish on the map
Have a detailed feature page with clear “Hot It Works” showcase
Minimal elements on the map canvas for easy start
Have a drag n drop interaction
HMW cater to startup ecosystems that vary in size from few actors to thousands?
Use filter to reduce the amount of services visible in a map
Different viewing modes to reduce items on the map
Have a set amount of map managers for every 50 actors
HMW make adding services to the map canvas simple?
Break down questions about a service into chunks
Have options to choose from whenever possible
Allow level of customization (comments, tag wards, no mandatory fields)
HMW make on-boarding process simple?
Have a pre set service template with services ready to publish on the map
Have a detailed feature page with clear “Hot It Works” showcase
Minimal elements on the map canvas for easy start
Have a drag n drop interaction
HMW make adding services to the map canvas simple?
Break down questions about a service into chunks
Have options to choose from whenever possible
Allow level of customization (comments, tag wards, no mandatory fields)
HMW maintain the most up-to date and accurate data about all of many services on the map?
Integrate verification process executed by map architect
Create version history to see any past errors and data
HMW help users navigate between types of services based by industry, development phase, availability, location?
Detailed filter
Color coding
Features
Based on HMW questions and brainstorm sessions the team decided to move with most viable and actionable set of features for the first MVP:
Pre-set services template
Service entry form
Detailed filter
Drag and drop
Version history
Site map
To kickoff the design I mapped out the structure for the whole site. The flow that I am focusing on is highlighted in red.
Task flow
I then determined the scope of this project and focused on the high priority tasks: “I want to create an ecosystem map”, “I would like to start adding services to the startup ecosystem map”, “I want to make changes to this service", “I want to see what was the industry application of service N when it was first available on the map”, “I need to get a better view of services within the idea validation category”. Creating task flow helps narrow down the steps a user needs to take to complete each task.
User flow
User interaction with a product is never liner. So to see any potential pain points I created a user flow, that anticipates where would user go from any point, where can he go, what happens if he goes back, how about if user stops and picks up later.
wireframes
I created low fidelity wireframes to sort out content hierarchy. I focused on main screens for the user tasks: Home page, Map canvas, Service entry form, Version history page.
Deliver
UI kit
I used color (classic blue) and typeface (popping Poppins) to balance the seriousness of application with the spirit of modern and entrepreneurial.
wireflow
This wireflow focuses on two tasks: create a map and add the first service.
Hi Fi wireframes
User testing
The first version was tested with current Startup Commons customers. This is the feedback we got:
100% of users expressed a great excitement about functionality of a product.
40% of users didn’t understand the version history value, and didn’t seem to care about that feature.
95% of users expressed excitement about the drag and drop functionality.
60% of users signed up to be early adopters and start using the product as we build 1st version.
40% of users are not sure how to use changes and comments log.
65% of users were overwhelmed by the big service entry form.
Most of this feedback the team wants to address in training provided for all map managers to cover ambiguous moments like changes and comments log. Based on the feedback I made some design changes:
This change was applied to all data heavy screens
Users expressed a wish to the service entry form in a published view with infographics and overall easier readability.
Insights
This product has a great need in a startup market
Some of the items (service form entry fields, phases, internal/external application) require prior experience with Startup Commons to understand how to use it in correctly