As a UX designer for Struck, I employed a user-centered approach to create a localized MVP for the German market, collaborating closely with local experts to ensure regulatory compliance. This method enabled rapid feedback integration, streamlined the user experience for regional needs, and laid a scalable foundation for future design iterations, making the tool adaptable for diverse markets.
Role
UX Designer
Timeline
2 weeks (Jul’24)
Core Responsibilities
UI Design, UX, Wireframing, Prototyping, Usability Testing
Intro
Struck is an AI-powered compliance tool designed to streamline building regulations and standards for the construction industry. This project focused on adapting Struck's platform for the German market, specifically addressing unique regulatory requirements and workflows that apply to Berlin. The project involved close collaboration with a Berlin-based architect and a team of developers, allowing us to ensure that the product met both local needs and user expectations.
The problem
The German construction market is heavily regulated, with specific standards that vary by region and type of project. Struck needed a localized design that could handle these complexities, guiding users through various regulatory requirements, checklists, and project parameters specific to German housing and green regulations. The primary challenge was creating an intuitive, adaptable interface that could support these local requirements while remaining scalable for future expansions.
DEsign Approach
We began with a collaborative brainstorming session involving a Berlin-based architect, who provided insights into the unique needs of German construction workflows. Key focus areas included:
Identifying the core project information required for compliance.
Addressing green and housing regulations specific to Germany.
Simplifying complex regulatory processes and reducing the rate of errors due to misunderstood requirements.
Primary Stakeholders and Users: Architects, office workers, and potential investors in the housing sector.
Project Parameters: Starting point involves location, type (new build/renovation), and project specifics.
Key Data Requirements: Data includes project name, usage type, address, building class, and construction volume.
Regulatory Considerations:
Green and housing regulations heavily influence project requirements.
Confusing regulations and slow processing rates are identified as pain points.
System Limitations and Needs:
No current system to capture core project information systematically.
Need for filtering options to handle complex legal and regulatory requirements.
Collaboration Needs:
Remote teams need a streamlined dashboard for document sharing and collaboration.
Weekly meetings currently capture some data but lack structure for ongoing maintenance.
Specific Functionality Requests:
Options for marking fields based on information specificity.
System to handle appointments and sort regulations for quick reference.
These insights set the stage for developing a UI that addresses regulatory clarity, collaborative efficiency, and structured data handling for Berlin’s architectural compliance.
After gathering initial insights, we translated these ideas into wireframes and prototypes, focusing on the primary user flows: project creation, project parameter setup, and regulatory compliance checks. Each prototype was tested with local experts to validate its usability and relevance to the German market.
V1
V2
The prototype was tested with potential users and local stakeholders to gather feedback on user experience and interface intuitiveness. This iterative process allowed us to make adjustments based on real-world user input, ensuring that the final design was both functional and aligned with user expectations.
Feedback on V1:
Collect essential data upfront rather than during question interaction to enhance response speed and avoid user confusion.
Allow complex questions requiring additional context on building regulations and purposes to support more accurate AI responses.
Feedback on V2 and further suggestions:
Clarify regulations and their applications, as the current approach leaves users uncertain about specific requirements.
Create a checklist or prompt for users to select relevant regulations, reducing the time needed to identify applicable rules.
Include onboarding flow with helper messages to direct and lead user to the right place.
Include a system for capturing ongoing project details for weekly check-ins and updates, minimizing data gaps during the project lifecycle.
Key Outcomer
Through this lean, user-centered approach, we:
Developed an MVP focused on validating the product concept, allowing for real-time feedback and iterative improvement.
Designed a user flow that streamlined data collection, reducing confusion and enhancing response speed.
Incorporated feedback from initial testing to identify areas for enhancement before full-scale development.
Enhanced the platform's ability to handle complex queries, addressing user needs for detailed data input and clarity.
Conclusion
The Struck project demonstrated the value of a user-centered, iterative approach in developing compliance software for a specific regional market. By integrating local expertise and focusing on constant feedback loop, we delivered a product that not only addressed immediate regulatory needs but also laid the groundwork for broader scalability. This project underscored the importance of adaptability and precision in enterprise software design, particularly within heavily regulated industries.
Kudos
Kudos to the great team and to founders Nikhil and Max to make this project come true. And special thanks to Philipp Eichstädt, co-founder of seg architects, for the input.
