Mylo
Mobile App Prototype
CHALLENGE
I was tasked with evaluating the Mylo Valet Movers app which currently exists as a prototype, aimed at solving storage and moving with storage needs. Focusing on the hopes of creating a more interactive and transparent interaction between customers and storage or moving service providers was the goal that Mylo outlined as a priority. I was challenged with finding where the opportunities and successes of the Mylo prototype exist, while keeping the context of the users in mind while they use the app.
SOLUTION
I created a mobile app prototype that built upon the existing Mylo app and showed feature revisions and recommended solutions. One of these features I included was an augmented reality feature which allows users to place provided Mylo totes for moving purposes in their surroundings and interacting with the tote by moving it around in scaled size.
Methodology
• Cognitive Walkthrough
• Contextual Inquiry
• Think Aloud Protocol
• Remote Moderated Research
• Prototyping
Tools
• Sketchpad & Pen
• Trello
• Sketch
• InVision
• Figma
Client Deliverables
• Mylo Interactive Prototype Tour
• Cognitive Walkthrough
• Design and Style Guide
Mylo
Mylo is a pre-revenue local startup aiming to be a full-service storage/ moving solution for those looking for short-term storage. They aim to provide an increased focus on transparency between service providers and users. Other apps exist that digitize the moving/storage process, but serve as glorified spreadsheets with service data only accessible by service providers.
Customers need a more transparent way to see their services and storage orders alongside service providers, and allow their input and involvement in the process. Mylo is looking to advance the consumer’s role in this service delivery model while increasing the level of transparency throughout the process overall.
User
Primary User
Service providers (e.g., movers) looking to securely store customer items
Customers (e.g., renters or homeowners) looking to confidently store their itemsf
Research and Insights
Exploring Mylo’s features through a user’s perspective
I first approached understanding what Mylo’s app is really all about by completing a cognitive walkthrough, with the main user tasks as a guide. I looked at both the customer side and the service provider side of the prototype. Knowing that the Mylo app was still in a developmental phase as a prototype, I knew that not all features, interactions or flows would be fully developed.
It became evident from the cognitive walk through on customers main tasks that there were some clear pain points. The user gallery creation feature and managing this gallery were confusing overall, unclear on what the purpose was, and inefficient with little visibility on tasks or main interactions intended for the user.
It was also unclear why the gallery feature was only shown after an order. When users first create a gallery that is going to provide images of their items they are storing into the storage spaces from their order, it starts to feel unclear on what the purpose of the feature is since you have already created your storage order.
Understanding how users engage and interact with Mylo within their context
The storage order process is also where the user would first encounter the free Mylo totes that were provide and the app prompts the user to pick the quantity of totes they need during the checkout process.
Users with whom I conducted the contextual inquiries with agreed on the confusion of the gallery order in the booking process, one noting: "I don't know if I'm completing my order and what the purpose of taking the pictures was". There was no evident order or reasoning as to why the gallery was created after the user was completed with their storage orders.
“Mylo should have told me how many totes I should expect or need…It also never said how the tote is going to arrive at my house…where was that?
-Contextual Inquiry Participant
Users noted that they especially liked the totes provided by Mylo and would definitely use them if booking a storage order, making it clear that this was an untapped potential for Mylo’s distinction above other moving or storage apps/services. Additionally, users did not know how the totes were going to arrive at their house or how they would utilize the totes.
Furthermore, users did not understand how much of their storage items would fit into a tote, possibly turning them away from the app and losing interest in Mylo all together if they didn’t feel they could benefit from it. Without any dimensions of the totes provided, information, or images, the user is left to wonder what the actual purpose and benefit is from the free totes Mylo provides to users.
Solution and Prototype
From these findings that users were unclear on why they created a storage item gallery after their order, I designed a prototype with the gallery as a separate option and user flow path, unlike the current Mylo prototype.
This allows the user to first figure out their storage needs and what additional things like totes and other amenities would be needed from Mylo before they proceeded to book their storage order.
You can see my improved architecture diagram and screen flow of my newly created AR feature with the Mylo totes.
After sketching the new architecture diagram and the initial Mylo gallery creation/view feature path wireframes, I created digitized wireframes and moved those into InVision for an interactive prototype tour.
I revised the Mylo home page screen to have the option for users to create or view their storage galleries, with a small text prompt to the Mylo Tote augmented reality feature in this section. On top of this I created a new navigation menu side bar that does not exist on the Mylo prototype currently, with relevant links the user can access quickly at any point.
Designing an augmented reality Mylo tote feature
Following this I created a new feature which includes an augmented reality Mylo tote feature that allows users to see a virtual Mylo tote, scaled to real life size. This way the user can see the tote in their surroundings to drag around and interact with it for assessing their storage needs when creating storage gallery collections.
Tote quantity needs of the user are able to be added to their account profile and can be easily referred back with a newly accessible navigation menu that I added to the prototype. This serves as an easier solution and reference point so they can confirm these quantities when they are checking out during their storage service order in the Mylo app.
Interactive Prototype Walkthrough
Design and Style Guide
Additionally I provided Mylo with a style guide for the prototype solution I created in which they can use for their design and development team to utilize the proposed changes.
This was built from their existing color scheme and font choice they have outlined already, but includes my updated button design, active states, icons, and other images or vectors used.
Summary
With these features in place and revised solutions Mylo can proceed into the final stages of development for their prototype and establish themselves as a true leader in the storage and moving sector.
The AR tote allows a feature to exist that is not currently available in other moving or storage apps currently and allows users to truly understand the solution Mylo provides, the ways in which it serves their needs in their context with ease and a sense of accomplishment.