Useforms
Making it easier for SMEs to gather customer feedback.
TYPE
SaaS, Form tool
ROLE
User Research, UIX Lead
Overview
On a mission to support individuals and businesses with growth tools, Softcom built Useforms; an online survey tool.
Prior to 2020, Useforms (formerly Databeaver) was highly adopted as a data collection tool by top organizations within Nigeria’s consumer goods and telecommunication industry.
Despite this success, Softcom wanted more. The stakeholders desire a world where Softcom growth tools become a household name. However, something was missing for Databeaver. Metrics show a significantly low usage/activity by small businesses and individuals who complained that the web app appears clustered and a bit too technical.
**Databeaver home UI.
**Databeaver form builder.
The challenge
1. How might we fill the knowledge gaps within a typical data collection process.
2. How might we design a better form tool that connects and captures individuals that they use it for their small businesses and encourage their peers.
3. How might we revalidate our hypotheses, and discover opportunities for product growth and redesign.
Research
Our initial deliberation was to take an unfamiliar approach to the entire process of form creation and data collection.
Set to ignore all we think we know but rather listen to our prospective and existing users, we formed a cluster of designers, PMs, Product marketing managers and engineers to embark on a qualitative research.
Target audience
Small businesses and individuals who require information to make buying decisions.
Research companies who carry out surveys or project that require gathering data.
Organizations that deal with client or customer data.
Research Method
User interviews (virtual)
Tools
SCROLL
DOWN
Research
objectives
1. To identify the actions individuals and SMEs take when they think about collecting information from a particular audience.
2. To learn about the typical process and stages of data collection for research companies.
3. Discover what participants consider as good experience within their data collection process.
4. Examine the pain points within their data collection process.
5. Identify the strengths and lapses of our current product.
User interviews
SMEs and individuals
Where or how do you get information about the types of products to buy or sell?
Google search 28%
Online pools 26.5%
Survey 20%
Social media 12%
Referrals 5%
Personal evaluation 8%
Research companies and organization
Can you walk us through your typical process of collecting or analyzing data?
46 %
Research companies define, collect and analyze their data from surveys or focus groups.
12 %
Audit organization often leverage on secondary data or pre-existing datasources.
1 of 2
Fintech organizations collect user data in-app and export to Excel or Power BI for analysis.
Affinity Diagram
Key pain points
Getting access to existing data can be frustrating, I made up my mind to do boring research myself.
Data collection process is long and tedious.
Sometimes it's difficult to get access to respondents.
I get lots of distractions on your current dashboard.
Season and weather hinder field research.
Research findings
1. Researchers would rather stick with convenient tools that will save time and effort to meet deadlines.
2. SMEs and individual have good experiences using social media polls because it is seamless, easy to use, and readily available.
3. The typical stages of a data collection exercise are; to define, collect, analyze, interprete or decide.
4. The information architecture of our current system needs improvement.
5. Individuals have a busy schedule, they find comfort in tools that easily connect to their social media audience.
User persona I
Jeff Malcom – Data Analyst
"The process of distributing questionnaires in a rural setting makes field work quite cumbersome.”
Frustration
Having to seek permit to collect sensitive data. Manually gathering data is time-consuming. Network connectivity issues.
Needs
Jeff needs a user-friendly survey tool with no training needed. Data collection tool with location or real-time tracking.
Age
26 YRS
User persona II
Elizabeth Kuti – Fashion Stylist
"I actually take notes of the trendy items my clients order but these notes are littered all over my studio."
Frustration
Fragmented data source. Elizabeth also lack access to existing or secondary data. She finds research boring and would rather engage in social media listening to understand consumer demands.
Needs
An easy-to-use tool that allows her to collect and store client information in a central database.
Age
30 YRS
Tools
Social media apps, pen and paper.
Redefined
{problem}
statement
Research showed us that fintech companies would rather make us of KYC forms in-app to gather user data. Also, companies who engage in tax or account audits usually rely on data provided by their clients.
These findings further helped us streamline our focus, treating individuals, SMEs and research companies as our priority customers.
Research companies
How might we enable research companies collect data remotely and deliver insights to their customers efficiently?
Answers
Reduce time to onboard users.
Seamless online form creation and distribution.
Enable teams collaborate on form creation virtually.
Deliver collated results in accessible file formats.
SMEs and individuals
How might we assist individuals and small business gather information in a fun and seamless fashion?
Answers
Social brand that attracts and retain users.
Simple dashboard with clear CTAs.
Link surveys created to their social media.
Information
architecture
Wireframes and
early iterations
** Home screen or workspace wireframe.
** Early idea of form builder – a page where users design their form contents.
Components and
brand psychology
Design solution,
high fidelity and
key features
Platform decision
Web app
WHY? – The majority of the pain points shared were by the research companies. They are always on the lookout for desktop apps to boost their productivity. We consider them our end users, they are the only set of research participants who mentioned cost and are willing to pay for efficient digital tools.
01
Intuitive home UI
A workspace with accessible action buttons in an empty state. Users new to form creation can easily adopt a template.
** Useforms workspace for new users.
** Useforms workspace for returning user.
02
Drag-and-drop form builder
Users can create survey forms more efficiently with simple mouse gesture and instantly preview or save their progress.
** Form builder – empty state design.
** Active form builder – Useforms.
03
Team collaboration
Researchers or large teams can invite colleagues, setup survey questions together when the need to create long questionnaires arises.
04
Payment integration
SMEs can embed payment fields within a form to accept payment and bookings ahead of an appointment or service.
05
Mobile-responsive form previews linked with QR codes
Store owners can generate in-app QR codes as store stickers, allowing their customers to participate in a product survey easily.
06
Social media integration
Social share feature allows individuals and small business owners to easily connect and share surveys with their social media audience.
07
Form results and response map
Organized interface for data results. Users can see the geolocation of form entries, download data in Excel or integrate with Power BI for further business analysis.
The product
website
Results and
key learnings
Product Impact
1. We delivered a tool that enables people and businesses to ask questions and get answers that power insight-based decisions that fuel their growth.
2. Our metrics showed a 60% increase in sign up by young entrepreneurs and creators.
3. Useforms payment integration recorded over 100k in transaction as at Q3 2022.
4. Form templates save half the time spent on form creation.
My takeaways
1. Early collaboration between the design and product teams on user research increased productivity and helped us manage our design expectations.
2. User interviews helped us narrow our target audience into small businesses and research companies, with the latter being our priority customer.
3. I also learnt that user testing should be a continuous exercise across a product life cycle.
4. Growth-driven design is done outside Figma.
50 %
Average user retention recorded within the first year
12 k
New users recorded in the first 6 months after launch
3.6k
Form share links generated
** Mixpanel showing product metrics since product release (Oct 2021)
** Lowest retention recorded in 2022.
** Form share link generated per city.
Team credit
Thelma Dike (Design), Azeezat Mustapha (Dev), Busayo Omotosho (PM), Lucky Amadi (Engineering), Ope Adeyemi (VP, Products), David Oyawoye (Brand and comms), Nimide Fala (Marketing & Growth).
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