Pop CoLab
Pop CoLab, in Winnipeg, is a fusion of work and play, tailored for early-stage entrepreneurs, single-users and families with children, with the overarching goal of providing a “Third Space” - a neutral, inclusive area distinct from work and home - for employees of larger companies and businesses.
Pop CoLab provides an environment that nurtures informal interactions, relaxation, and creativity to drive innovation and collaboration. In addition, Pop CoLab also presents a unique opportunity for artisans and makers to display and design their work.
Designers You Should Meet
The founder of Pop CoLab - Donavan
Hi, my name is Shannon
My role:
- Team Lead
- Research
- Competitor Analysis
- Information Architecture
- Design
Hi, my name is Jory
My role:
- Research
- Competitor Analysis
- User Flows
- Usability Testing
- Design
Hi, my name is Margaret
My role:
- Research
- Competitor Analysis
- Personas
- User Stories
- Usability Testing
- Design
Tools
Problem Statement
How might we tell the story of the Pop CoLab third space concept in order to promote membership among neurodivergent individuals and local businesses looking to boost their corporate wellness programs?
POP emerged out of a desire to build a community of creative thinkers within a uniquely located space in downtown Winnipeg. The concept helps adults bring more play and creativity into their lives and encourages health, happiness, and connectivity.
POP is a unique concept in Winnipeg, therefore it is important to help people understand why it matters on both a personal and community level, how they can participate and what services are being offered.
Throughout this process of research and design, we asked:
- How can we tell the unique POP Colab story?
- What drives people to seek out the type of community POP Colab offers?
Process
Competitor Analysis
We analyzed seven different company websites, paying close attention to layout, visual design, UX design, and key features. These companies were chosen because they were either discussed as possible precedent in our initial meeting with Donavan, or because they provide similar services as POP.
Features we liked include full-bleed images and modern typefaces, prioritized and clearly worded CTAs, easy-to-use/easy-to-find event calendars, and seamless on-boarding sequences.
Check out the report for our detailed analysis.
Personas
CEO of Cargill since 2023. In his 30 years with the company, he has been known for his relentless focus on people and culture.
Roger Nielsen
Age - 49
Education - MBA
Occupation - CEO
Tim struggled in school due to his ADHD diagnosis. This experience fuels his passion to create his own tutoring company, because every child can master reading, given the right approach.
Tim Dalman
Age - 30
Education - BA
Occupation - Educator & Entrepreneur
User Interviews
I’d love to use a space like this, but I’m concerned about the cost of a membership.
If this was a membership offered by my employer, I would definitely use this space.
I’d love to learn more through an open house event or even a free trial before signing up.
Information Architecture
Lo-Fi Wireframes
We decided to move forward with wire-framing and testing the users’ experience of signing up for a membership.
Usability Testing
We conducted remote usability testing in order to reach a broader audience. In total, we conducted 6 tests with a diverse range of participants, all expressing interest in the idea of a joining a creative multi-use space.
The main issues identified had to do with lack of visual consistency in the design of buttons throughout the sequence.
Several participants also mentioned wanting more information regarding pricing and services earlier on in the sequence, as a general request for less scrolling.
Check out the Usability Report for more information.
Implementation
Future Thinking
Due to the limited time and resources allotted for this project, we hope to provide a set of UI/UX standards for Donavan to apply to future iterations of this site and future digital products down the line. Based on our research and iteration, these are the standards we recommend.
- Prioritizing honoring the POP brand mission, vision, and values in the selection of icons, symbols, and photography featured on the site.
- Keep in mind Jakob’s Law, “people spend most of their time on sites that aren’t yours” by making design choices that fall in line with what users expect.
- Celebrate the bold, bright, playfulness of the POP visual identity while prioritizing the usability and navigability of the site.
- Off the most important information closest to the top of each page in order to establish a relationship of transparency with the user.
- Maintain consistency of design throughout the entire site in regards to style, placement, and layout.