Be Prepared: BSA New Member Registration App for iPad
Project Context:
The the rapid adoption of tablets like the iPad prompted my exploration into bringing the Boy Scouts of America’s Scout registration process into the 21st century. Welcome to the app that’s all about app(lication)s.
Problem Statement:
Create an efficient mobile user registration process that reduces reliance on paper forms.
The Design Process:
Create an objective:
Develop an iPad app for registering new Scouts. Deliver minimum viable product within allotted time-frame and budget.
Create User Stories:
- To (Scout Volunteers), the BSA registration app means not having to print out registration forms.
- To (council leadership members), the BSA registration app means less time can be spent keeping track of and processing paper applications.
Discover user problems & pain points:
Paper forms are inconvenient, difficult to process, and take up large amounts of storage space.
Define research questions:
- How does your council currently register new Scouts?
- What would make the Scout registration process easier for your council?
- How many users confidently achieve their goal of completing the registration process?
- How many people in leadership/membership positions have access to a mobile device?
Set testing goals:
- Registration flow (do we accurately step the user through the registration process?)
- A/B - test for two different approaches:
- Single page with user "fillable" text fields, most similar to current paper application.
- Interactive, step-by-step, application, most similar to a native iOS/Android app experience.
The Supporting Materials:
- Refer to research material, ecosystem best practices, and perform usability testing with current product.
- Perform a heuristic analysis as time permits.
- Refer to (or create) brand standards/product style-guide.
- Develop a mood board with inspirational colors, copy, and themes that best fit the product’s brand voice on a platform like Pinterest or through analog means.
- Create personas to give all team members a concrete representation of a typical user.
BSA New Member Registration App Personas:
Mike the Millenial:
Mike, 31, has been a volunteer with his local BSA council for the past two years.
Goals: avoiding paper, making signing up easier
Behaviors and Beliefs: passionate about sharing the benefits of Scouting, especially with other parents in his cohort.
What he thinks: "Scouting isn't old fashioned. I want to show other parents that Scouting is for parents like us."
Characteristics: Tech/social media savvy. Can generate increased word-of-mouth "buzz" through their social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Curtis the Career Scouter:
Curtis, 55, has been employed in various positions with the BSA for 30 years, and is now in a council-level leadership position.
Goals: Train volunteers and lower-level council employees to sign up Scouts with mobile devices
Behaviors and Beliefs: Looking to showcase year-over-year membership growth within his region and council
What he thinks: "It's important to show that our council is growing, but I'm not sure that mobile apps are better than plain old paper applications."
Characteristics: Deep institutional knowledge of the BSA and what volunteers need to be effective, tech user, not tech savvy.
The Design Explorations:
Perform a multi-layer approach to design exploration and architecture ideation.
1st layer - creation of sketches and lo-fi wireframes on paper, perform usability testing
2nd layer - creation of digital lo-fi wireframes and prototype, perform usability testing
3rd layer - creation of med-fi mockups and prototypes, perform usability testing
Give the app a try:
4th layer - creation of hi-fi mockups and prototypes to present to key stakeholders for approval and dev hand-off
The Final Design:
After performing extensive usability testing at every step of the exploration process the final, stakeholder approved, design will be handed-off to an appropriate member of the development team for implementation into the shipping product.
The Project Results:
After product launch, user and developer feedback will be taken into consideration for testing and inclusion in the next or a future update.