Jiobit
How might we expand Jiobit's user base to include new segments while upholding their brand integrity?
Overview
Jiobit already has a substantial existing user base, our project was to identify an untapped market and restructure the product to cater to that demographic. After conducting extensive research, we determined that guided tours represented a promising opportunity. We reimagined the Jiobit product and its accompanying app to create a customized experience for travelers on guided tours.
Roles
market research, user-research, research synthesis, concept ideation, iterative prototyping and wireframing, presentation creation and presenting.
Client
I. Research
Evaluating the Brand
To find a white space market, it’s important to evaluate the current brand's strengths and weaknesses, determine its unique selling proposition, and explore potential customer needs that are not being met by the brand. After diving into brand research, we discovered Jiobit serves kids, pets, seniors, and those with special needs. All of these groups are focused on dependents. We wanted to dig into a new "adults" category. In general, the adult group is a more independent population. We wanted to figure out how we could create a product and experience that allows independent people to act autonomously while leveraging the capabilities of Jiobit where there is still a guide or leader figure similar to a parent or guardian figure with dependents. We wanted to do this all while keeping true to what makes Jiobit, Jiobit. We wanted to keep the product small, inconspicuous, and to use it in a way that still enhances the user’s peace of mind.
II. Define
Opportunities
Aligned with Jiobit’s brand and current offerings, Jiobit Travel, as a physical and digital product, serves users who are functioning and operating as independents — specifically when they travel. Jiobit Travel’s main focus is on peace of mind but also allowing for more autonomy. We found an opportunity to focus on 3 main segments of travel for adults: Study abroad, service trips, and guided trips.
Persona/Journey/User Flows
To sell this idea to Jiobit, we needed to have a compelling persona and journey to follow them as they embark on these trips. Since traveling can be common and our 3 opportunity areas were trips thousands take a year, we decided we'd follow one persona on her different travel journeys throughout her life and how Jiobit impacted them. We followed our persona, Blair, as she went on a guided trip in high school, studied abroad in college, and did an emergency service trip for work after a natural disaster occurred. We used user flows to determine exactly how the persona would use the software and hardware.
III. Design
Conceptualize, Ideate, Evaluate, Iterate
With a new market in mind, we iteratively designed and prototyped physical and digital solutions that were discussed with Jiobit to remain loyal to their brand, and tested with users to ensure we were meeting their needs. We created tons of sketches for improving the physical aesthetic to enhance the use with our new market and made changes to the app while keeping up with their brand identity to create a Jiobit product that was enhanced instead of changed.
IV. Deliver
Features Overview
Of the 3 travel segments, my focus was on guided trips. I designed features for several opportunities I identified in this user segment. These include:
Location tracking to keep track of participants while allowing them to venture into various locations and to help them find each other and the guide.
Emergency notifications to contact participants during an emergency. The interface will alert users of the emergency and the Jiobit device will vibrate and display red lights.
Summon button to get the group back together after dispersing. Group leaders can pick and choose who to summon or summon the whole group.
Physical Boundaries to know which places/locations are safe to visit. These boundaries can be determined by the group leader and will alert the leader and the participant if they have stepped outside of the boundary range.
V. Review
Our project focused on identifying a white space market for Jiobit and redesigning the product to fit the needs of that market. I identified guided tours as a potential market and developed a new product and app update that included features such as real-time location tracking, emergency calls, and the ability to set physical boundaries. Throughout the project, I gained valuable insights into the product development process and how to identify new markets for existing products.
Key Learnings
Market research is essential. To identify a white space market for a product, it's important to conduct thorough market research to understand the needs and preferences of potential customers. This includes identifying gaps in the market and exploring trends and changes in consumer behavior.
User testing is crucial. When developing a new product, it's important to involve users in the design process to ensure that the product meets their needs and is intuitive to use. User testing can help identify areas for improvement and refine the product design.
Iteration is key. Developing a successful product requires a lot of trial and error. It's important to iterate on the product design, test and gather feedback, and make adjustments as needed. By continually refining the product, you can create a final product that meets the needs of customers and drives growth for the company.
The Team
Special thanks to Caroline Scheibel, Caitlin Spofford, Yiwen Sun, Seth Applebaum, & Nic Raiser
