Brand Design
UX/UI
Overview
Tradie+ is a social media app tailored for the construction industry, designed to help tradies connect, share job updates, and network within their professional community. This university project focused on creating a construction-specific platform making it easy for tradies to communicate, share, and find job opportunities relevant to their work.
Project Aim
To create a digital platform for the construction industry that enhances social media use among tradies for sharing updates, advertising, and community building. This university project’s goal was to design a user-friendly and community-focused platform that would appeal to tradies by centralising essential industry interactions in one app.
Challenge
Tradies often lack a dedicated platform to share industry-specific updates, network, and find job opportunities. Existing social media options are either too broad or not tailored to the needs of tradies on-site and within the industry.
Key Objectives
Establish an intuitive interface that encourages active engagement and interaction.
Create specialised community and site-based groups for project-specific conversations.
Enable custom content creation features tailored for tradies, including photo and job posting options.
Research Goal
To understand the unique needs of tradies regarding social media, job sharing, and networking, and to identify key functions and pain points that would shape an effective platform for them.
Competitor Analysis
After analysing platforms like Reddit, Instagram, and LinkedIn:
Prioritising intuitive and familiar layout, seen as crucial for quick content access.
Implement dedicated, project-focused groups.
Observing the popularity of visual content, reinforce the app’s focus on photo and video sharing.
Primary Research
Method: Conducted Think-Aloud Sessions with target users using paper prototypes to observe their interactions and gather immediate feedback.
Findings:
Tradies preferred easy-to-upload options for images, job updates, and site alerts.
Users wanted clear, quick access to project-specific groups and alerts.
Users needed straightforward paths to key functions like messages and alerts.
User Personas
The development of Tradie+ was guided by two primary personas: "The Experienced Project Manager," responsible for overseeing multiple job sites and ensuring seamless communication across teams, and "The Young Apprentice," a newcomer to the trade eager to build connections and gain insights from more seasoned professionals. By focusing on these personas, the app design emphasised easy access to job boards, networking opportunities, and real-time updates—features tailored to support both the oversight needs of experienced professionals and the learning aspirations of industry newcomers.
Design Recommedations
Clear Onboarding: Simplify signup and login flows for ease of entry.
Comprehensive Group Pages: Each project has its own group feed, with job postings, updates, and alerts.
User-Friendly Content Creation: Streamlined options for uploading images and job posts, with layout customisations.
Alert System: Dedicated alerts for high-priority updates across job sites.
Simple Navigation Menu: Essential features such as messages, groups, and alerts are easily accessible.
UI & Branding
Tradie+ features a clear, modern layout with bold text and icons designed to ensure accessibility for tradies working in harsh sunlight or fast-paced conditions. Inspired by the high-vis vests seen on construction sites, the use of orange and lime creates familiarity. This colour palette, combined with accessible design elements, allows users to easily navigate job listings, resources, and networking tools, even with dirty hands or in bright outdoor settings.
User Testing
Conducted usability testing on initial prototypes:
Users highlighted the need for a more prominent alert system and additional sharing options.
Enhanced group access, streamlined alert features, and adjusted layout for a more direct content experience.
Final Design
The final design of Tradie+ is optimised for ease of use and practical functionality, tailored specifically for tradies’ on-site needs. With streamlined navigation and a straightforward layout, it prioritises quick access to essential features like job boards, resources, and networking tools. Bold typography, high-contrast icons, and a cohesive colour palette create an intuitive experience that supports quick interactions. The app’s design is both user-friendly and resilient, catering to fast-paced, sometimes challenging work environments, ensuring that tradies can connect, find jobs, and access support without hassle.
Reflection
The development of Tradie+ taught me to adapt design for practical, real-world conditions like direct sunlight and limited time. This project deepened my understanding of accessibility, usability, and the impact of user feedback, pushing me to create a functional, straightforward interface that genuinely serves tradies’ on-the-go needs.
Takeaways
Designing for specific environments highlighted the importance of accessible, quick-to-use interfaces.
Real user feedback was essential to refining design choices, particularly for specialised user groups.
Balancing simplicity with essential functionality underscored the need for adaptable approaches in specialised projects.