HiveTracks Internship
As a precursor to the upcoming redesign of its commercial beekeeping software, HiveTracks began an in-depth user-research phase.
Role: UX Research + UX Design
Background
HiveTracks is a company with a big mission and a crucial global problem to solve. It is the leading cloud-based, data analytics software for beekeepers. Its product is focused on optimizing the health of honey bees which has a direct connection to global food sustainability.
Currently, HiveTracks is redesigning their mobile application for hobbyist beekeepers but will redesign their commercial beekeeping management web and mobile app in 2021.
Before redesigning the web and mobile app for its commercial beekeeping software, HiveTracks wanted to conduct user research to better understand the needs of commercial beekeepers.
Problem
Commercial beekeeping operations require tracking and managing data from thousands of hives simultaneously in different geographic locations. However, previously conducted research revealed some key challenges affecting adaption of technology among commercial beekeepers.
Tech resistance.
Conversion to a mobile/cloud-based record keeping system means changing analog data-recording habits still practiced by many in the industry. Some of the industry leaders still keep paper records.
Delayed data recording.
Using a mobile app when wearing gloves or when hands are sticky with honey or propolis can hinder data collection during hive checks, creating a gap in time between yard visits and recording data.
Role
My role at HiveTracks was to lead UX research, primarily by organizing and conducting initial interviews with commercial beekeepers to gain an understanding of their pain points (compared to those of hobbyist beekeepers). Additionally, I synthesized research to create affinity maps, personas, a site map, as well as make recommendations for the redesign of HiveTracks Commercial software and mobile application.
Interviews
Initial interviews consisted of 5 commercial beekeepers, 3 in the US and 1 in Australia and 1 in New Zealand. The interviewees were a mix of former and current HiveTracks users.
The goal of the interviews was to understand the challenges facing the commercial beekeeping industry, what data points are most important to them, and what features are needed in a cloud-based web and mobile application to manage day-to-day operations.
Insights
Interviews reaffirmed several pain points among commercial beekeepers, as well as additional frustrations. Furthermore, interviews clarified what data is vital to the health of bees and to successful commercial honey-procurement and pollination operations.
Affinity mapping & personas
Following the interviews, I began synthesizing the data, starting with affinity mapping.
Even with a small interview pool, patterns began to emerge. It became clearer what is important to commercial beekeepers and what their primary concerns are.
The next step was to create personas capturing our commercial beekeeping users.
Note: due to the sensitivity of the research, affinity maps and personas, are available upon request only.
User Stories
Lastly, I synthesized interview findings into user stories to ascertain what features should be included in the redesign of HiveTracks Commercial software. I was able to deliver a long list of feature recommendations for the upcoming the redesign.
Note: Due to the sensitivity of the research, user stories are available upon request only and under specific circumstances.
Next Steps
Following a meeting with HiveTracks stakeholders at the end of my internship, I’ve been invited to continue leading the user research phase.
Because HiveTracks is the top beekeeping data-management solution in tech, it is necessary to talk to many more commercial beekeepers, including industry leaders to ensure that we thoroughly meet the needs of our users. More interviews will be conducted, as well as user surveys to further pinpoint what features are essential to the redesign and which are secondary.
Additionally, an in-depth competitive analysis of other existing commercial beekeeping cloud software solutions will help HiveTracks discern their unique contribution to the market.