HOTPATCH
Space booking platform with a restructured product detail page and a streamlined user journey, designed to give the Customer Service team back their time.
TIME: 3 x Weeks
TEAM: 4 x UX Designers
MY ROLE: User and Competitor Research - Ideation - Usability Testing - Wireframing - Prototyping - Team Leading - Workshop Facilitation - Stakeholder Management
TOOLS: Figma - Optimal Workshop - Photoshop - Slack
THE PROBLEM
We learnt from Hotpatch that:
Current bounce rate is over 40%
Confusing PDP (Product Detail Page) information made renters reluctant to commit to a booking.
Frustrated users bypassed the platform and contacted Hotpatch directly, costing the team 2-3 hours daily in responses.
THE SOLUTION
Feedback from user testing and the client noted that:
Reduction in errors and miss-clicks, thanks to enhancements to user flow across the site.
PDP has clear categories and lists, so identifying relevant information is effortless.
Reducing the need for customer service assistance by pre-emptively addressing user needs.
HOW WE DID IT…
THE BRIEF: Hotpatch problem vs. user needs
HOTPATCH is a platform for flexible space rentals, catering to diverse business needs from photoshoots to hairdressing stations. Led by Yas and his team, Hotpatch is a vibrant and playful brand with a clear objective:
“be the go-to destination for unique spaces, offering users an easy, intuitive booking experience”
However, the current user experience is suggesting some problems…
PDP IS OVERWHELMING
USER PAIN POINT
User are frustrated by confusing listings and cannot find the information they need (even when it is stated in the listing)
OUR CHALLENGE
Streamline the listing to remove visual overload and make information easy to skim-read
USERS BYPASS THE SITE!
USER PAIN POINT
Many users skip the site and head straight to customer service. Despite praising Hotpatch, they haven't fully explored the site!
OUR CHALLENGE
Eliminate the confusion by eliminating dead-ends in the user journey.
NEW USERS LACK TRUST
USER PAIN POINT
New testers hesitated to share personal and payment details due to unclear language and CTA’s
OUR CHALLENGE
Fix UX writing and make reviews more visible to build trust and boost user confidence in Hotpatch.
SITE AUDIT & USABILITY TESTING: “I am done with this site!”
Yes, this is a quote from a usability test I observed!
It was hard to stomach at first, but… if we can make Hotpatch work for THIS user, we will make it work for everyone!
A site audit and usability testing revealed multiple points during the user’s journey where they may turn to message customer service or drop off the site completely.
CATEGORY MAZE
USERS SAID:
“I am struggling to find my way around categories, I can’t to get to what I need”
WE LEARNT:
Categories do not lead to subcategories easily - some users were unable to find them at all, while others only discovered them by clicking on one accidentally.
FILTER DOOM-SCROLL
USERS SAID:
“The filtering system doesn’t give me what I want; it’s confusing”
WE LEARNT:
Testers scrolled up and down the long list not knowing what to click. The keyword search was too broad and the column view felt overwhelming - testers appeared visually overloaded and clicked away.
PDP OVERWHELM
USERS SAID:
“It’s frustrating that I can’t quickly see what features are in the space.”
WE LEARNT:
Large blocks of text felt visually and mentally overwhelming. Testers missed information that was already on the page because they tended to not read the listing thoroughly, but scan for information.
WHAT USERS WANT FROM HOTPATCH: “I want the site to do the legwork”
We recognised core issues around navigation and information overload. But with many possibilities for re-design, we were losing focus!
Taking the lead on this task, I first defined our Persona - self-employed hairdresser Cris, whose space booking got cancelled at the last minute - and then honed in with a JBTD exercise.
“I want the website to do the work, so I can focus on my business.”
“I want to feel comfortable in the space so I can focus solely on my client.”
“I want a space that represents my brand even when working in someone else’s salon.”
*This was a reminder of how little Cris thinks about space hire - she wants to grow her business and Hotpatch can help!
USER INTERVIEWS: What do users need?
We spoke with 16 people - from hairdressers to yoga teachers to photographers - and learnt that users feel frustrated by the platform's layout and overwhelmed by listing pages.
COMPETITOR ANALYSIS: Identifying industry standards
Conducting an analysis of 6 competitors allowed us to compare the usability testing feedback with industry standards and gave us insights into common patterns, missed opportunities and innovative approaches that could help make Hotpatch stand out.
JOURNEY MAP: Bringing Data to Life
Defining insights is a skill I have developed through my love of research. It allows me to empathise with the user and keeps me focused on the business aims. It also is a great way to bring the stakeholders onboard!
So, this is the day it all went wrong for Cris…
-
Frantically searching for a hairdresser's chair after her booking fell through, Chris lands on HotPatch with relief, but frustration mounts again as she struggles to find the right space amidst confusing search navigation and unclear listings.
After perseverance, she narrows down to three options, jotting down their features on a Google doc.
Opting for one, she messages the host for additional information, but stressed by the wait, she books a less ideal option elsewhere with instant confirmation.
TEAM COMMUNICATION: Good honest chat
We were excited by the possibilities: so many great ideas were developing already! However, in this excitement the time started to slip, our focus scattered and we lost momentum.
So I got us together for a good honest chat.
We restated our personal needs and expectations from the team. We looked back at all our work, then redefined and narrowed the problem space and set our priorities.
THEN WE SET OUT OUR GOALS
HOTPATCH
Reduce bounce rate and give Hotpatch Customer Service team their time back!
USER
Make her space search easy so she can focus on growing her business
THE TEAM
Resist re-designing just because you can!
MISSED OPPORTUNITY: A glaring gap in our solution
“We forgot about the host!” I messaged the team (too late) that night. “How can we get Cris the information she wants if we don’t address the uploading process for the host?!”
And so, meet Renu, our Protopersona. We only had 1 host to interview, so we created her from the perspective of Cris’s needs.
I felt sure that if I made the process of listing a space simple taking the workload off Renu she’s more likely to complete the form accurately, thus reducing confusion for Cris and removing the need for the back and forth.
I went back to competitor sites to discover how the uploading process works and took best bits from them all to incorporate into a structured form with prompts and tick boxes and minimal free-writing.
JUMP INTO DESIGN
WORKSHOP FASCILITATION: Comparing business goals with user pain points
Now that we've got a good handle on the user pain points, we brought in the Hotpatch team for a Design Studio.
This exercise helped us realign our findings with Hotpatch's expectations and generated several great ideas to move forward with. Together with Hotpatch, we decided to prioritise Filtering Systems, Product Pages and Host Form as areas that would offer the highest potential rewards.
Filtering System. Reduce uncertainty and visual overwhelm
CHANGES
Split filters into categories for quick scan of information easier
Replaced one long list with columns to reduce the visual overload
Added tags to remove uncertainty if the selection is applied
BEFORE
Users felt uncertain if their selected filters had been applied.
Users found long list visually overwhelming and wished it was easier to scan.
Users couldn’t find the “apply” button as it was at the bottom of the long scroll.
Product Detail Page. New categories and transparent language gives confidence
CHANGES
Well defined categories and columns minimise visual overload, making it easy to find relevant information.
Clear CTAs and transparent language about booking and payment help reduce hesitation.
Visible reviews and social proof build trust.
Prominent confirmation messages set expectations and alleviate uncertainty.
BEFORE
Lack of standardisation and lengthy text overwhelmed users, leading to more customer service enquiries.
Unclear wording made users hesitant to confirm bookings.
Users were unsure when payment would be taken and worried about submitting card details.
Uncertainty about next steps led users to contact customer service for confirmation.
Host Listing Page. Remove the workload from the host
TESTING: How did the users feel?
We conducted usability testing to validate our design decisions and identify gaps in our solutions.
In Round 1, we conducted a casual walk-through to gauge initial impressions, validating our navigation while identifying areas needing more clarity.
For Round 2, we refined the wireframes and set usability metrics, ensuring users could book a barber’s chair smoothly within five minutes and with less than two mis-clicks.
ON REFLECTION…..
WORKING AS A TEAM: Democracy vs. Deadline
Working with a team presented challenges in maintaining momentum, and at times agreeing on priorities was a challenge. To keep things moving, I focused the team by re-stating our goals and aligning with stakeholder expectations.
We started the project by rotating roles and handing over the lead from day to day, but with the deadline nearing we had to admit that our initial approach was time-consuming and inefficient, so we divided tasks based on our strengths and interests.
By staying proactive and adaptable, I ensured that usability remained a priority, reinforcing that good UX isn’t just about making things pretty and making sure the soplution work for both users and the business.