From idea to MVP: what would a web version of the Envision App look like?

Introduction

In this blog, I will be talking about my time as a UI/UX design intern at Envision. I was working on a project that aims to bring the Envision app to the desktop.

What is Envision & What do they do?

Envision is a Dutch startup that specializes in AI-assistive technology, particularly smart glasses aka Envision Glasses, to empower the blind and people with low vision. They aim to enhance independence, accessibility, and quality of life for people who are blind or who have low vision through their innovative solutions.

Identification of the problem

“Do we need to make it similar to Envision App”, “Just make the Envision App in the desktop version and I am done” and “Do we really need to ask the users about their needs?”, these were the type of questions that came to my mind before jumping into the project.

For the people who don't know what Envision does, here is a short note👇

And to understand the crux of the problem, I decided to communicate with the users of Envision.

Communication is the key: Talking to the users

I had a few casual interviews with the beta testers of Envision app. The meetings were conducted virtually. In the interview, the users and I had an easygoing conversation about their jobs, the difficulties they face during their work, using a desktop vs mobile, and their usage related to Envision App.

After summarizing all the interviews and their points, it was time to brainstorm with the team on what are the possible solutions that we can create for the users.

Getting started with the Design work(UI)

Before starting off with the designs, I considered the possible solutions based on the pain points told by the users.

Now that we had enough idea of the product should look, I begin making the initial design concepts(or Lofi diagrams) for the web tool.

Once the Lofi diagrams were made, I got more clarity in my designs and the certain direction to move ahead. Alongside designing, I had to take care of the accessibility and the design hierarchy so that blind or people with low vision using a screen reader shouldn't get lost or confused.

Final designs with their expositions

The most favorite moment of the journey! 😎

While making the history section of the web tool, I changed the shape of the box to differentiate between the PDFs/.TXT files and JPEGs(or PNGs)

The change?

Small role, huge impact! 🎉

The idea was to make the PDF files look more like a file instead of a rectangle so that it becomes easier for color-blind people(and everybody in general) to differentiate between the files(PDFs and images).

An important realization along the process

During the process of making the design of Envision’s desktop version, I realized how will the users know how to use the web tool.

Throwing up a new sign up/log in page on the face of the user might seem strange and there was a need for a proper way to onboard them.

One-word solution: Landing Page!

The final Landing Page

Final thoughts

The opportunity to work on Inclusive design and in particular, designing for blind users was absolutely wonderful and I loved it!

This experience has not only improved my professional skills but also left an impact on how I perceive the role of technology in creating an inclusive world. Prioritizing accessibility over anything was the most challenging part. This meant stepping into the shoes of blind users, understanding their unique challenges, and adapting our design approach to accommodate their requirements.

Many thanks for sticking with it. I hope you all found it useful.

You can connect with me on Linkedin.

Fun fact: You can clap for up to 50 seconds by holding down the clap button. Try it!👏