5. #MakeItBetter
WHAT IS A DIARY STUDY?
• Diary studies are a form of research that takes place over a long period of time
• Diary studies prompt users to report their activities at regular intervals
6. #MakeItBetter
WHY WOULD YOU USE A
DIARY STUDY?
• To observe product use outside of a controlled environment
• To observe product use over a period of time
• To uncover the motivation behind why users take certain actions
• To observe users actually try to use the product to solve their pain points
• To uncover how a user feels about a product
7. #MakeItBetter
WHEN IS IT PRUDENT TO
CONDUCT A DIARY STUDY?
• When the value of your product is better revealed after prolonged, regular
usage
• When the value of your product relies on how a product fits into a user’s regular
habits
• When you don’t have time/resources for an on-field study
19. #MakeItBetter
WHAT WE GOT OUT OF
INTERVIEWS
• Understanding the users who participated in the study
• Understanding the problem space
• Understanding how they perceived the initial value prop
• Evaluating usability of onboarding
20. #MakeItBetter
5
“How would you rate this app?”
“i like that there are
thought put into the
different type of clients
that exist.”
-Destiny
4
“it might make me look
more professional”
-Fatima
21. #MakeItBetter
INSIGHTS
• Our provisional persona did not fit with the persona who would actually find use
in the app
• Onboarding needed to better explain the value prop of the app and, specifically,
what it actually did
• Users tended to use dummy data for entering their first invoice, and tapped
around without necessarily understanding what they were tapping on
25. #MakeItBetter
–Fatima Cubilette
“The email templates are very convenient and easy to edit”
POSITIVE FEEDBACK
–Sonya Webb
“I liked the way I was prompted to set up an invoice. I frankly find that task a little daunting,
so I was surprised at how easy it was.”
–Destiny Jackson
“I liked that I got reminders about the invoices because I forgot about them”
26. #MakeItBetter
–Boris Lipsman
“It's hard thus far to have expectations without a clear understanding of what value the app
delivers to the user. Sure, I see my invoice is due in 18 days so there is nothing to worry
about now. What else can I use it for?”
AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT
–Sonya Webb
“It just seems like another reminder app. Not sure I'd switch from just using a calendar app.”
–Leigh Henley
“I logged in today and it continued to give me the same advice about my overdue invoice but
it didn't give me an option to let it know if I had taken those actions.”
27. #MakeItBetter
PRIORITY FEATURES
Separation of paid from outstanding invoices
Notes/description/details needed on invoices
Integration or sync with accounting software (QB)
5 (3)
4.5 (3)
3.75 (4)
Send invoices directly to client2.75 (2)
Weighted/Unweighted Request
More colloquial, less formal language on recommendations2.75 (2)
Create and schedule repeating invoices2.75 (2)
*Create invoices in the app (use PwCSBS as primary invoicing system)2.75 (2)
Duplicate invoices2.75 (2)
Edit invoice2.5 (2)
Database of clients (add client, edit client, create invoice attached to client)2.25 (2)
Requests are weighted by how close the tester matches PwC SBS’s primary persona
Client-facing app to send them invoices/reminders1.25 (2)
28. #MakeItBetter
INSIGHTS
• What users said during interviews did not necessarily correspond with what
they did
• Most users wanted a tool to manage everything invoice related — create and
send, edit, track.
• Reminders/push notifications were useful to users who weren’t already
competent at remembering when they needed to get paid
• Became clear that there are at least 2 customer segments with significantly
different needs — those who already use accounting software and those that
don’t
29. #MakeItBetter
REVISED USER PERSONA: OLIVIA
“I feel my best when my
businesses’ financial chores are
automated and mobile, so I can
focus on serving my clients.”
- Lives & works in LA
- 29 years old, making $88,000
- Freelance web designer with 3 large
clients and ~20 small or individual
clients.
- Not a financial alpha. Seeks enough to
be comfortable
- Enables push notification on business
apps, but sometimes feels overwhelmed
by alert overload.
- Tracks invoices manually and in excel
- Is a passive power user of business apps -
consistently enables push notifications for
banking and finance apps.
- Not a tech first mover, but is quick to
download new apps as they gain
popularity.
- Looks to communities (freelancers union,
community forums, friends) for business
advice
- Likely to talk with clients over text
- Willing to try new apps, but not necessarily
sticky
- wary of disturbing important business
relationships
- Expects to carry out complex financial
chores in mobile apps, on the go.
- Rarely forgets about an invoice but often
forgets about timing
- Wants to have better insight into the on-
time payment record of a client
- Wants to be tactful when chasing a
client for money. A financial relationship
coach
- Wants to know how and when to be firm
toward a late payer, but also has her
own techniques.
