Stitch Niche is an application designed to assist with resizing and designing crochet and knitting patterns. Stitch Niche will help those of all skill levels be able to customize their patterns to fit their needs. Stitch niche is unique because it tackles the difficult task of resizing patterns that often requires a great deal of time and effort to do the calculations. This application hopes to make working on the projects you want to make a little easier!
In the previous sprint, the Stitch Niche team focused on implementing the ability to generate rectangular patterns for either crochet or knitting. The UX team worked to understand the target audience and what goals the product should meet.
In the second spirit, the software engineering team worked to implement new features that would make Stitch Niche a more robust application. The UX team worked to increase the fidelity of designs and create a solid understanding of what users expected and how they would use and interact with Stitch Niche
Below the UX team has outlined the research and outcomes of their contributions during the second spirit.
In this second spirit the UX team used two methods to gather information on the current state of the Stitch Niche Application and how it meets user needs and expectations. Below outlines the methods in which this research was conducted.
The first of these methods was receiving informal feedback of Stitch Niche following the completion of the first sprint. The Stitch Niche Software Engineering team performed a demonstration of the application to their class of other Software Engineering students (n = 65). The demonstration utilized a set of predetermined inputs that would be used to show how the application generates rectangular patterns. The results of this feedback are discussed in later sections.
The second research method was a cognitive walkthrough. The cognitive walkthrough was performed externally by Usability Engineering students separate from the Stitch Niche UX team utilizing Wireframes and previously created Personas and Scenarios.
To perform the cognitive walkthrough the evaluators (n = 3) were given the persona “Lily” as well as the specific goal to make a scarf. The evaluator would use this goal and the assumed knowledge base of the persona to go step by step through the process using the wireframes as a guide to simulate the application. In a document, evaluators would answer two questions following each step made in their process.
- Will the user know what to do at this step?
- If the user does the right thing, will the user know that they did the right thing and is making progress toward the goal?
Once finished evaluators then submitted the completed documentation to the Stitch Niche UX team for review.
The cognitive walkthrough results enabled the Stitch Niche UX team to identify several sources of confusion, missing functionalities, and potential usability issues within the application. UX evaluators, following structured personas and scenarios, provided key feedback on user interactions, emphasizing challenges novice users might face. While the wireframe prototype showed usability for more experienced users, it proved less intuitive for those new to crafting, who encountered difficulties with basic tasks. This feedback highlighted the need for more beginner-friendly design elements to improve accessibility and ease of use for inexperienced users.
Demo Feedback:
- Autofilled boxes for a standard scarf or blanket pattern
- Add description of what the function will do.
- Could you calculate how much yarn you would need?
- Standard gauges for different types of yarn,
- Visual Output, rather than just numbers
- Centimeters or inches,
- Don’t know the variables met, more information, illustration (Hover box with description of variables?)Tool Tip
Based on informal feedback from the demo and cognitive walkthroughs, the Stitch Niche UX team updated the wireframes to prioritize simplicity and ease of navigation, addressing several issues identified by evaluators. The layout was redesigned to use features, like the “Generate” button, more accessible, aligning with our target audience of beginner knitters and casual crafters who value intuitive design. Persona and scenario analysis helped us understand specific user needs, such as resizing patterns or inputting custom measurements, guiding us to create features that better serve Stitch Niche’s user base. By evaluating the interface from a user’s perspective, the cognitive walkthrough revealed potential errors, such as unclear navigation flow and insufficient feedback, which informed changes to improve user experience.
There are several limitations to consider in our findings. First, our Target User Base includes beginner knitters, casual crafters, and inexperienced users, but most of the feedback we received came from participants with computer science backgrounds. This means the feedback may not fully reflect the needs of Stitch Niche’s intended audience. Additionally, a Significant Portion of the Target Audience was missing from the study, especially beginner and casual users, which limits our understanding of how well the design meets their needs. The Cognitive Walkthrough was performed by UX students rather than experienced professionals, which may have impacted the depth of the insights gained. Lastly, the wireframes used were not fully developed and were missing key elements, like pop-up dialogues, limiting the ability to evaluate the app’s functionality