phaseI

Phase I: Analyzing Users, Competitors, and Initial Designs

Introduction

Cheat Sheet Generator is a web application meant to streamline the process of creating cheat sheets for students. This includes generating and formatting cheat sheets for their classes, allowing for specialization between different classes. A math class requires different syntax than a history class would and Cheat Sheet Generator will deliver on that.

Methods

In our case of researching our cheat-sheet generator, we applied several research techniques in order to gain a deeper insight into how other similar applications work and what areas we can innovate. The competitive analysis was our initial move, as we analyzed the available services, such as Venngage and MyMap AI, to identify their strong and weak sides and seek some opportunities to outperform them with our distinctive feature of processing LaTeX and Markdown. For when we did it, the team rated these competitors on four major areas which included which were quality, strength, weakness, and pricing data. Additional categories such as the features were also taken into consideration just in order to give a context, although they weren't so important in overall analysis of the products.

Alongside that, our persona development enabled the UX team to learn more about the interaction of our target group with a Markdown (pending certain changes) and LaTeX based cheat-sheet generator. We created a few different kinds users and gave them a certain backstory, personality and a particular task to complete such as students who had to prepare for different kinds of tests, or even speeches. To the personas, the UX team developed a realistic scenario which detailed the time and the reason of why that particular person would have to use our cheat-sheet generator in order to simplify their workflow. The personas that we came up with may have been slightly similar due to the scope of the project, but different enough to work for certain cases.

Heuristic Evaluation

One of such rivals in our competitive analysis Venngage was first selected by our team due to it being the first option when searched up. This heuristic analysis was done to assess the controls, visual layout, freedom of the users, and error control mechanisms of the platform in the creation of study documents. The team rated it and gave a score out of 1-10 in the areas that were stated along with how it was able to be used, and other metrics as well. These were the strengths and weaknesses that we duly noted in each area to design our own generator.

Findings

Through competitive analysis, our team discovered that the main demographic for our users was mainly students. When preparing for exams or general studying, students prepare materials such as cheat sheets to help them succeed. Therefore, creating a product that focuses on efficiency allows students to spend more time on their studies than on the lengthy process of creating their cheat sheets. We found that other platforms also address this by creating easy-to-follow cheat sheet visualizations, allowing students to quickly review the material.

From our Heuristic Evaluation, our team found that Venngage performed very well in all categories. Their platform specializes in using artificial intelligence to generate visuals using prompts provided by the user, which allows for user to quickly and efficiently create their own cheat sheets in minutes. However, Venngage suffered from the issue being primarily a graphic design as well as being a paid service over time. For example, university students already spend most of their finances on their tuition. It is most likely not worth it to pay for other services in order to save. Once Venngage generates its Cheat Sheet, users more than often have to edit the cheat sheet to fill their needs. This forces the user to spend more time having to organize their cheat sheet, which defeats the purpose of being efficient.

Conclusions

Based on the Heuristic Evaluation, we discovered that allowing users to quickly format their cheat sheet and quickly format their ideas into material that is easy to follow was the most efficient solution. Allows users to have more freedom and creativity over their cheat sheet allows users to experience less frustration as they no longer have to second-guess if their generator would provide the correct information. Keeping our service free as well provides students with more resources for free.

Caveats

We have not talked to users, everything is on our own findings and our own doing, without outside sources