In today’s fast-paced world, parents often struggle to find reliable childcare. Traditional channels or services can be expensive and inflexible, while relying on friends and family can be inconvenient. SnapSitter, a mobile-first application, disrupts the babysitting industry by harnessing the power of the sharing economy.

Research

  • Parent Interviews: Conversations with parents revealed frustrations with agency fees, limited availability, and cumbersome communication channels (phone calls, emails, interviews).
  • Babysitter Surveys: Surveys with babysitters highlighted a desire for a platform that facilitated flexible scheduling, transparent payment, and a way to showcase qualifications effectively.

Key takeaways:

  • Limited Availability: Finding a qualified babysitter on short notice was difficult.
  • Inconvenient Communication: Arranging schedules and payments involved time-consuming phone calls and interviews.
  • Limited Exposure: Sitters had to rely finding jobs through advertisement or word of mouth.

Design

Informed by the research, we focused on creating a mobile app with a user-friendly interface and seamless functionality for both parents and babysitters.

  • Information Architecture: Designed a clear and intuitive navigation structure for easy access to essential information like profiles, booking, and communication features.
  • User Interface Design: Prioritized a visually appealing and user-friendly interface. This included clear calls to action, intuitive icons, and a focus on readability for a smooth user experience.

The app catered to both user groups:

  • Parents: Tools to browse verified babysitter profiles, search based on specific needs, book and pay securely, and communicate directly through in-app messaging.
  • Babysitters: Features to create detailed profiles, set availability and rates, manage bookings and schedules, and receive secure payments.

Implementation

Translating the design into a functional app required collaboration across disciplines.

  • User Experience Design: I lead the UX design process, ensuring a smooth and intuitive user flow for both parents and babysitters.
  • Development: Additionally, I brought the app to life as a developer using Unity3D (C#) and Parse cloud data management with Parse.

Conclusion

The app empowers parents to find reliable childcare conveniently, while providing babysitters with a platform to showcase their skills and manage their schedules effectively. SnapSitter demonstrates the power of user-centered design in disrupting an established industry. By focusing on user needs, the app has created a win-win situation for both parents and babysitters, paving the way for a more convenient and affordable childcare experience. The culmination of our efforts was a high-fidelity, interactive prototype that embodied the core functionalities and user experience of the SnapSitter app. This prototype played a pivotal role in securing funding for the client. By showcasing the app’s potential to address user pain points and create a seamless babysitting experience, it effectively communicated the value proposition to potential investors.