TAGN
TAGN
UX RESEARCH / APP DESIGN
This app prototype blends editable work schedules into DMs so staff can “tag in” and out of shifts with ease
Skip to prototype
ROLE
Research, interviewing, wireframing, prototyping, user testing, creating design system
TEAM
Solo project
AUDIENCE
Bartenders, hospitality staff & shift workers
Background
Scheduling and covering shifts is a common sticking point for those who work in hospitality roles, such as in restaurants or bars.
Part of the issue comes from understaffing or lean-staffing practices, in which staff are pressured to cover each other’s shifts when another goes on leave.
Unpredictable overtime like this can lead to poor work environments and employee burnout, which I began to see among my friends in the industry. I was concerned about their wellness and wondered how this practice could be eased for their sake.
As part of my Master’s coursework, I researched why these scheduling upsets happen and ideated ways to prevent them.
This led to me prototyping an app-based solution that—based on the keen interest of user testers—may warrant further development as a full-fledged product.
Goal
Conceptualise a tool that helps hospitality staff schedule and trade shifts more effectively
Research
User Interviews
I talked to managers of bars in Wellington, New Zealand to learn how they schedule or ‘roster’ their teams. My interviews exposed me to the remarkably team-centric ‘hospo’ culture in Wellington—as well as its logistical issues.
We make sure we look after everyone.
Research participant (on their management style)
“
I found that these managers highly valued their staff’s time, wellness, and autonomy and like to roster them accordingly.
They also demonstrate this value by regularly sacrificing their own time off to cover missing shifts rather than pressure off-duty staff to cover them. Many regularly worked 55+ hours in a week as a result of this.
So while managers like to protect their staff’s wellbeing, they may neglect their own by not sourcing reliable back-up for themselves.
From our conversations, I gained valuable insights into how these values influence managers’ handling of shifts:
Monitoring burnout
Finding As the “last resort” option, managers will often work overtime to cover missing shifts. A trend of this can be a precursor to burnout as well as a symptom of understaffing.
Insight My solution should keep transparent records on how many hours staff have worked (or overworked) to monitor trends and determine whether enough “back-up” staff are actually employed.
All you can do is ask
Finding Managers want staff to be honest about their capacity. They don’t want to pressure staff into overworking themselves as this can lead to workplace accidents and low morale. Communication is key here. If staff say “no”, they shouldn’t go.
Insight My solution should be a communication-based platform that can facilitate these conversations between staff and managers.
Staff empowerment
Finding Managers value their team’s wellbeing far more than bottom-line considerations such as labour costs. They want staff to dictate their hours week-to-week and feel comfortable reaching out when they need help.
Insight My solution should share these hospo culture values by enabling staff to set their own schedules, pick up shifts, and openly communicate with managers.
Affinity & Experience Mapping
Following my interviews, I mapped out participants’ call-out and coverage processes to identify specific pain points that could be addressed.
I knew from my interviews that participants used social media direct messaging (DMs) to relay rosters, schedule preferences, and call-out requests to staff. But my experience map exposed how these DM platforms aren’t really equipped for labour logistics.
Affinity and experience mapping in Miro
A low visibility of rosters, available staff, and coverage requests in DMs impedes the call-out process. As a result, managers often don’t believe they can reliably request help from other staff in time to cover shifts—a common issue expressed across my affinity map.
By I analysing these processes in-depth, I identified other common tools, barriers, and possible improvements to the call-out experience:
A moment’s notice
Finding Managers will cover missing shifts when they can’t find other staff to cover it. But they may not even bother asking staff for coverage if they don’t think they’ll be available, able to come in time, or even see their request if they ask.
Insight To reliably request shift coverage, alerts for help need to be clear, accurate, and quick to assess and accept.
Accurate availability
Finding Managers prioritise staff preferences for hours when scheduling shifts. But these preferences can vary week-to-week, and rosters only reflect the hours a staff member was scheduled for—not all the hours they’re available for.
Insight If staff preferences were more apparent, shift requests could be more targeted to those who’re most able to accept them.
Finding Managers primarily social media DMs to contact staff and share rosters (usually images or links to spreadsheets). DMs are convenient for quick communication, but it’s easy for rosters and shift requests to get ignored or “lost” up in group chats.
Insight Direct communication is important, but shift info needs to be more readily seen and accessible.
Concept Development
Usability testing
Iconography, submission confirmation, and legibility were all improved through user testing of lofi prototypes.
All testers had experience working in hospo, and most also used social media DMs for scheduling. Overall, they found the UI to be intuitive and reflective of their regular use of DMs.
Testers who were managers were especially interested in how staff could offer shifts to each other so they didn’t have to “play the middle man” for such arrangements. Some even asked when the app would be finished as they were eager to use it for their own bars.
Wireframing user flow
I distilled my research insights into potential functions for the app and created mockups of their UI, many of which were retained in the final design.
However, to finish within my project’s deadline, I focused on prototyping just one key user flow: calling out and requesting coverage for a shift. I then wireframed and tested flows that could seamlessly connect DMs to users’ rosters.
I shorthanded this process to “tagging out and in” to reflect the team-based hospo culture it was made for. This also inspired the app’s name: TAGN.
I knew that open and direct communication was necessary for the call-out process and that my solution would need to facilitate it.
I realised such a solution could easily fit within the user’s mental model for this: DMs. Specifically, DMs retrofitted with rostering capabilities.
I sketched out a social media-esque app structure that could house all the social and interactive features needed for this.
I also created a dark, neon-lit design system that spoke to the nightlife my bar-bound users would work in.
Visible, staff-led rostering
TAGN facilitates Staff empowerment by giving them autonomy over their hours worked. Users can set their preferences for shifts across a given period and view them at-a-glance. This also ensures Accurate availability for another feature: targeted tag-ins.
Editable schedules integrated into DMs
All you can do is ask for staff to cover a shift—and users can do it all via group and one-on-one DMs.
All of the Tools for the trade-off can be found in the DM interface, so users can easily communicate their needs to each other and update their roster accordingly.
Multimedia additions
Users can pin images, text, comments, and links to the map using the fuss-free, icon-loaded toolbar on the lefthand side. This gives civilian preplanners the ability to add explanatory visuals and content (i.e. photos of spaces, links to floorplans) to supplement their plans.
Targeted tag-ins
The tag-in system shows Accurate availability for all staff who could potentially cover a shift (based on the preferences they set in-app). By prioritising the most available staff member(s), this feature improves the chances that a shift request will be seen and covered at A moment’s notice.
Transparent hours
Monitoring burnout is easy as users’ hours are auto-updated when shifts are added or removed. A future prototype could graph this data so managers can see who’s overworking and intervene. The data could also be presented to bar owners as evidence of lean-staffing so more staff can be hired.
Final Design
Key Features
Next Steps
Market Research
Many user testers expressed a keen interest in using TAGN for their own business “once it’s finished.” However, before developing the product any further, I’d like to conduct a competitive and comparative analysis of other staff scheduling apps to determine TAGN’s true market viability.
Defining & Designing More User Flows
My concept for TAGN involves several other (yet undesigned) user flows aside from tagging in and out of shifts. These planned flows include:
∙ Auto-rostering staff based on their work time preferences
∙ Exporting data to payroll
∙ Graphing trends in hours worked and shifts cancelled over a period of time
∙ Accepting/declining “tag in” requests
∙ Adding/removing team members and updating their permissions
∙ And much more!
My market research will help me further define and narrow down these features based on what other apps have (or need to) offer.
Ariel Kenny
THEY/THEM
Hi! I’m Ariel, an end-to-end UX designer with 5+ years of experience innovating products and services for good causes.
I design intuitive workflow solutions and accessible care experiences using swift and thorough user research strategies.
When I’m not using Figma to problem-solve, I’m using it for open-source volunteer projects, interior design mockups, game design ideation, or Dungeons & Dragons campaigns 🖖
I love turning research into results for those who need them most—and working with fellow problem-solvers to make it all happen. Get in touch if you want to collaborate!
ROLE
Research, interviewing, wireframing, prototyping, user testing, creating design system
TEAM
Solo project
AUDIENCE
Bartenders, hospitality staff & shift workers
Background
Scheduling and covering shifts is a common sticking point for those who work in hospitality roles, such as in restaurants or bars.
Part of the issue comes from understaffing or lean-staffing practices, in which staff are pressured to cover each other’s shifts when another goes on leave.
Unpredictable overtime like this can lead to poor work environments and employee burnout, which I began to see among my friends in the industry. I was concerned about their wellness and wondered how this practice could be eased for their sake.
As part of my Master’s coursework, I researched why these scheduling upsets happen and ideated ways to prevent them.
This led to me prototyping an app-based solution that—based on the keen interest of user testers—may warrant further development as a full-fledged product.
Goal
Conceptualise a tool that helps hospitality staff
schedule and trade shifts more effectively
Research
User Interviews
I talked to managers of bars in Wellington, New Zealand to learn how they schedule or ‘roster’ their teams. My interviews exposed me to the remarkably team-centric ‘hospo’ culture in Wellington—as well as its logistical issues.
We make sure we look after everyone.
Research participant (on their management style)
“
I found that these managers highly valued their staff’s time, wellness, and autonomy and like to roster them accordingly.
They also demonstrate this value by regularly sacrificing their own time off to cover missing shifts rather than pressure off-duty staff to cover them. Many regularly worked 55+ hours in a week as a result of this.
So while managers like to protect their staff’s wellbeing, they may neglect their own by not sourcing reliable back-up for themselves.
From our conversations, I gained valuable insights into how these values influence managers’ handling of shifts:
Monitoring burnout
Finding As the “last resort” option, managers will often work overtime to cover missing shifts. A trend of this can be a precursor to burnout as well as a symptom of understaffing.
Insight My solution should keep transparent records on how many hours staff have worked (or overworked) to monitor trends and determine whether enough “back-up” staff are actually employed.
All you can do is ask
Finding Managers want staff to be honest about their capacity. They don’t want to pressure staff into overworking themselves as this can lead to workplace accidents and low morale. Communication is key here. If staff say “no”, they shouldn’t go.
Insight My solution should be a communication-based platform that can facilitate these conversations between staff and managers.
Staff empowerment
Finding Managers value their team’s wellbeing far more than bottom-line considerations such as labour costs. They want staff to dictate their hours week-to-week and feel comfortable reaching out when they need help.
Insight My solution should share these hospo culture values by enabling staff to set their own schedules, pick up shifts, and openly communicate with managers.
Affinity & Experience Mapping
Following my interviews, I mapped out participants’ call-out and coverage processes to identify specific pain points that could be addressed.
I knew from my interviews that participants used social media direct messaging (DMs) to relay rosters, schedule preferences, and call-out requests to staff. But my experience map exposed how these DM platforms aren’t really equipped for labour logistics.
Affinity and experience mapping in Miro
A low visibility of rosters, available staff, and coverage requests in DMs impedes the call-out process. As a result, managers often don’t believe they can reliably request help from other staff in time to cover shifts—a common issue expressed across my affinity map.
By I analysing these processes in-depth, I identified other common tools, barriers, and possible improvements to the call-out experience:
A moment’s notice
Finding Managers will cover missing shifts when they can’t find other staff to cover it. But they may not even bother asking staff for coverage if they don’t think they’ll be available, able to come in time, or even see their request if they ask.
Insight To reliably request shift coverage, alerts for help need to be clear, accurate, and quick to assess and accept.
Accurate availability
Finding Managers prioritise staff preferences for hours when scheduling shifts. But these preferences can vary week-to-week, and rosters only reflect the hours a staff member was scheduled for—not all the hours they’re available for.
Insight If staff preferences were more apparent, shift requests could be more targeted to those who’re most able to accept them.
Finding Managers primarily social media DMs to contact staff and share rosters (usually images or links to spreadsheets). DMs are convenient for quick communication, but it’s easy for rosters and shift requests to get ignored or “lost” up in group chats.
Insight Direct communication is important, but shift info needs to be more readily seen and accessible.
Concept Development
Usability testing
Iconography, submission confirmation, and legibility were all improved through user testing of lofi prototypes.
All testers had experience working in hospo, and most also used social media DMs for scheduling. Overall, they found the UI to be intuitive and reflective of their regular use of DMs.
Testers who were managers were especially interested in how staff could offer shifts to each other so they didn’t have to “play the middle man” for such arrangements. Some even asked when the app would be finished as they were eager to use it for their own bars.
Wireframing user flow
I distilled my research insights into potential functions for the app and created mockups of their UI, many of which were retained in the final design.
However, to finish within my project’s deadline, I focused on prototyping just one key user flow: calling out and requesting coverage for a shift. I then wireframed and tested flows that could seamlessly connect DMs to users’ rosters.
I shorthanded this process to “tagging out and in” to reflect the team-based hospo culture it was made for. This also inspired the app’s name: TAGN.
I knew that open and direct communication was necessary for the call-out process and that my solution would need to facilitate it.
I realised such a solution could easily fit within the user’s mental model for this: DMs. Specifically, DMs retrofitted with rostering capabilities.
I sketched out a social media-esque app structure that could house all the social and interactive features needed for this.
I also created a dark, neon-lit design system that spoke to the nightlife my bar-bound users would work in.
Visible, staff-led rostering
TAGN facilitates Staff empowerment by giving them autonomy over their hours worked. Users can set their preferences for shifts across a given period and view them at-a-glance. This also ensures Accurate availability for another feature: targeted tag-ins.
Editable schedules integrated into DMs
All you can do is ask for staff to cover a shift—and users can do it all via group and one-on-one DMs.
All of the Tools for the trade-off can be found in the DM interface, so users can easily communicate their needs to each other and update their roster accordingly.
Multimedia additions
Users can pin images, text, comments, and links to the map using the fuss-free, icon-loaded toolbar on the lefthand side. This gives civilian preplanners the ability to add explanatory visuals and content (i.e. photos of spaces, links to floorplans) to supplement their plans.
Targeted tag-ins
The tag-in system shows Accurate availability for all staff who could potentially cover a shift (based on the preferences they set in-app). By prioritising the most available staff member(s), this feature improves the chances that a shift request will be seen and covered at A moment’s notice.
Transparent hours
Monitoring burnout is easy as users’ hours are auto-updated when shifts are added or removed. A future prototype could graph this data so managers can see who’s overworking and intervene. The data could also be presented to bar owners as evidence of lean-staffing so more staff can be hired.
Next Steps
Market Research
Many user testers expressed a keen interest in using TAGN for their own business “once it’s finished.” However, before developing the product any further, I’d like to conduct a competitive and comparative analysis of other staff scheduling apps to determine TAGN’s true market viability.
Defining & Designing More User Flows
My concept for TAGN involves several other (yet undesigned) user flows aside from tagging in and out of shifts. These planned flows include:
∙ Auto-rostering staff based on their work time preferences
∙ Exporting data to payroll
∙ Graphing trends in hours worked and shifts cancelled over a period of time
∙ Accepting/declining “tag in” requests
∙ Adding/removing team members and updating their permissions
∙ And much more!
My market research will help me further define and narrow down these features based on what other apps have (or need to) offer.
Final Design
Key Features
Ariel Kenny
THEY/THEM
Hi! I’m Ariel, an end-to-end UX designer with 5+ years of experience innovating products and services for good causes.
I design intuitive workflow solutions and accessible care experiences using swift and thorough user research strategies.
When I’m not using Figma to problem-solve, I’m using it for open-source volunteer projects, interior design mockups, game design ideation, or Dungeons & Dragons campaigns 🖖
I love turning research into results for those who need them most—and working with fellow problem-solvers to make it all happen. Get in touch if you want to collaborate!
TAGN
UX RESEARCH / APP DESIGN
This app prototype blends editable work schedules into DMs so staff can “tag in” and out of shifts with ease
Skip to prototype
Ariel Kenny
THEY/THEM
Hi! I’m Ariel, an end-to-end UX designer with 5+ years of experience innovating products and services for good causes.
I design intuitive workflow solutions and accessible care experiences using swift and thorough user research strategies.
When I’m not using Figma to problem-solve, I’m using it for open-source volunteer projects, interior design mockups, game design ideation, or Dungeons & Dragons campaigns 🖖
I love turning research into results for those who need them most—and working with fellow problem-solvers to make it all happen. Get in touch if you want to collaborate!
TAGN
UX RESEARCH / APP DESIGN
This app prototype blends editable work schedules into DMs so staff can “tag in” and out of shifts with ease
Skip to prototype
Background
Scheduling and covering shifts is a common sticking point for those who work in hospitality roles, such as in restaurants or bars.
Part of the issue comes from understaffing or lean-staffing practices, in which staff are pressured to cover each other’s shifts when another goes on leave.
Unpredictable overtime like this can lead to poor work environments and employee burnout, which I began to see among my friends in the industry. I was concerned about their wellness and wondered how this practice could be eased for their sake.
As part of my Master’s coursework, I researched why these scheduling upsets happen and ideated ways to prevent them. This led to me prototyping an app-based solution that—based on the keen interest of user testers—may warrant further development as a full-fledged product.
ROLE
Research, interviewing, wireframing, prototyping, user testing, design system
TEAM
Solo project
AUDIENCE
Bartenders, hospitality staff & shift workers
We make sure we look after everyone.
Research participant (on their management style)
“
Conceptualise a tool that helps hospitality staff
schedule and trade shifts more effectively
Goal
Research
User Interviews
I talked to managers of bars in Wellington, New Zealand to learn how they schedule or ‘roster’ their teams. My interviews exposed me to the remarkably team-centric ‘hospo’ culture in Wellington—as well as its logistical issues.
I found that these managers highly valued their staff’s time, wellness, and autonomy and like to roster them accordingly.
Affinity & Experience Mapping
Following my interviews, I mapped out participants’ call-out and coverage processes to identify specific pain points that could be addressed.
I knew from my interviews that participants used social media direct messaging (DMs) to relay rosters, schedule preferences, and call-out requests to staff. But my experience map exposed how these DM platforms aren’t really equipped for labour logistics.
A low visibility of rosters, available staff, and coverage requests in DMs impedes the call-out process. As a result, managers often don’t believe they can reliably request help from other staff in time to cover shifts—a common issue expressed across my affinity map.
By I analysing these processes in-depth, I identified other common tools, barriers, and possible improvements to the call-out experience:
Monitoring burnout
Finding As the “last resort” option, managers will often work overtime to cover missing shifts. A trend of this can be a precursor to burnout as well as a symptom of understaffing.
Insight My solution should keep transparent records on how many hours staff have worked (or overworked) to monitor trends and determine whether enough “back-up” staff are actually employed.
All you can do is ask
Finding Managers want staff to be honest about their capacity. They don’t want to pressure staff into overworking themselves as this can lead to workplace accidents and low morale. Communication is key here. If staff say “no”, they shouldn’t go.
Insight My solution should be a communication-based platform that can facilitate these conversations between staff and managers.
Staff empowerment
Finding Managers value their team’s wellbeing far more than bottom-line considerations such as labour costs. They want staff to dictate their hours week-to-week and feel comfortable reaching out when they need help.
Insight My solution should share these hospo culture values by enabling staff to set their own schedules, pick up shifts, and openly communicate with managers.
They also demonstrate this value by regularly sacrificing their own time off to cover missing shifts rather than pressure off-duty staff to cover them. Many regularly worked 55+ hours in a week as a result of this. So while managers like to protect their staff’s wellbeing, they may neglect their own by not sourcing reliable back-up for themselves.
From our conversations, I gained valuable insights into how these values influence managers’ handling of shifts:
Finding Managers primarily social media DMs to contact staff and share rosters (usually images or links to spreadsheets). DMs are convenient for quick communication, but it’s easy for rosters and shift requests to get ignored or “lost” up in group chats.
Insight Direct communication is important, but shift info needs to be more readily seen and accessible.
Accurate availability
Finding Managers prioritise staff preferences for hours when scheduling shifts. But these preferences can vary week-to-week, and rosters only reflect the hours a staff member was scheduled for—not all the hours they’re available for.
Insight If staff preferences were more apparent, shift requests could be more targeted to those who’re most able to accept them.
A moment’s notice
Finding Managers will cover missing shifts when they can’t find other staff to cover it. But they may not even bother asking staff for coverage if they don’t think they’ll be available, able to come in time, or even see their request if they ask.
Insight To reliably request shift coverage, alerts for help need to be clear, accurate, and quick to assess and accept.
Concept Development
I knew that open and direct communication was necessary for the call-out process and that my solution would need to facilitate it.
I realised such a solution could easily fit within the user’s mental model for this: DMs. Specifically, DMs retrofitted with rostering capabilities.
I sketched out a social media-esque app structure that could house all the social and interactive features needed for this.
I also created a dark, neon-lit design system that spoke to the nightlife my bar-bound users would work in.
Wireframing user flow
I distilled my research insights into potential functions for the app and created mockups of their UI, many of which were retained in the final design.
However, to finish within my project’s deadline, I focused on prototyping just one key user flow: calling out and requesting coverage for a shift. I then wireframed and tested flows that could seamlessly connect DMs to users’ rosters.
I shorthanded this process to “tagging out and in” to reflect the team-based hospo culture it was made for. This also inspired the app’s name: TAGN.
Usability testing
Iconography, submission confirmation, and legibility were all improved through user testing of lofi prototypes.
All testers had experience working in hospo, and most also used social media DMs for scheduling. Overall, they found the UI to be intuitive and reflective of their regular use of DMs.
Testers who were managers were especially interested in how staff could offer shifts to each other so they didn’t have to “play the middle man” for such arrangements. Some even asked when the app would be finished as they were eager to use it for their own bars.
Next Steps
Market Research
Many user testers expressed a keen interest in using TAGN for their own business “once it’s finished.” However, before developing the product any further, I’d like to conduct a competitive and comparative analysis of other staff scheduling apps to determine TAGN’s true market viability.
Defining & Designing More User Flows
My concept for TAGN involves several other (yet undesigned) user flows aside from tagging in and out of shifts. These planned flows include:
∙ Auto-rostering staff based on their work time preferences
∙ Exporting data to payroll
∙ Graphing trends in hours worked and shifts cancelled over a period of time
∙ Accepting/declining “tag in” requests
∙ Adding/removing team members and updating their permissions
∙ And much more!
My market research will help me further define and narrow down these features based on what other apps have (or need to) offer.