Engage

Keeping you connected to opportunity

Role: Solo UX/UI Designer/Developer

Year: 2018 - 2021

Introduction

Overview

Engage stands as the inaugural social media application tailored for the construction industry. Specifically designed for members of the Blue Book Network, Engage serves as a dynamic platform fostering connections, communication, and collaborative sharing within a B2B region-centric environment. The primary objective is to cultivate meaningful relationships among subcontractors, general contractors, and suppliers.

This innovative platform is constructed using Progressive Web Application (PWA) technology, ensuring a seamless and unified experience across both mobile and web interfaces. By combining the power of social networking with industry specificity, Engage sets a new standard for enhancing connectivity and collaboration within the construction sector.

The Blue Book Network

The Blue Book Building and Construction Network stands as the largest and most dynamic network in the commercial construction industry, fostering connections and relationships since its inception in 1913. Our enduring commitment is to furnish information solutions and facilitate connections that streamline the construction process, fostering continual advancements in the commercial construction industry throughout the United States. At the heart of our mission is the dedication to simplifying complexities and driving progress within the industry we proudly serve.

In the year 2021, The Blue Book Network joined forces with another prominent entity in the commercial construction industry, Dodge Data & Analytics, culminating in the formation of the unified Dodge Construction Network.
Engage Research

The Problem

Transitioning the Heart of The Blue Book

The Blue Book Network, renowned for its emphasis on in-person relationships facilitated by on-the-ground representatives known as "franchise owners" across 36 regions, embarked on a digitization journey around 2010. This initiative began with the transformation of their trade worker catalog, known as the contractors register, followed by the development of software tailored to meet evolving user needs. However, amidst this digital evolution, a crucial area remained in need of transition—the very essence of The Blue Book, its network. The challenge lies in seamlessly transitioning the heart of the network to align with the digital advancements implemented elsewhere within the organization.

Crafting a Unified Ecosystem for Enhanced Synergy

Before the introduction of Engage, The Blue Book boasted six flagship products, each meticulously designed to address specific needs within the commercial construction industry—Advertising, Plan Rooms, Projects, Search & Discovery, Profiles, and Suppliers & Manufacturing. While these tools individually offer robust standalone capabilities, a distinct desire emerged to transcend isolated functionalities and create a harmonious ecosystem. The challenge at hand involves integrating these key components to establish a cohesive synergy within The Blue Book Network. Engage was conceived as the foundational solution to orchestrate this interconnected ecosystem, unifying the diverse facets of The Blue Book's offerings.
Avatars

Research & Discovery

Methodologies

I was fortunate during this product development project to have access to The Blue Book Network. This access allowed me to receive valuable user feedback from veteran franchise owners and loyal customers. The team lead by myself conducted user testing throughout the development of Engage, incorporating feedback gathered from sales conferences and in-house testing to refine the initial user experience.
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Continuous user interviews were conducted both before and during the development process. These interviews fostered a constant stream of communication with franchise owners and customers, proving crucial for integrating The Blue Book product and curated content seamlessly into Engage.

After the initial release of Engage version 1, the research direction was altered. The focus shifted towards analyzing analytical data to identify UX pain points as well as feature discovery, enabling us to further refine the user experience and enhance the overall product.

Goals

  • User-Centric Design: Create a user-friendly social media interface specifically designed for technologically inexperienced construction trade workers, aged around 42, emphasizing simplicity in design.
  • Relevant Feed Algorithm: Develop a feed algorithm tailored to construction industry professionals, aligning with social media trends and emphasizing relevant content. Incorporate features that resonate with users' professional interests for increased familiarity.
  • Unified Web and Mobile Experience: Create a seamless and responsive experience for both web and mobile platforms, prioritizing accessibility for users with diverse technological proficiency.
  • Industry Integration: Incorporate construction industry-specific elements like project showcases, safety updates, and networking opportunities. Collaborate with industry experts to tailor the platform to the unique needs and desires of construction professionals.

Competive Research

Over the course of two decades, user behavior linked to social media products has undergone imprinting and refinement. Initiated by Myspace, gained mainstream adoption through Facebook, underwent simplification via Twitter, and established visual regimentation by Instagram, and market focus by LinkedIn, social media has evolved a great deal . My focus involved dissecting the key elements that contributed to the success of each platform and strategizing how to incorporate familiarity into Engage, aiming to streamline adoption for commercial construction users.

Research Synopsis

Through a thorough examination of Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter, the research sought to shape the development of Engage. The primary goal was to craft a platform seamlessly integrating user familiarity, compelling visual aesthetics, professional networking, and concise communication, ultimately enhancing the overall user experience. This investigative process not only provided significant inspiration but also uncovered best practices crucial to the creation of a social platform tailored to resonate with Construction industry users. The emphasis lies not only on establishing familiarity but also on cultivating relationships that transcend immediate interactions, fostering a conducive environment for long-term business opportunities. This refined approach synthesizes insights from leading social networks, ensuring that Engage aligns with established norms while offering unique value to its target audience.

Implementation Challenges

Challenge

Injecting life into Engage social feeds
Igniteing Engage Social Feeds posed challenges, with posts encountering similar issues in sustaining vibrant content ecosystems. Engage, segmented into over 30 regions mirroring The Blue Book's sales maps, appointed franchise owners as administrators and content curators. However, a hurdle emerged as reliance on these owners for platform adoption and outreach proved inconsistent. Many franchise owners resisted change and were unwilling to embrace Engage, hindering its widespread adoption and usage.

Solution

Enhancing User Engagement and Experience in KADO
In addressing the usage challenge, a strategic shift in the roadmap was imperative to craft improved user journeys and foster increased engagement within the application. To reinvigorate user interaction, we concentrated on refining essential features, focusing on tools that would reimagine the overall user experience of KADO.

1. Regionally Curated Weekly Digest
To onboard franchise owners onto the application, we implemented a newsletter strategy. Leveraging a pre-existing algorithm, this newsletter curated posts of interest within each franchise region, fostering swift engagement with user-generated content.

2. Engagement Insight Alerts: FOMO Edition
Inspired by LinkedIn's engagement strategy, we adopted a practice of sending post engagement analytical emails. This approach injected excitement among franchise owners by showcasing the traction their posts received, effectively incentivizing them to sustain their posting efforts.

3. Streamlining Engage's Reach: Transforming Internal Admin Tools for Unlimited Impact
Within the development scope of Engage, the team undertook the creation of an advanced admin posting tool equipped with diverse features, providing Blue Book employees with unparalleled reach within the platform. Originally designed as an internal tool, a strategic realization prompted us to redesign the Engage posting tool specifically for administrators. This transformation allowed them to seamlessly access the application, unlocking unlimited reach compared to the back-office tool.

4. Introducing "Headlines": A Dynamic Content Curation System
Our social media manager previously utilized LinkedIn's Elevate tool to curate content for franchise owners. Following its discontinuation, the Engage team seized the opportunity to develop an in-house alternative, resulting in the creation of "Headlines." This tool provides each franchise owner with a unique RSS feed featuring construction news in their region. It also integrates Blue Book media archives, an event hub for sharing Blue Book events, and a repository for the "Who's Who" magazine articles. "Headlines" serves as a content-centric tool, facilitating streamlined content sharing for franchise owners.
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5. Crafting a "Post of Interest" Feed for Relevant Engage Content
The culminating solution to address franchise usability concerns was the introduction of the "My Franchise" tab, serving as a centralized hub for curated posts of interest within Engage. Additionally, this tab acted as the landing spot for the newsletter, leveraging analytics to gauge franchise owners' engagement with the content.

Conclusion

Success

Engage stealthily debuted in 2018, progressively onboarding all 38,000 users region by region. The degree of success fluctuated based on the commitment of regional owners (admins) to social media. Despite regional variations, user feedback universally reflected positivity, and within the initial months, success stories began emerging within Engage. The platform sustained an ecosystem with 1,600 Daily Active Users, 900 customer post interactions, and 4,300 unique customer posts within its inaugural year. It's crucial to recognize that Engage wasn't designed for instant success; rather, its purpose was to establish the foundational framework for a new era in the Blue Book network.

Engage Screens

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