Industry
Government Services
Duration
APR-JUN 2023
Participation
Research, UX, UI (Sole Project)
Status
Case Study
Improving Accessibility to Essential Product Information
Awarded: Excellence in UI/UX (2023 Korea Digital Government Contest)
Find key product details at a glance and stay updated with smarter alerts.
This project improves the Consumer 24 app by addressing barriers in accessing essential product information for both casual consumers and professionals managing safety-critical inventory. Through think-aloud testing and interviews, we identified key motivations for users, such as comparing products before purchase or checking safety details for post-purchase assurance. The solutions focused on simplifying access to critical details, enhancing notification features, and redesigning the home UI for better navigation.
Background
Consumer 24 provides extensive product information, but its overwhelming structure and lack of focus made consistent user engagement difficult.
Action
Identified user motivations and challenges through think-aloud testing and interviews, focusing on product comparisons and safety information.
Result
Improved accessibility to key product information by streamlining lookup processes, introducing keyword-based notifications, and redesigning the home UI for clearer navigation.
Jump to Prototype
Challenge
Consumer 24 offers valuable information for consumers but lacks awareness and sustained engagement.
Service Analysis
The government service "Consumer 24" provides helpful information like certification details, recall notices, comparisons, and safety tips. Its mobile app offers easy access to this information, including a barcode scanner for quick product searches.
Products
Browse and search all domestically distributed products, including easy barcode scanning for quick product lookups.
Comparison Info
Access fair product test results and feature comparisons provided by government agencies and consumer organizations.
Price Info
Redirects to the “Price Information” section on the Korea Consumer Agency website.
Overseas Shopping
Includes dispute resolution requests, suspected scam sites, breaking news, and safety information.
Certification Info
Lists certified products by certification system.
Recall Check
View recalled products by category.
Safety Info
Features safety-related card news.
User Perception Analysis
However, the study revealed that only a very small number of people were aware of the service’s information features, while most had never heard of Consumer 24. It was often used temporarily for submitting consumer complaints, with few cases of users leveraging it for ongoing information needs.
Survey
Among survey participants, only 32% (52 out of 162) had heard of Consumer 24. Among them:
57.7% did not know what the service actually offered.
28.8% misidentified it solely as a dispute resolution platform.
Only 7.7% (4 participants) understood its role as an information provider.
User Research
Users see product information as a key driver for engagement, but struggle to access what they need.
To identify what types of information could drive ongoing engagement and uncover obstacles to accessing them, we conducted think-aloud usability tests and interview.
Participants universally found product-related information useful, but their needs centered around two main categories: performance comparison and safety checks.
Product Info A: Performance Comparison
Target Users: Casual consumers
Needed Information: Comparative performance and reliability data for various products.
User Quotes
"There are so many biased reviews these days, but information from a government agency feels trustworthy."
"I appreciate that the performance data comes from actual testing rather than company claims."
Product Info B: Safety Information
Target Users:
Professionals handling safety-critical inventory
Needed Information: Safety details for products, such as certification, recall, and manufacturer information.
User Quotes:
"Parents are often concerned about items used at daycare. This service could help validate their safety, making it very convenient."
"(In the restaurant industry) we stick to the same supplier, so checking for recalls or manufacturing details before buying gives peace of mind in the long run."
Pain Points in Accessing Key Product Information
Using insights from think-aloud sessions and interviews, we pinpointed the pain points users face when seeking product comparison or safety information.
Inefficient Product Lookup Process
Scanning barcodes one by one to load detailed pages made managing multiple items simultaneously repetitive and inefficient.
Product detail pages contained excessive, unrelated information, making it hard to identify what mattered most (e.g., certifications, recalls).
Difficulty Staying Informed About Updates
Users felt uncertain about the reliability of their product checks: "What if the product gets recalled or negative comparison data is uploaded later?"
Search results often lacked desired content, as comparison data is manually uploaded by consumer organizations. Users were frustrated and had no way to know when updates would become available.
Visual Clutter on the Home Screen
The home screen was confusing, with eight main menus of different purposes placed at the same visual hierarchy.
Icons and colors added complexity, and the key feature, "Barcode Scan," was too small and hidden at the bottom.
Irrelevant updates (e.g., unrelated product recalls) cluttered the screen, reducing its usability for individual needs.
Solution
Reimagining product information accessibility with smarter search and personalized updates
Simplified Product Lookup
Batch Lookup for Multiple Products
Users can scan multiple barcodes at once to check or register products of interest, streamlining the process compared to scanning individually.
Quick Access to Key Information
Key details like recalls, certifications, and manufacturing country are displayed in a list view, eliminating the need to open individual product pages.
Proactive Update Notifications
Keyword-Based Alerts
Users can set alerts for specific keywords. When new safety or comparison information related to these keywords is uploaded, they receive notifications. This leverages existing keyword tagging from the Consumer 24 portal.
Interest-Based Updates
Notifications are sent when saved products are recalled or when new safety or comparison details are uploaded. All updates are consolidated in the "My Page" section for easy access.
Improved Home UI Readability
Clear Hierarchy of Information
The top menu and recommended content areas are clearly separated. The menu is prioritized for users seeking product safety information, with unnecessary items removed.
User-Friendly Menu Labels
Menu names have been redesigned to be intuitive, even for first-time users. Additional guiding text has been added to enhance clarity and usability.
Key Features
Easily check multiple items at once.
Reflects the common need to purchase or inspect multiple items in a single session.
View key safety details at a glance in a list.
Focuses on essential details like certifications, recalls, and origins, without unnecessary details.
Add multiple items to favorites with one click,
and track them in My Page.
Proactive Update Notifications
For when the desired product's comparison or related info isn’t uploaded yet.
Set keyword alerts to stay updated on information that hasn’t been uploaded yet.
Manage and edit your keywords in My Page.
Receive notifications as soon as new posts matching your keywords are uploaded.
Improved Home UI Readability
Separated Top Menu and Scrolling Content
Organized menus by hierarchy and allowed users to scroll through recommended content seamlessly.
Redesigned Menu Labels for User-Friendliness
Simplified menu names and added guiding text to ensure easy understanding, even for first-time users.
To-be
Usability Testing
The testing results indicate a significant reduction in the time required for product safety verification.
The average time spent checking product safety via barcode scanning decreased by 58.1%. The average time spent verifying safety status changes for saved products decreased by 73.2%.
Task 1: Scan the barcodes of 5 products to check for recalls and certification status — resulting in a 58.1% reduction in completion time.
In the existing process, users spent extra time opening each product’s detail page to find recall status. The improved process lets users check it directly from the list, making verification faster and easier.
“Scanning multiple products in a row felt more natural and convenient—like self-checkout kiosks we often use nowadays.”
“In the old version, I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to focus on. The improved version clearly highlights what’s important, which makes me feel more confident and at ease.”
As-Is
Barcode Scanning
31s
Loading Time
15s
Information Verification
90s
Total Average
136s
To-Be
Barcode Scanning
31s
Loading Time
3s
Information Verification
23s
Total Average
57s
Task 2: Identify safety status (recall) changes for 5 previously saved products — 73.2% reduction in completion time.
In the existing home screen, users struggled to locate the path to My Page > Saved Products, spending extra time just navigating to it. In the improved version, My Page is easily accessible from the bottom tab, allowing users to quickly find it. They can now see updates and recall alerts directly within My Page without needing to manually reopen each saved product.
“I like how I can immediately see if there are any recalls as soon as I open My Page, without having to load each product again.”
As-Is
Access Saved Products
44s
Loading Time
15s
Information Verification
53s
Total Average
112s
To-Be
Access Saved Products
9s
Loading Time
-
Information Verification
21s
Total Average
30s
After the Project
This project highlighted the importance of tailoring solutions to user contexts—balancing the needs of casual consumers and professionals managing safety-critical inventory. It successfully improved accessibility to key product information through a more user-friendly lookup process and personalized notifications. Most importantly, I developed the ability to define user problems from ambiguous starting points and translate them into actionable solutions.
