Handshake

PROBLEM

Handshake is a fictional project management and invoicing app for freelancers and business owners.

Users felt disconnected from Handshake due to 1) an unrelatable cheesy voice and 2) inconsistent copy that led users to feel wary. Sensitive financial information was on the line. An inconsistent copy can cause users to question the app’s professionalism. This led to high drop-off rates during onboarding and low CSAT scores.

SOLUTION

My approach was 3-fold:

1. Define Handshake’s voice with user research

2. Create a terminology and style guide

3. Edit the copy to reflect the voice and appropriate tone

WHAT I DID

1. User persona analysis (personas provided by the UX researcher)

2. Informal user research via social forums and similar apps to discover terminology use

3. Competitor analysis with other project management, finance, and time-tracking apps

4. Cloze testing with users

5. Analysis of UI copy for inconsistencies in formatting and style

WHAT I FOUND

1. Both of our user groups wanted to focus on the actual work, not admin details. Freelancers may be more tech-savvy than business owners. Our voice should resonate with the motivations of our users, and the copy should be straightforward so that the app would be easy to use.

2. There are a lot of terms that mean the same thing. This could get confusing, so Handshake had to decide on terms that most aligned with our brand. And stick with it.

3. Handshake can be more personable than Clockify, more casual professional than Honeybook, but as supportive and straightforward as Mint.

4. Our users wanted to feel supported, productive, and empowered when using our app. They don’t like companies that sound sketchy, cheesy, or dry.

5. Dates and numbers had different formats. To make it clear between American and European audiences, I decided to stick to the “Oct 12, 2022” format instead of all numbers.

CHALLENGES

Since there were 2 user groups (freelancers and business owners), I wasn’t sure if I should stick with the same term across user groups. It made sense to use “invoice” with freelancers, yet use “payment” with business owners. After receiving feedback from mentors, I realized this could become confusing if they were to talk about the same section on the app. I learned that even across different user groups, it’s good to stay consistent with the terms. I chose “payment” for simplicity’s sake.

RESULTS

If this were a real project, I would look at success metrics like higher CSAT scores and decreased drop-off rates to measure the impact of my copy.

Of note, I did score 19.5 out of 20 total points on this final project, so I’m hopeful there were some positive changes.

View Handshake Terminology and Style Guide

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