† Elements marked with a dagger were changed based on the given feedback.

• Micro-sprint 4 Deliverable
  • Index
  • 1. Description of the Problem and Solution
    • Problem
    • Solution
  • 2. Analytics Persona
  • 3. Problems Alternative Solutions
  • 4. Context Canvas
  • 5. Business Questions
    • Type 1
    • Type 2
    • Type 3
    • Type 4
    • Type *
  • 6. VD Map

In university communities, there's a common issue of underused resources, particularly academic materials. Students often purchase textbooks and other materials for single courses, only for these items to be left unused or set aside once the course ends. This creates a challenge when trying to find these materials later, as buying them new can be expensive. While students are open to using second-hand items, current options like social media groups are often disorganized and unreliable. This leads to missed chances for students to efficiently share and obtain the necessary materials they need for their classes, making them rely on more high-priced alternatives.

To tackle this issue, we propose to develop a user-friendly app for iOS and Android aimed at students at Universidad de los Andes. This app would function as a streamlined marketplace where students can sell, buy, or rent academic materials with ease. Our focus is on practicality, offering features such as advanced search options to help students quickly find what they need. Additionally, innovative features like an integrated campus map would provide real-time directions to exchange locations, making transactions smoother. This initiative is designed to help students save money, make better use of resources, and build a stronger sense of community on campus.

Sam Rivera, an analytics manager focused on detecting features that enhance user engagement and optimize app performance.

The twelve PAS are listed below in a table format.

№	Problem	Alternative	Solution
1	Students struggle to find affordable materials for their university courses.	They waste a lot of time looking for in online platforms and stores for the cheapest possible material which means they sometimes don’t get the exact material but some knockoff.	A student marketplace app with centralized product information where users can quickly find and buy the exact material they need at a cheaper price from other students.
2	Students have leftover materials after the bought them for a course but have no user for them.	They either throw out the materials or keep them stored up somewhere in the unlikely event they need them again.	Allow students to sell used materials for sale easily and secure in a mobile app, helping them to also earn some extra money.
3	A lot of students in University of los Andes are not familiar with the city and don’t know where to look for specific materials.	They either go to multiple stores in possibly unsafe areas and waste a lot of time or order online running the risk of waiting a lot of time for delivery or not getting what they asked for.	Students will be able to make the exchange on-campus promptly after they buy/rent the necessary materials and contact other students to make sure materials are the correct ones for their courses.
4	Some students would like to offer their materials to other students but not sell them since they might need them in the future.	Students lend their materials informally to friends or classmates, but this often leads to materials not being returned or returned in poor condition.	A feature in the mobile app which will allow students to rent their materials instead of selling them, with reminders to ensure the items are returned in good condition and on time.
5	Some students need materials temporarily and don’t want to buy them since they only need them for a short period.	They try to borrow from friends or other classmates, which can be unreliable at times, and they run the risk of damaging or forgetting to return the materials.	A feature in the mobile app that allows students to rent materials from others, with clear terms on the rental period, condition, and return process.
6	Students have limited time to search for materials, especially during busy periods of the academic year.	The postpone the search of materials until is too late and need to rush through the search of materials, which can lead to poor purchasing decisiones.	A marketplace app with a smart search function that quickly filters results based on the course, material type, and price range, saving students time.
7	Students miss out on good deals for materials because they are unaware when items become available.	They have to manually check multiple times a day, leading to frustration and missed opportunities.	Notification system which alerts students when materials they have added to their wishlist become available.
8	Students that would like to lend their materials are worried about potential damage or loss during the rental period.	They may hesitate to rent out valuable materials and may ending up not lending them at all.	Insurance feature within the app that covers damage or loss during the rental period, providing peace of mind for those renting out their materials.
9	Students that already sell materials have a hard time reaching more audience.	Creating groups or communities in other social medias to try to reach a broader audience.	Allow sellers to select a target audience for their products to better recommend user's products they might be interested in.
10	Students who are new to the university often struggle to identify which materials are essential for their courses and where they can get them at a fair price.	They might end up buying unnecessary or incorrect items and wasting money.	A course-specific material recommendation feature in the app that suggests essential materials based on courses the student is seeing at the moment.
11	Students who rent materials may forget the due dates for returning them, leading to late fees and problems with the student who lended the materials.	They might avoid renting altogether or face unexpected charges due to late returns.	A feature with automated reminders for return dates and an option to extend the rental period if needed, with extra fees.
12	Students are worried about the safety and security of the transaction both when buying and selling materials.	They might hesitate to buy or sell high-value items through the platform, fearing fraud or non-payment.	A secure payment feature within the app that holds funds safely until both the buyer and seller confirm they’re happy with the transaction. Which guarantees the buyer gets the product, and the seller gets the money.

The image is high-resolution and can be zoomed in. To take a better look at the image, left-click on it and select "Open image in new tab".

1. What is the distribution of app crashes by device type and operating system version?
   • This question helps us understand which devices and OS versions are more prone to crashes which can guide testing and optimization efforts.

2. What is the most selected group by users on the home view?†

   • Identifying popular categories can enhance user navigation by prioritizing high-interest items in the UI.

3. Is the last time that the user bought or rented a product within the expected range of 30 days?†

   • If users are not buying or renting products within the expected timeframe, it could indicate a lack of interest or issues with the app or the products offered in it.

4. How many transactions has the user successfully completed in the past month?

   • This data can be used to build trust and reputation on the platform, showing a user's activity and reliability.

5. How many times has the user’s listing been saved by other users?†

   • This data can help users identify if their listings have prospective buyers or renters, and the popularity of their items, to reflect on their listings and pricing strategies.

6. What is the percentage of buyers/renters that select a recommended item from the for you page vs. other pages?†

   • Identifying the impact of the "for you" page on user selection choices helps decide whether the "for you" page is a useful feature.

7. What proportion of users sell and what proportion of users rent for each category?†

   • Understanding the split between sellers and renters helps UniTrade tailor its marketplace to user needs.

8. What is the proportion of users who manually choose a light or dark mode preference compared to those who rely on automatic?†

   • Evaluating the usage of the manual feature versus the automatic feature helps asses whether they should be maintained or removed, and may also suggest the creation of similar features.

9. Which days and times see the highest user engagement on the app?

   • Identifying peak usage times can help negotiate better ad placements and rates with third-party advertisers looking to maximize visibility.

10. Which screens in the application have the longest user engagement time?†

    • Types covered: Type 2, Type 3, Type 4.
    • Usage: Identifies popular screens to improve user retention, to evaluate unused screens and thus think about removing the features in them, and to help with advertisement placing.

Based on the business questions, a visualization-data map is created to show the relationship between the questions and the data needed to answer them.

All the data in the VD Map is attainable through the mobile application, except for the data related to the competitors' features, which is publicly available by simply using the competitors' apps.