No items found.
Go to pricingProduct is not available in this quantity.
The goal of the project was to design a one-stop-shop interior design platform. Aside from a room planner platform, the app also has a dashboard function that allows users to save favorite furniture from multiple platforms.
The goal of the project was to design a one-stop-shop interior design platform. Aside from a room planner platform, the app also has a dashboard function that allows users to save favorite furniture from multiple platforms.Furniture shopping is an exciting time for consumers. It's time they can flex their creative muscles and create a home of their very own! But, unfortunately, it can quickly devolve into a time-consuming and stressful process dashing away any hope of fun. It's a process known to clutter many desktops with online searches to find the best deals. Not only can it be mentally exhausting but physically as well, having to haul the family around town to sit in every piece.The solution is to talk to real shoppers and discover where the pain points develop in their journey. Next is to ideate, design, and test solutions to remedy these pain points to keep consumers excited throughout their home decor journey.For this case study, I adopted a Design Think approach that was research, and user interviews focused on developing the best system to aid consumers throughout their furniture shopping journey. The entire process from start to finish was six months.
UX Researcher & Designer
Wireframing
UI Design
Prototype
Mobile App
Sketch
Photoshop
Invision
Stakeholder and user interviews revealed that users wanted to quickly learn about things to do and see in the area
Stakeholder and user interviews revealed that users wanted to quickly learn about things to do and see in the area
Six interviews were conducted with shoppers who previously or are currently looking for furniture, averaging 30 minutes in length.
Interviewees broke down the notion that they had to see and sit in furniture before making their purchase. Instead, five of the Six in-person interviews explained that the bulk of their furniture shopping was conducted online. They relied on previous customer reviews to evaluate comfort products, i.e., sofas and chairs.
They explained they did not have the time in their schedule to visit many furniture stores. One Interviewee expressed that she would instead search and plan in the comfort of her own home and fit it into her schedule accordingly.
It was here I had to break away from the idea of a kiosk-based system in-store and moved toward the idea of a personal on-hand tool for the user rather than an in-store tool for the business.
I also uncovered that many users wanted to cross-compare multiple brands to ensure they got the best item for their needs. However, they kept running into an issue with overloading their online tab bars. They also had problems losing things or forgetting where they found certain pieces.
Below key insights and statements from user interviews and research are organized under consumers’ online experience, brick and mortar experience, emotions, and customer journey through four phases dreaming, exploring, planning, and selecting. It’s here that broke apart previously assumed solutions.
Consumers want to comfort test items like sofas and beds in store. Unfortunately, visiting every local store and comfort testing furniture is physically exhausting, especially with children.
The consumer takes the front seat to research furniture, i.e., they cant refer to a sales floor attendant to answer any questions. Instead, consumers rely heavily on customer reviews to get a sense of how the future will perform in their homes. In addition, users complain of cluttered desktops and many open tabs to keep track of furniture of interest.
Users are excited during the beginning of the dreaming and exploring phase. But, unfortunately, this excitement is soon overshadowed by a sense of overwhelm during the planning phase.
Begins subconsciously, this could be when admiring friends’ home decor, scrolling through Instagram and liking a stylized post, or dog-earring a nice layout in a magazine.
Consumers begin to search out decor ideas actively. First, they begin to conduct online searches with the intent to find trends and styles they prefer. Then, some will visit storefronts and uncover what they do and don’t prefer during this stage.
This stage is rife with stressors for consumers. Fatigue begins to set in for many; this is caused by comparing prices, comparing quality in-store and online, measuring their space and furniture to ensure the furniture will fit their home. As a result, the initial sparkle of designing your home is beginning to dim.
This stage is the light at the end of the tunnel, and consumers are ready to be done and finalize their purchases.
From my work with Furniture Enterprise of Alaska, my initial ideations included an in-store kiosk for consumers to use to help sort through varying customizable furniture options. However, after analyzing the research conducted, I broke away from the ridged idea of a kiosk as 70% of consumers are doing their furniture shopping online. Therefore, I redirect my efforts to solving the user needs as they shop online through multiple vendors.
The reddest actions are what Rachel needs most to accomplish her goals. The design will need to answer these needs to meet this needs to be a MVP (minimal viable product).
Rachel Cooper:
Registered Nurse
Bachelors Degree
Household Income 160,000
44 Years old
Married and mother of 3
Located in Houston, TX
Transitioned to a minimal viable product of activity review screen
Selected large map view paired with location details and review and transitioned it to digital wireframe.
