The stationery shop
How to enhance the users’ shopping experience
Objective
Define the possible problem(s) of current site and redesign with recommended solution.
My role
Defined the goals of UX research.
Created wireframes and designed hi-fidelity prototypes.
Facilitated usability testing and feedback sessions.
Ensured an amazing execution of the design align with the branding.
Duration
2 Weeks
The process
Creating new design
Identify pain points
Evaluate the current website
Conduct usability test & iterate
Week 1 Discovery
Mid-week Analyse
Week 2 (Re)design
Mid-week Evaluate
Prototyping
Benchmarking
Surveys
User interviews
Personas
Wireframing
Prototyping
week 1
Discovery
what did the current site do well?
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Sticky cart
Users can easily access and review the items in their cart without having to navigate away from the page they are on.
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COlours
The brand's colour scheme is consistently applied and easily recognisable. This uniform use of colour reinforces brand identity, making it instantly recognisable and establishing a strong visual presence.
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Fonts
The choice of fonts used priorities readability which ensure content is easily accessible and user-friendly.
Mid week
ANalysis
Why do we need to redesign?
I've observed that the current site faces some organizational issues with categories, resulting in repeated items across different sections. Additionally, products that are out of stock or outdated still appear in the categories, which may give the impression of an error.
Furthermore, there seems to be a lack of a reviews/rating system for users to consult while making purchasing decisions. Additionally, users are currently unable to easily locate their recently viewed items on the site.
Short Essay Questionnaire (SEQ) with 4 users where they expressed difficulty in locating recently viewed items and finding specific products within the categories.
Current site map where users can access the same information through different routes on the website which might potentially leading to user confusion.
User interviews
I proceeded to conduct 9 user interviews with individuals aged between 27 and 35, comprising 1 student and 8 working professionals. These interviews were conducted via Zoom with the primary goal of gaining insights into online shopping habits. From these interviews, I gathered valuable insights which include:
Meet Emily
Age: 35
Location: Singapore
Profession: Human Resources executive
Status: Married
She wants to buy stationery supplies for her company. But there were so many choices and different prices. As she needs to buy in large amount, she hope that it is able to deliver to her company but did not want to spend too much money on delivery. It took her awhile to read about each product and see which ones were good quality.
Building the personas
Pain point & frustration
No work/life balance.
Prefers a quick and easy shopping process.
Looking for reliable suppliers that offer a seamless purchasing experience.
Meet Sarah
Age: 30
Location: Singapore
Profession: Office worker
Status: Single
She wants to buy a present for her little sister. While browsing through an e-commerce website, Sarah encountered a problem. There were so many things to choose from that she felt confused.
Pain point & frustration
Taking too much of her time to find a good deal.
Confused over overly cluttered website.
User flow of both Sarah & Emily where they both faced most problem at browsing categories.
how might we?
help both Sarah & Emily to speed up their shopping journey and buying quality and affordable stationery?
Week 2
(re)design
wireframing
I streamlined the sitemap, reducing it from 17 to 7 categories. This restructuring was informed by insights gathered from 33 participants, who collectively organized 82 cards into categories that resonated with them.
New site map
Card sorting
Based on the new sitemap, I generated low-fidelity wireframes with a focus on reorganising categories with a filter function, integrating reviews, and establishing a more intuitive website flow.
mid-week
iterate
Usability test
Tested prototype with 7 users and I gathered some insights which include:
Is the website doing on transportation services?
“
2 out of 7 users noticed the van image first upon entering the website which caused misconception on the contents.
removed misleading image and change banner to more attractive image.
I don’t know if the button clickable.
“
2 out of 7 users find the like/bookmark button looks unclickable.
Switch to a different shade of green, and have the button change to a filled color after being clicked.
A lot stationery under $5, the filter does not meet what I need.
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3 out of 7 users find filter option can be improved for the pricing.
More pricing options & Lower the price range.
FInal design
Improved based on usability tests.
New categories
product description
Implementing product reviews and offering recommendations before checkout.
Filter function
Next steps
If I continue the project, I’d like to tackle the following next steps and test again, once the new design is live.
Sort option where users can also sort the product by new arrival or out-of-stock.
Include out-of-stock & availability to show that the website is updated.
New product section to attract more unique users.
thoughts
Overall, I enjoyed this project where I observed how people shop online and what matters most to them. This experience showed me just how important it is to make things easy for users and to listen to what they need. Looking back, I'm feeling motivated and excited to keep learning and designing. The lessons from this project will help me make even better websites and apps in the future. I can't wait to create more user-friendly experiences!