Case Study - Exotica's Mobile App
Project Overview
Exotica is a fictional plant store in Lagos that caters to the plant related needs of individuals and businesses. With a focus on business expansion, Exotica wants to develop a comprehensive e-commerce platform that elegantly addresses it’s three key customer segments:
- Individual Plant Enthusiasts: This segment comprises individuals who have a keen interest in plants and greenery. They appreciate the beauty and therapeutic benefits of live plants and seek to incorporate them into their homes, offices, or personal spaces.
- Floral Artistry for Special Occasions: This segment consists of individuals who desire exquisite floral arrangements for special occasions. They understand the emotive power of flowers and appreciate the artistry involved in crafting stunning bouquets. Whether it’s to celebrate milestones, express love and affection, or convey condolences, they seek meticulously designed floral creations that capture the essence of their sentiments.
- Corporate and Recurring Plant Needs: This segment encompasses businesses and individuals with recurring plant requirements. Companies understand the importance of a visually appealing and welcoming environment in their offices or commercial spaces. They seek professional plant installations and maintenance services to create a harmonious atmosphere that enhances productivity and well-being. Similarly, individuals may desire regular plant subscriptions, receiving fresh and meticulously cared-for plants on a recurring basis to elevate their living or working spaces.
The Problem
After conducting thorough research, Exotica discovered that many of its customers and potential customers have limited experience in purchasing plants. In light of this insight,
Exotica is committed to creating an easy-to-use tool that will assist and guide these customers in ordering plants recommended by professionals.
This user-friendly solution will enable individuals to conveniently explore a curated selection of plants from the comfort of their homes and businesses, making their plant-buying experience a breeze.
Project Goals
- Develop a user-friendly application that allows customers conveniently place plant orders, catering to their preferences.
- Implement a purchase recommendation feature within the application, assisting users who are uncertain about which plants to purchase.
- Introduce a subscription-based service tailored for small businesses and homeowners, providing a recurring plant delivery service. This service will offer a supply of carefully curated plants to enhance their spaces.
My Design Process
User Research
To begin my research, I conducted interviews with the three primary customer segments of Exotica.
My primary objective at this stage of the project was to gain a comprehensive understanding of Exotica’s key customer types. To achieve this, I created a few user personas.
Creating user personas allowed me to delve deeper into the mindset and characteristics of Exotica’s diverse customer base. By crafting these representative profiles, I obtained insights that went beyond basic demographic information, enabling a more holistic understanding of their motivations, preferences, and pain points.
Let’s take a closer look at the user personas that emerged from this process. They provide a vivid and detailed portrayal of Exotica’s key customer segments, highlighting their unique needs and aspirations.
User Personas
To further empathize with Exotica’s customers, I created` an empathy map that helped me capture user feelings, needs, and behaviors. Through careful observation and analysis, I captured key insights that shed light on their motivations and pain points.
Next, I crafted a storyboard and user journey map that showcased the customer journey. I depicted the various touchpoints and interactions customers encounter—from their initial discovery of the application to the seamless plant ordering process.
By mapping out this narrative, I gained valuable insights into potential pain points, moments of delight, and opportunities for enhancing the overall user experience.
Empathy Map
Storyboard
User Journey Map
My Insights
A significant finding was that users frequently encountered a common pain point – uncertainty when selecting suitable plants for purchase. The study also unearthed a noteworthy insight from business owners who expressed a desire for a convenient and effortless periodic delivery service. These research findings shed light on key user needs and preferences. Addressing the uncertainty surrounding plant selection, my aim was to develop a solution that provides personalized recommendations, ensuring users feel confident and informed throughout their purchasing journey.
For business owners seeking a “hands-off” approach, I envisioned a subscription-based delivery service that offers seamless and regular plant deliveries. For casual plant purchasers and enthusiasts, I envisioned a simple plant recommendation experience.
Problem Statement
I used the insights gained from the empathize stage to define clear problem statements and establish project goals. Key insights highlighted two crucial areas for improvement: the need for a hands-off subscription-based delivery system, as well as the implementation of a plant recommendations experience.
Problem Statement 1: Hands-off Subscription-Based Delivery System
One of the primary pain points identified was the desire among customers, particularly business owners, for a convenient and effortless plant delivery and set-up experience. To address this, my goal was to create a hands-off subscription-based system that streamlines the process of regular delivery for both businesses and homeowners. By offering a hassle-free solution, I wanted to enhance customer satisfaction and meet the recurring plant needs of Exotica’s target audience.
Problem Statement 2: Plant Recommendations Quiz
Another significant insight revealed that users often felt uncertain about which plants would be suitable for their specific preferences and environments. To address this challenge, my objective was to develop a plant recommendations quiz within the application. This interactive feature will guide users through a series of questions to understand their preferences, lifestyle, and environmental factors. Based on their responses, personalized plant recommendations will be provided, empowering users to make informed decisions and find the perfect plants for their needs.
Project Goals
- Develop a user-friendly application that allows customers conveniently place plant orders, catering to their specific preferences.
- Implement a purchase recommendation feature within the application, assisting users who are uncertain about which plants to purchase.
- Introduce a subscription-based service tailored for small businesses and homeowners, providing a recurring plant delivery service.
With these defined problem statements and project goals, it was time to enter the ideation and design stages, where I generated solutions to address these insights.
Ideation
During the ideation stage, I drew inspiration from the insights gained during the empathize and define stages, and set out to generate ideas and design solutions that will elevate Exotica’s user experience.
After gaining insights into the needs and preferences of users and brainstorming on useful features, necessary screens and possible layouts, the next step was to lay the foundation for the application. I focused on creating the fundamental information architecture that will serve as the backbone of the app, setting the stage for the upcoming design process.
Information Architecture
With the foundation of the app’s basic structure in place, I eagerly delved into cooking up design ideas. Armed with a pen and paper, I began sketching out my initial concepts, bringing them to life through hand-drawn sketches.
Sketching allowed me to freely explore different design possibilities and visualize how the app’s interface and features could come together.
Here are some of my paper sketches.
My Initial Sketches
As I progressed in the design process, I transitioned from initial sketches to digital wireframes. I focused on simplicity, usability, and hierarchy, setting the stage for collaboration, feedback, and iterative refinement.
Low Fidelity Wireframes
Prototyping
Next, I refined the low-fidelity designs. This involved adding more details and intricacies to capture the desired look and feel of the app. With a clearer vision in mind, I proceeded to create a working prototype using these low-fidelity designs.
Low-Fidelity Prototype
Usability Study 1
After creating the low-fidelity prototype, I proceeded with a usability study involving 5 participants. The primary objective of the study was to evaluate both the effectiveness of the plant recommendation’ feature and the overall user experience. To ensure a structured approach, I developed a comprehensive research plan that outlined research goals, key performance indicators (KPIs), a set of predefined questions, and specific tasks for participants to complete. After gathering the participants’ feedback, I organized their responses into an affinity diagram, enabling me to identify common themes and patterns. This visualization served as the foundation for extracting actionable insights. By analyzing the collected data, I gained valuable guidance for further refining the design and addressing any usability issues that emerged during the study.
Affinity Diagram
My Insights
A significant finding was that users frequently encountered a common pain point – uncertainty when selecting suitable plants for purchase. The study also unearthed a noteworthy insight from business owners who expressed a desire for a convenient and effortless periodic delivery service. These valuable research findings shed light on key user needs and preferences. Addressing the uncertainty surrounding plant selection, my aim was to develop a solution that provides personalized recommendations, ensuring users feel confident and informed throughout their purchasing journey.
For business owners seeking a “hands-off” approach, I envisioned a subscription-based delivery service that offers seamless and regular plant deliveries, simplifying their responsibilities and nurturing a harmonious environment.
Prototyping
I made the high-fidelity prototype with decisions informed by insights generated from the first usability study.
High-Fidelity Prototype
Insights & Improvements
Drawing from the insights gained during the initial usability study, I developed solutions that addressed the identified issues raised by the participants. With a focus on enhancing the overall user experience, I iterated on the design to incorporate these improvements.
Insight
Participants were unsatisfied with the user experience of the recommendations quiz feature, so I had to rethink the entire user flow of the quiz. My solution was a multi-step interactive form that would make users feel comfortable and excited to use the feature.
Solution
Insight
Participants provided feedback regarding the button labels throughout the checkout process. It was observed that the existing button labels lacked clarity and failed to clearly communicate the corresponding actions. To address this issue, I focused on improving the button labels to provide more explicit descriptions of the intended actions. By making these adjustments, users will have a better understanding of the consequences associated with each button, leading to a more intuitive and user-friendly checkout experience.
Solution
Usability Study 2
Once the high-fidelity prototype was finalized, I proceeded with the second and final usability study. The study involved testing the prototype with 5 users, aiming to address any remaining issues and refine the overall user experience.The research plan encompassed well-defined research goals, key performance indicators (KPIs), a scripted approach, and a series of tasks for participants to complete. These tasks included:
- Completing the sign up/login process: Participants were asked to go through the account creation or login flow, allowing us to assess the ease of use and effectiveness of this crucial stage.
- Utilizing the plant recommendations feature: Participants were encouraged to explore and engage with the plant recommendations functionality, enabling us to gauge its usefulness and effectiveness in guiding their purchasing decisions.
- Initiating a subscription plan: Participants were prompted to start a subscription plan, allowing us to evaluate the clarity and efficiency of this process, ensuring a smooth experience for users interested in periodic plant deliveries.
Verifying the order and proceeding to checkout: Participants were tasked with verifying their order and proceeding through the checkout process. This task enabled us to evaluate the clarity of the order summary and assess the overall flow and ease of completing a purchase.
By conducting this final usability study and aligning it with the research plan, I aimed to refine and optimize the user experience, ensuring a seamless journey for Exotica’s customers from start to finish.
My Insights
Engaging in various activities throughout the project provided valuable lessons and highlighted areas for improvement. Here’s a summary of the insights I gained:
- User Research Importance: Conducting thorough user research, including interviews and usability studies, has proven instrumental in understanding user needs, pain points, and preferences. This knowledge directly informs design decisions and enhances the overall user experience.
- Iterative Design Process: Embracing an iterative design process allows for continuous improvement. It is essential to gather feedback, iterate on designs, and conduct usability testing at each stage to refine the product and ensure its alignment with user expectations.
- User-Centric Approach: Placing users at the center of the design process is crucial. Empathizing with their needs and perspectives helps create a more meaningful and effective solution that resonates with their preferences.
Areas for Improvement
- Onboarding Experience: Enhancing the onboarding process can help users understand the app’s features and functionality more effectively. Simplifying the initial setup, providing clear instructions, and offering interactive tutorials or tooltips can streamline the user’s initial experience. In further iterations of the design, I believe this should be a top priority.
- Personalization and Customization: Offering personalized recommendations and customization options can enhance user engagement and satisfaction. Incorporating features such as saved preferences, tailored plant suggestions based on user preferences, and the ability to customize subscription plans can create a more personalized and enjoyable experience.
- Social Integration and Community Building: Introducing social integration features, such as the ability to share plant recommendations or experiences on social media, can foster a sense of community among users. Building a community platform within the app, where users can share tips, ask questions, and connect with fellow plant enthusiasts, can further enhance engagement and user retention.
By focusing on these areas for improvement, Exotica can refine the app’s functionality, enhance user satisfaction, and strengthen its overall value proposition.