PROJECT
Omnichannel Retail Experiences
CLIENT
TOTE
TIMELINE
3 weeks
YEAR
2022
SKILLS
- User Testing
- Sketching
- User Research
- Digital Prototyping
- User Journeys
TEAM
- 4 UX Designers
- 1 Software Engineer
ROLE
UX Designer
An Overview
TOTE, an omnichannel retail startup, engaged a team of four designers from a General Assembly bootcamp I participated in to enhance their in-store fitting room appointment widget. The objective was to optimize the user experience for shoppers using the widget and develop a versatile product that appeals to a variety of store owners and to increase subscriptions from store owners by improving the overall user facing customer experience.
SCOPE OF WORK
Stakeholder Interviews
We initiated the project by interviewing TOTE's CEO, CTO, and lead developer. We gained insights into booking frequency among subscribed stores, key demographics, and technical constraints pertinent to the customizable Shopify widget.
Early Usability Testing
As TOTE lacked prior research on their existing widget, we conducted 5 usability tests with potential users matching their target demographic. Observing users engaging with the TOTE widget revealed challenges in locating it on the store's website, difficulties in rescheduling or canceling appointments, confusion in deleting items, and uncertainty about when an item was added to their in-store fitting room. Additionally, we conducted a comprehensive heuristic evaluation where we identified UX issues, including accessibility and error prevention. These tests provided valuable insights for potential easy improvements to the product.
After early user testing, we conducted interviews with 5 potential users to understand their online and in-store shopping preferences. Insights revealed an equal split between online and in-store preferences, with users desiring a personalized yet autonomous shopping experience. We created 2 personas to guide the design of flows and interactions. We held an alignment meeting with TOTE where we shared insights from usability testing, user research, and market research, leading to an agreement on user flows. Acting as a designer and project manager, I facilitated communication with TOTE, coordinating check-ins and updates from the UX team.
Prototyping & User Testing
We led our prototyping with four MVP user flows that emerged from research that needed improvements.
- Widget discovery
- Adding and editing your fitting room
- Booking a fitting room
- Editing or canceling an appointment
We engaged in collaborative ideation sessions with internal stakeholders, producing low-fidelity sketches then continued refining the prototype with the UX team. Upon completion of the design, presented as a clickable prototype, we conducted usability tests with 7 potential customers. While users found the widget more user-friendly, users still had a hard time canceling appointments and selecting appointment dates.
Refinement & Delivery
In the final week of our project, we adjusted the initial prototype and conducted a thorough review of our designs with TOTE's stakeholders. Incorporating feasibility adjustments and content suggestions from their CEO, we prepared the prototype for final delivery. We collaborated with their developer to ensure seamless integration and provided TOTE with an updated style guide encompassing type styles, icons, and illustrations. In retrospect we should have made our designs more responsive for a seamless mobile experience.
Impact
After our redesign was launched TOTE saw a 32% increase in fitting room appointments over the course of 4 months. After the initial group project I was hired to continue working with TOTE to improve their store owner facing Shopify interface and helped them redesign their current website.
Try out the TOTE widget we redesigned: HERE
TOTE's website redesign: HERE
