Project Details

Project Name

Natures Edge Outfitters

Role

Lead Designer

Heading

2 months

Project Overview

Nature’s Edge Outfitters is an outdoor recreation company looking to enhance their online presence by designing an app to facilitate the sale of their goods. This project, part of the Google UX Design Certificate, aimed to create a user-friendly app for an improved shopping experience.

Empathize

Research & Insights

- Competitor Research: Analyzed major outdoor brands such as REI, Sportsman’s Warehouse, and Bass Pro Shops.
- Key Findings:
          - Navigation Complexity: Expansive navigation bars with many options can be overwhelming.
          - Visual Appeal: Large imagery effectively emphasizes outdoor activities.
          - Product and Brand Visibility: Featured products and brands are important.
          - Category Organization: Well-organized product categories enhance user experience.

Define

Problem Statement

- Challenge: Design an app that simplifies the shopping experience for outdoor gear without overwhelming users with too many options.
- Objectives:
          - Create a clear and intuitive product categorization.
          - Implement filters and navigation that are user-friendly and enhance product discoverability.
          - Develop a visually appealing design that aligns with outdoor recreation themes.

Ideate

Concept Development

- Initial Wireframes:
- Focused on organizing products into well-defined categories.
- Incorporated filters on the main category page to help narrow down searches.

Prototype

Lo-Fi Prototype

- Usability Testing:
- Feedback highlighted issues with the overwhelming number of filters and the bulky design.
- Users found the filters at the top intrusive and difficult to use.

Iterations

- First Iteration: Simplified filters by introducing a dropdown menu to save space and limit displayed categories.
- Second Iteration: Removed filters entirely and organized products into secondary categories accessible from multiple main categories.

Hi-Fi Prototype

- Added final images and product details to enhance the visual appeal and usability of the app.

Test

Usability Testing Results

- Feedback:
          - The simplified dropdown menu approach was effective but not chosen for the final design.
          - Removing filters and using secondary categories was found to be the most user-friendly solution.

Reflect

Experience & Growth

- Skills Developed: Gained experience in research, wireframing, prototyping, and usability testing.
- Project Learnings: Learned the importance of balancing simplicity with functionality and the impact of design decisions on user experience.

Future Improvements

- Reconsider Dropdown Menu: Reflecting on the project, the dropdown menu approach might have provided a better balance of simplicity and functionality compared to the final design.

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