A personalized website that focuses on delivering an online user experience to recreate the in-person shopping experience.
Project Overview
The Problem
Sanctum Handmade specializes in exquisitely handcrafted homewares, lovingly handmade and curated by the owner. Their signature Living Art Airplant Collection exemplifies unmatched craftsmanship and unique natural beauty. Currently, they only sell their airplants online through Etsy or at their physical stores. While Etsy is a valuable platform for showcasing their creations, the online platform doesn't capture the essence of the Sanctum Handmade in-store shopping experience.
The Solution
Develop a website to recreate Sanctum Handmade's in-store shopping experience that allows users to connect with the brand in a more experiential way. Furthermore, it could also showcase products available to buy in-store but are not sold on Etsy. The overall goal is to delight customers with an immersive shopping experience, expand the brand's reach, foster customer loyalty, and drive growth.
As Sanctum Handmade does not have an official website, my initial step involved researching various companies specializing in plant-related home decor. I wanted to understand what key features and services a locally owned homewares and decor website should offer to encourage customers to shop on the brand's site instead of Etsy. Additionally, I explored elements essential for business owners to include or access on their store website.
Competitive Analysis
For my analysis, I conducted a comprehensive global search, comparing websites selling home decor with a focus on plants. I chose five companies that closely resembled Sanctum Handmade’s brand essence. These included three independent boutique-style brands and two mainstream brands. Here are the key findings:
Positive Key Findings
Chosen websites provided extensive product details and care information.
Offers a rich visual experience with high-quality images to aid customer's decision-making.
Negative Key Findings
Layout challenges, especially in responsiveness across various devices; highlights the need to improve user experience.
The content on some websites was challenging to read, underscoring the importance of clear and accessible text.
Interviews
I wanted to gain a well-rounded understanding of what makes a good website - from both the perspective of the customer and business owner. Using consumer-centric questions, I interviewed four people to discover what makes online shopping a positive experience and what aspects need improvement. I also interviewed a small business owner to find out what they need their website to be able to do - both from customer interaction and business support perspective.
Key Findings - What Users Want
Easily shareable
Community forum
Can save and edit lesson plans
Simple layout and easy to navigate
Offers the ability to filter by theme, activity or lesson ideas
Can incorporate visuals/images/videos/links in lesson plans
Shows the education standards for lessons customized by state
How Might We’s
After analyzing my research, I created a list of HWM questions focusing on the two user groups and their needs. These questions provided valuable insights into what is crucial to keep in mind while designing my app, enabling me to create the best possible product for the customer and the business owner.
Questions
How might we make sure the site has the same feel as the physical shop?
How might we provide the shopper with an authentic Sanctum Handmade experience?
How might we make the site more appealing to users versus shopping on Etsy?
How might we make sure the business owners needs are also met?
How might we incorporate all of the features users want without making the site too busy?
Persona
When defining my target audience, I included both consumers and business owners to ensure my site caters to the needs of both groups.
Feature Roadmap
I obtained a lot of information from my interviews and prior research. I decided to prioritize which features to include based on user importance. The elements I focused on were consistently highlighted as crucial aspects by interviewees.
Must-Have
Comment/Review Section
Similar Products
Product Dimensions and for Scale Image
See What's in Stock
Save for Later
Backend Inventory
Nice to Have
Account Creation
How to Style
Live Chat
Quiz that Recommended Products
Sitemap
I wanted the Sanctum Handmade site to feel effortless and easy-to-navigate across the entire buyer's journey. I prioritized the pages I believed would create a more enjoyable and user-friendly experience, allowing visitors to explore and engage with the brand in multiple ways.
User Flow
As part of my analysis, I followed the user’s journey through every stage - from entering the homepage to completing a purchase. This allowed me to gain a thorough understanding of the site's functionality and identify ways to improve user engagement.
2. Wireframes
Mid Fidelity
Armed with the insights I had gathered from my research, I developed mid fidelity layouts for the pages in my selected user flow. This process enabled me to strategically place elements on each page, ensuring a seamless buyer's journey.
Desktop
Tablet
High Fidelity
I used Sanctum Handmade's existing social media, Etsy and physical stores as inspiration for their website brand guide. From here, I created high fidelity wireframes, and incorporated product information and imagery from their social media. In order to enhance the website's interactive features, I introduced user experience sections, such as 'Sanctum Handmade’s Style Recommendations'.
Usability Test Results and Revisions
I received valuable feedback from user testing. Testers found the website easy to navigate and visually appealing. They thought the newly added user experience sections were a great idea, as it provided customers with styling guidance. Based on their feedback, I realized I needed to improve the visibility of these sections and differentiate them from the rest of the product page. To address this, I adjusted the color palette across the whole site.
Prototype
Conclusion
Throughout this project, I encountered several challenges. One of the primary obstacles I faced was the time constraint to complete the project. Initially, my intention was to create a seamless flow for the business owner, highlighting the features they would have access to. However, after careful consideration, I realized that allocating more time to focus on refining the consumer flow would yield better results.
Despite my growing familiarity with Figma's prototyping capabilities, I encountered some difficulties in implementing certain features as initially envisioned. Despite this, I found ways to still incorporate everything I wanted, and feel even more confident with my prototyping abilities.
Overall, I am very happy with the product I have managed to create within the limited deadline I was given. These challenges have helped make me a better designer and have taught me to plan my time better by reiterating the importance of prioritizing features to create the best possible end product.
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