YaoSkin web design

My Role

  • UX Research

Tools

  • Figma, Miro

Teams

  • 4 UI/UX Designers

Timeline

  • Nov – Dec 2020 (~4 weeks)

CHALLENGE

Improving customer journey for customized windows & doors

Inwido develops and sells customized window and door solutions. Even though they are a leading supplier, they are aware of the rising competitors and flaws of their buying process, which may result in fewer leads and loss of customers.

The Solution

A configurator to help the user plan for their purchase

Step By Step Process

  • Step by step process to configure a window
  • Clear progress bar
  • Provides all information users need to request a quote

Product Comparison

  • Comparison between window materials and properties
  • Educational information

Visual Presentation

  • 360° view
  • Instant colour customization
  • Zoom function
  • Preview of windows on a house

Desktop Research

Buying windows requires planning

Starting with desktop research, we began to draw from research articles on the windows and doors market, as well as user behaviour and motives – when we came across an eye-opening insight from Euromonitor:

“Users favour going to specialist home improvement retailers as they enjoy the in-store experience which gives them a chance to view and become familiar with products before purchase, to ensure it is exactly what they are looking for. This is common practice across Western Europe as quality, material and overall nature of the products is of high importance and requires planning.“

User Interviews

Validating through quantitative research

We’ve conducted, recorded and transcribed five interviews to gain further understanding about the user’s experience and attitude towards researching and considering possibilities regarding new windows for their house.

After analyzing data from user interviews, we were able to create an empathy map and identify their pains and gains.

Key findings:

  • Interviewees find thermal insulation of high importance – it’s the main reason for replacing their windows
  • Interviewees desire professional help due to lack of experience and knowledge
  • Interviewees find it frustrating when there is little to no product representation in a realistic setting

POV Statement

Formulating an actionable problem

Then, we’ve formulated an actionable problem by combining the 3 elements – user, need and insights – to drive the rest of the design work.

The Point Of View (POV):

A house owner needs to thoroughly plan the replacement of their windows because it is a long and costly process, and they may not be familiar with all of the product features that could improve their indoors living environment. They should also be able to see how well the windows match their own property.

Keeping the above POV statement in mind, we’ve reframed it as How Might We questions in order to turn the challenge into opportunities.

  • How Might We inform the user about window features and the impact on their indoors living environment?
  • How Might We showcase products so the user has a better idea of how it could look like on their property?
  • How Might We make the process of choosing a window easier for the user?
  • How Might We assure the user that quality is worth the price?

Testing + Improvements

Improvements in the design

We’ve conducted usability tests with 5 test users to evaluate the flow and learn where we could improve the design. Though test users express that the flow makes sense to them, we have identified pain points in other areas.

The bigger picture

Two test users mention that they would prefer to see a bigger view of the house, so the new iteration has the full view of a building.

Clearer copy

Test users express confusion about labels used for headings, buttons and tabs, so these are changed in a more straight-forward language.

The final product

The value proposition

Gain Creators

Step by step process to configure a window or door

Realistic presentation of products
Recommended dealers
Educating users

Pain Relievers

All important information in one place
Clearer indication of how to obtain estimated price

Feature comparison

Feature to see windows displayed on a house

Conclusion + lessons learned

What I’d do differently next time

  1. Communication is key. With lockdown in full effect, the majority of our work was done in a remote environment. It is key that we assure team members are on the same page so we can effectively work towards our common goal. Not just through verbal communication, but also through exercises/workshops.
  2. Using personas. I used to think that personas are not applicable for every single project because user findings of some projects are less complicated than of others. Looking back, I think that personas are a necessary tool not only to have all crucial data in one place but also for the team to be on the same page.
  3. Changes can happen at any time. While there is a clear structure in our process, design is an iterative process and thus changes can happen at any time, just at different intensities. It is important to be flexible and adapt to the project as routemaps are not set in stone.

Thank you for reading!

🖼️ My Dribbble profile 

UI Design

📃 My resume

2022