Version 1.5 Update
Optimizing search and categorization, and imagining a new discovery of local stores and products.
TYPE
Full Time
Contract
TEAM
David Park UX
Cardia Summers CEO
Jenya Hwang COO
TIMELINE
14 Weeks
OVERVIEW
Cheers
Cheers is a startup focused on delivering alcoholic beverages from local stores and bars directly to users. Its aim is to reduce foot traffic and save time for customers looking to get drinks from some of NYC's finest liquor markets.
As the lead designer from start to finish, I worked closely with the team to evaluate the core needs of the company's objectives and proposed various solutions for mobile app interactions.
I designed a zero to one concept of our entire discovery flow which aligns with the business's two-prong approach in helping both liquor stores and bars.
Business Approach
CHEERS UNIQUE OFFERING
Cheers is looking to expand their offerings to enable users to shop for drinks from both liquor stores and local bars.
But their current application lacks the differentiation amongst the two offerings, & this impedes the experience of searching for drinks due to poor organization and transparency.
Current Home page
Consolidating Quick Feedback…
USABILITY FINDINGS
After consulting with stakeholders, I've conducted a quick usability test with 6 participants to better understand the problems associated with the current application in context to the business objectives.
5/6 USERS
agree that discovery is practically non-existent.
understanding what interests users and integrating a natural way to suggest is important
4/6 USERS
mentioned locating drinks was cumbersome.
Learning the system architecture can improve the experience to navigate around several categories, groupings, etc.
3/6 USERS
were not immediately apparent where they were in the flow.
An emphasis of grid lines, layouts, and titles needs to be better realized.
3/6 USERS
took longer than 20-30 seconds to complete a purchase.
Payment flow experience requires attention due to interruptions in confirmation pages, input box states, etc.
How can picture our users?
USER PERSONAS
After usability testing, I've drawn out a persona that goes over both avid shopper who's accustomed to using applications vs. someone who is not.
Proto Persona Exercise: 2 Customer Types
THE CHALLENGE
In order to increase discovery and help users feel more confident in searching for products, Cheers aimed to address the following:
Category Organization - Restructuring the categories to ensure they are intuitive and easy to navigate.
Implementing Progressive Disclosure - Revealing information gradually as needed, making the experience less overwhelming
Boosting Discoverability of Suggested Drinks - Implementing a new way for users to naturally suggest products of interest.
How do we suggest?
USER FLOW / DISCOVERY
The goal is to design a seamless user flow, enabling effortless exploration of recommended products and insights on crafting favorite beverages. These entry points should be integrated naturally within product card pages, business profiles, and other relevant sections.
User Flow Diagram depicting Discovery by
means Learning + personal customization
Visual UI
HYPOTHESIZING DESIGNS
Understanding the business objectives and current problems with the current experience, I began exploring wireframes based on our user flow. I started by solving the organization for the home page and then introduced new ways for users to discover products.
HOME
Progressive disclosure, aided by titles and the hierarchy in categories and subcategories, helps ensure users understand their position in the search experience. Consistency across screens also makes it easier to identify content on the page.
Home Page- Categorization
LOCAL FAVORITES + FOR YOU
The first step was to separate products into those personalized to the user and those that local users enjoy and find popular. By bringing discovery directly to the user, we can reduce the need to scroll through countless products, ultimately improving the retention rate.
Discovery : Product & Store Display
Discovery : Local Favorites
Discovery : Personalization Filter Modal
UPDATED PRODUCT CARD
Previously, users struggled to see the uniqueness of our offerings due to a lack of distinctive factors. Integrating details like where the drink is made, ratings, and buzz level increases customer confidence and buy-in.
Discovery : Product Card
LEARN OR PURCHASE - DISCOVERY INTEGRATION
Based on prior research findings, where approximately 71% of the 2000 surveyed participants actively seek drink recipes online, we can leverage our platform to provide users with convenient access to take-home drink recipes, tapping into this consumer behavior trend.
