House2Home
UX/UI Research + Solo Google Design Sprint
My Role
User Research
UX/UI Design
Wireframing
Prototyping
Project Overview
House2Home has introduced the Budget-Friendly Starter Kit, a solution crafted to simplify home styling choices while maintaining high-quality standards. Carefully selected collections effortlessly enhance living spaces, providing a hassle-free way to elevate your decor.
Day 1: Analyze a problem
Problem
House2Home operates as an e-commerce platform specializing in the sale of home decor items and accessories. Extensive research conducted by the company reveals that a substantial portion of its customer base comprises individuals who have recently moved into new homes or apartments. These customers express a desire to personalize their living spaces by purchasing a variety of decor items; however, many lack the confidence to undertake this task independently.
In a 5-day adaptation of the Google Ventures Design Sprint, my main goal was to develop a strategy for showcasing a curated "starter kit" of products on the website. This approach aims to offer customers an easy, stylish, and budget-friendly way to decorate their new apartments confidently.
Goal
Introducing interior design services on the website to assist customers in discovering the most suitable budget-friendly items.
Enhancing visualization tools to establish a stronger connection between customers and their chosen items and designs.
Streamlining the decision-making process to make it easier for customers to confidently make selections.
Customer Need
Want to buy multiple items to personalize their place
Users are seeking personalized home decor that resonates with their individual style, yet often struggle to locate the right items or create cohesive combinations.
Persona
Scope
5 Days-June 2023
Tools
Adobe XD
Miro
What is Home2House?
House 2 Home, an e-commerce platform specializing in budget-friendly home decor, is committed to elevating customer engagement and driving increased sales.
Solution
Recognizing this opportunity, House2Home aims to address this challenge by offering customers a thoughtfully curated "starter kit" of decor items, providing them with a straightforward and confident approach to decorating their new residences.
Target Customer
Young adults who just moved in their new house or apartment
Primary Research Insights
They also desire the ability to visualize how the decor will appear in their own space.
How might we design a personalized starter kit that not only enhances sales but also provides customers with tailored options within their budget?
Secondary Research
Platforms
Website
Design Constraints
Create a rental-friendly starter kit for multiple products
Develop a design for the website
The product range mainly consists of prints, posters, photos, lighting, accent pieces, and accessories, priced between $10 and $50.
Most popular items
Prints, posters, photos, frames, lighting, small accent pieces and accessories
Users are interested in rental-friendly items that offer mobility and versatility for future use in different settings.
Affinity Map
Ally
23 Years Old
Chicago,IL
Reduced Returns
Offering design-style packets leads to a 15% reduction in product returns, as customers have a clearer vision of their purchases
(source: Return Data Analysis).
Time Efficiency
Customers save an average of 30% of their time in shopping when they opt for a design-style packet
(source: Customer Surveys).
These websites currently lack personalization features for home decor items, requiring users to conduct extensive research to achieve their desired look for their living spaces. By introducing design style packages, there is a significant opportunity to guide users in recreating their inspirational designs on the website. Additionally, incorporating a room visualization feature can assist users in visualizing their decor selections in their own spaces.
User Map
After synthesizing the research, I ended the first day by sketching a map of the end-to-end user experience showing how a user might move through the website when purchasing a starter kit.
Day 2: Sketching, Brainstorming Solutions
Following my comprehensive competitive research and the collection of various insights, I employed the "Crazy 8" technique to explore diverse design solutions. My primary emphasis was on crafting an efficient starter kit and enhancing visual elements to steer users toward achieving personalized home decor.
3 Panel Sketch
I generated a three-panel sketch specifically highlighting the most crucial feature of the app, which was the design style package. This allowed me to visualize and assess the user flow in action.
Day 3: Decide and Create a Storyboard
Now, it's time to assess and advance the top design concept towards the prototype phase. I conducted a thorough evaluation of each design idea, assigning ratings to identify the most promising solution for the website. This process also entailed outlining how each feature would function for the user.
User Storyboard
I have developed a storyboard that demonstrates how chosen ideas will seamlessly integrate with the user journey, catering to their specific needs. I've opted for the "Red Road" design style packet to gauge the solution's effectiveness. This journey begins with the homepage and concludes with the delivery page.
Lo-fi Wireframes
Personalization
85% of customers appreciate the ability to personalize design style packets by adding or removing items
(source: Customer Feedback).
Augmented Reality
Brands incorporating 3D and AR elements are 11 times more likely to attract customer purchases.
(source:Forrester)
Competitive Analysis
Artfully Walls
Artfully provides print packets that offer customization options, allowing users to tailor their selections to their preferences. Users can view all their chosen prints on the Gallery wall, providing a visual representation of how the final display will appear.
Ikea
IKEA may not provide design packets, but they offer an abundance of design inspiration, guidance, and helpful tips on their website. Additionally, they offer a "Design Room" feature that allows users to scan their rooms and preview how IKEA items will look in their space.
Wayfair
Wayfair offers seasonal design packages for large furniture purchases and individual sales for home decor items. They also provide a room visualization feature to assist users in visualizing how these items will appear in their living spaces.
Day 4: Prototype
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Areas for Improvement
Graphics Quality
Some users noted that the app's graphics could be improved. They mentioned that higher-quality visuals would enhance the overall user experience and make the designs appear more realistic.
Day 5:Testing
We recently conducted user testing for the House2Home app, specifically focusing on the "Starter Kit Design Style Packets" feature, the "Room Option" for viewing design choices in Augmented Reality (AR), and the "Recreation of Liked Images" and "Customization" functionalities. The purpose of this testing was to assess the app's user-friendliness, functionality, and overall user satisfaction. Below are the testing results and user feedback:
User Preferences and Positive Feedback
Starter Kit Design Style Packets
Users overwhelmingly appreciated the Starter Kit Design Style Packets. They found the predefined design styles convenient and inspiring for their home projects. Many users mentioned that this feature helped them jumpstart their interior design projects effectively.
Customization
Users valued the customization options provided. Being able to tweak design elements to suit their preferences was seen as a major benefit. It allowed users to tailor their designs to their unique tastes, fostering a sense of personalization and ownership.
Summary
Overall, users are highly satisfied with the House2Home app's innovative features, particularly the Starter Kit Design Style Packets, AR Room Option, and customization capabilities. The app's strengths lie in simplifying the design process and offering valuable tools for users to visualize their home improvements.
Room Option in AR
The Room Option, allowing users to visualize design choices in AR, received high praise. Users found it immersive and incredibly useful for understanding how different elements would fit into their actual living spaces. This feature enhances the overall user experience and boosts confidence in their design choices.
Recreation of Liked Images
Users liked the ability to recreate images they liked. This feature made it easy for them to reference and replicate design elements that resonated with them. Users appreciated that the app helped them achieve a consistent design style throughout their homes.
The AR room option is fantastic! I could see how different furniture and decor choices fit in my space. But, I'd love to see more design styles added. The current selection is good, but more variety would be amazing.
More Design Styles
Users expressed a desire for even more design styles to be added to the app's collection. They felt that a broader range of options would cater to an even larger audience with varying tastes.
Enhanced User Guidance
Users suggested that the app could benefit from more comprehensive onboarding and guidance for new users. Clear instructions on how to use various features, especially for those less familiar with design apps, would be appreciated.