Task: Design a Responsive Website for GALEA
Role: UX / UI Designer
Duration: 4 weeks of 40 hours each
Tools: Figma, Miro, Procreate
Overview
Galea is a brand in the realm of fashion, specializing in clothing and accessories. Since its establishment in 1996, Galea has been committed to offering a wide range of apparel and accessories for women, men, and children. The brand's core philosophy revolves around the belief that fashionable clothing should be accessible, without compromising on quality and style.
The creation of a website represents an exciting opportunity for Galea to not only bolster its online presence but also to rejuvenate its brand narrative. By leveraging this digital platform, Galea can reintroduce its unique story and establish relevance among a diverse customer base. This initiative aligns with the brand's vision to provide exceptional service and meet the evolving demands of fashion-conscious individuals.
The Objective
As a Product Designer, my primary objective was to craft a compelling and impactful online brand presence for our esteemed clients. By leveraging my expertise in user experience, I aimed to deliver a seamless and engaging digital platform that would not only captivate new customers but also foster loyalty among our existing clientele.
With a deep understanding of user behavior and preferences, I meticulously designed an online experience that is intuitive, visually appealing, and tailored to meet the needs and expectations of our target audience. By employing best practices in UX design, I sought to create a user interface that effortlessly guides customers through their online shopping journey, making it both efficient and enjoyable.
Challenge
Galea, a rising star in the price point fashion market, faces the formidable challenge of competing against industry giants. In a highly saturated market, where numerous brands and major retailers vie for attention, it becomes increasingly challenging to distinguish oneself and provide a fresh perspective that attracts new customers.
With Galea venturing into the e-commerce realm, an exciting opportunity arises to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the main competitors. By closely examining their strategies and discerning their strengths and areas for improvement, Galea can gain invaluable insights that will guide its own path to success.
In addition to pursuing commercial success, Galea is committed to upholding its reputation as an environmentally responsible brand that prioritizes sustainability and the well-being of future generations.
The Design Thinking Process guided me throughout the journey.
1: Discover
In designing the website experience for Galea, I employed a comprehensive approach that encompassed both secondary and primary research methodologies.
For secondary research, I conducted a thorough competitive analysis to evaluate Galea's rivals, assess their strengths and weaknesses, and identify the elements that contribute to their successful brand identities. This analysis provided valuable insights to inform Galea's own strategic positioning.
To further enhance the user experience, primary research was conducted through user interviews. These interviews involved participants who aligned with Galea's target audience, enabling me to gain firsthand insights into their needs, frustrations, and preferences related to both online and in-store shopping experiences. This valuable feedback informed the design process, ensuring that Galea's website catered to the specific requirements and desires of its intended customers.
Market Research
In terms of statistics as of March 2020:
E-commerce Sales Growth: E-commerce sales in the UK have been experiencing consistent growth over the years. In 2020, the UK's online retail sales reached £99 billion, representing a substantial increase compared to previous years.
Mobile Shopping: Mobile devices have become a popular platform for online shopping in the UK. In 2020, mobile devices accounted for approximately 48% of all online retail sales in the country.
Factors Influencing Online Purchases: Factors that influence online purchases in the UK include competitive pricing, convenience, product availability, secure payment methods, customer reviews, and reliable delivery services.
In terms of market trends and customer behavior :
Mobile Shopping: The prevalence of smartphones and the increasing adoption of mobile shopping have transformed the way women shop for fashion online. Many women now prefer browsing and making purchases through mobile apps or mobile-optimized websites for convenience and on-the-go accessibility.
Sustainability and Ethical Practices: There is a growing emphasis on sustainability and ethical practices in the fashion industry. Women are more conscious of the environmental impact of their purchases and show a preference for brands that prioritize sustainability, fair trade, eco-friendly materials, and transparent supply chains.
Seamless Shopping Experience: Customers expect a seamless and user-friendly shopping experience when browsing women's fashion online. Intuitive website navigation, fast loading times, high-quality product images, detailed product descriptions, easy checkout processes, and hassle-free return policies contribute to a positive customer experience.
Competitive Analysis
Competitive analysis plays a crucial role in the online shopping fashion industry, where trends and consumer preferences are constantly evolving. It involves assessing and evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors to gain a competitive advantage.
User Interviews
Developing and conducting the interviews was an enriching and transformative experience for me. Beyond the valuable insights I gained into the user's experience, the actual interaction with the participants brought forth an array of intangible elements. By listening to their tone of voice, detecting their genuine excitement, and identifying their areas of disinterest, I was able to empathize with them on a deeper level. These personal connections helped me understand their needs and aspirations more profoundly, affirming the irreplaceable nature of human-to-human interaction.
Participants: 4 (2 women, 2 mens)
Age: 26-45
Methodology: phone interview with open ended questions.
Key Takeaways:
Persona Development
Galea, being an online store catering to both men and women, understands the importance of inclusivity. To ensure a balanced representation, two personas, Hannah and Patrick, were created to encompass the experiences of both genders. While it is true that shopping behaviors differ between men and women, with women often spending more on apparel, Galea aims to provide an equally satisfying experience for both genders.
The process of developing these personas was an enjoyable opportunity to bring real-life experiences into their journeys. These fictional characters were crafted not only based on research and insights from user interviews but also on the designer's perception of life. By incorporating diverse perspectives, Galea seeks to create a shopping environment that caters to the needs and preferences of all its customers, embracing inclusivity as a core value.Meet Hannah and Patrick…
Phase 2 : Define
During this stage of the process, it was essential to map out the business and user goals, taking into consideration the technical considerations and constraints at hand. The objective was to achieve a well-balanced and seamless user experience.
Storyboard & Card Sorting
Creating a compelling visual narrative to address a problem not only allowed me to define and humanize the experience but also provided insights from interviews that revealed the significance of online clothes shopping as a recreational and social activity, serving as a means of disconnecting and alleviating stress. Recognizing the influence of physical and social context on behavior, I incorporated these elements into the storyboard. To organize the website's content effectively, I conducted a Card Sorting exercise, which revealed natural user-driven category groupings and guided my content organization, particularly considering the vast array of clothing categories.Information Architecture
Site Map
After establishing the key features, I embarked on creating a comprehensive Site Map to outline the website's structure. Subsequently, I crafted User Flow and Task Flow diagrams, centered around scenarios revolving around purchasing specific clothing items, which served as the foundation for designing a seamless and intuitive user experience.
Phase 3: Design
After identifying the key pages for development, I initiated the process of creating low and mid-fidelity wireframes, which eventually evolved into the final design. To begin with, I sketched various versions of the Homepage by hand, aiming to explore different approaches to site navigation. The primary objective of the homepage was to ensure equal visual prominence for men's, women's, and kids' sections. Unlike many e-commerce clothing platforms that tend to prioritize women's products, Mirror aimed to distinguish itself by providing a balanced representation and not being perceived solely as a women's store. Upon reviewing the four initial versions, I incorporated elements from each sketch while progressing towards the mid-fidelity wireframes.Mid- Fidelity Responsive Wireframes
Designing a webpage for an e-commerce website requires careful consideration for different devices such as desktop, tablet, and mobile. It is crucial to create a responsive design that adapts seamlessly to each screen size, ensuring an optimal user experience across all devices. The layout and navigation should be intuitive and user-friendly, enabling easy browsing and product discovery. Images and content should be appropriately scaled and positioned to maintain visual appeal and legibility across different screen resolutions. Additionally, attention should be given to the loading speed of the webpage, ensuring efficient performance on all devices. By prioritizing responsiveness and usability, a well-designed e-commerce website can effectively engage and convert users on various platforms.
Navigation & Checkout Flow
The decision to prioritize Navigation and Checkout as key elements for the initial MVP was based on thorough secondary user research and user interviews. Throughout the exploratory phase, convenience emerged as a recurring theme, with customers expressing a strong desire for a fast and efficient online shopping experience. One participant emphasized the need to find desired items quickly, given their limited time due to family and work commitments. To address this, I analyzed Galea's main competitors in the fast fashion industry and discovered that implementing a familiar navigation pattern, starting with a Top Navbar and flowing into a Left Side Menu, would provide users with an easy, familiar, and speedy shopping experience.
Additionally, I recognized the significance of a simple and streamlined checkout flow to ensure a pleasant shopping experience. A seamless checkout process not only contributes to customer satisfaction but also enhances memorability, encouraging customers to return for future purchases.
Furthermore, it's important to acknowledge that online shopping lacks the immediate emotional gratification experienced when buying something in person and being able to use it right away. As one participant, Mark, pointed out, the excitement of the moment is diminished when purchasing online due to the waiting period for item delivery. Therefore, it becomes crucial for the online shopping experience to compensate for this absence and provide alternative means of gratification.
By prioritizing convenience, efficient navigation, and a user-friendly checkout process, the e-commerce website can enhance the overall shopping experience and mitigate the loss of immediate gratification associated with online shopping.
Visual Design
At this point, it was time to explore what could make Galea a visually compelling site. The design should have an attractive and cohesive visual style that aligns with the brand's identity and target audience. A visually appealing interface with well-chosen color schemes, typography, and high-quality product imagery can create a positive first impression and engage users.UI KIT
Final Thoughts
The objective of this project was twofold: to build a responsive e-commerce website and to establish a strong brand identity for Galea. However, our achievements thus far are merely the starting point, and attaining a truly successful outcome necessitates the collective efforts of numerous individuals and teams. Collaboration and teamwork will be instrumental in transforming Galea into an exceptional and relevant product.
Furthermore, this journey has imparted upon me the realization that a product is never truly finished, and ongoing updates are essential for progress and evolution. It has underscored the importance of continuously adapting and improving the product to meet the changing needs and expectations of the market.