Summary
In this two week project, I designed a clickable prototype around an online shopping experience. I was able to apply my background in eCommerce to ideate and execute an online shopping store for a local Boston-based business.
The store I chose to work with is Crush Boutique, which provides customers with a well-curated collection of the best in women’s contemporary fashion. They are known for offering a personal stylist type experience that customers love. Currently, Crush Boutique does not have an eCommerce platform and I knew this would be a fun challenge to take on.
Objective
Create a clickable prototype around an online shopping experience based on a sample selection of 100+ products. The design should meet the goals of the users, the business, and the brand, and should be tested by users and follow information architecture heuristic best practices.
My Role
Individual Designer
Duration
2 Weeks
Tools
Axure, Sketch, Optimal Workshop
Process

Research & Discovery
Contextual Inquiry

User Interviews
“I only buy clothes online when I can trust that the fit and quality descriptions are accurate.”
Affinity Mapping
I used the method of affinity mapping to synthesize the data I gathered during the user interviews. After this process, I was able to identify the major points I need to focus on in my design.
Competitive Analysis
Feature Prioritization
Taking into
Personas
Based on my research, I developed two personas that represent the current customer-base:
Problem Statement & Hypothesis
Problem Statement
Customers love the designer products and the personal experience they receive at Crush Boutique, however, they can’t always get to the brick and mortar location and there currently no eCommerce option.
Hypothesis
I believe that an eCommerce platform that allows customers to shop at Crush Boutique without losing the personal experience or trust in the products. I will know this to be true when customers can successfully shop online from various locations.
Ideation
Sketching
Once my research was complete, I began sketching out the different possibilities and built a paper prototype. I tested the prototype and iterated on my sketches and discovered some interesting findings.
Below are some initial sketches and iteration notes:
Narrowing Scope & Structure
Information Architecture
In order to better determine the best structure for this eCommerce platform, I used 100 products as a guide and had two users participate in a closed card sorting activity on Optimal Workshop.
Sitemap
User Flows
1. Customer discovers the product.
2. Customer checkout process.
3. Customer writes a product review.
Wireframes
Following sketching and iterations, I built a mid-fidelity wireframe in Axure. Realizing my research, theories, and drawings into the digital medium made it easy to start testing.
The design of the platform is intended to be minimalistic, appear high-end, and provide a similar personal shopping experience that customers are used to in store. The information architecture allows for intuitive navigation and customer satisfaction.
Below is a sample of the main screens:
Prototype
Usability Testing
In order to test the prototype, I created a structured usability test plan that allowed me to collect quantitative data on participants’ performance.
Measurable Goals
Next Steps & Reflections
Next Steps
- Add visual design elements.
- Build out category landing page filters.
Reflections
© 2018 ALLIE GEORGE