My initial assumption for this project was developed into a problem statement; How might we improve communication during the customization process between buyers and sellers?

How did i confirm or refine my initial assumption?

I initially assumed that buyers would want the option to customize items and that sellers want to charge more for customization options. I conducted user interviews to validate if my assumption was true or false.

What I found was that users wanted a an easier way to identify customized products, a more efficient way of communicating with sellers, and a standard way to request custom orders. 

PERSONA

Using insights from my research I was able to create a persona to help guide me in the design process. 

 

I was able to identify three common themes from our user interviews:

1. Users wanted an easier way to identify customized products.

2. Users wanted a more efficient way of communicating with sellers.

3. Users wanted a standard way to request custom orders. 

SKETCHES

During my design studio, I was able to brainstorm on ideas for features and their functionality. I wanted to make sure that I maintained the same look, feel, and flow of the existing app while making it more efficient for users. As a result, I was able to discover some key features that could solve my user's needs.

 

FEATURE PRIORITIZATION MATRIX

I created a feature prioritization matrix in order to refine the features I wanted to include to create an efficient and efficient and effective integration design. I worked with a developer on this aspect of the project to get insight on what would be feasible and cost efficient given the scope of the feature integration. 

 

PROTOTYPE

I went ahead and designed some mid-fidelity screens with the proposed features highlighted for easier reference. 

 

USABILITY TESTING

I conducted 2 rounds of usability testing to validate my feature design integration as well as opportunity for iteration. 

Utilizing my findings from the first found of usability testing, I made the search functionality more clear and the custom order form more intuitive. 

My goal for the second round of usability testing was to see if the design changes I made increased the effectiveness and accessibility of the features. 

The results showed that I had a direct success rate of 100% across the board with all 5 users.  

 

REFLECTION:

Given the time limitations, I was only able to interview users who were Etsy buyers and get their perspective on the current design and proposed solution. If I had more time to work on this I would like to run 2 rounds of usability testing with Etsy Sellers to see what their experience is with the current customization process and get their feedback on the proposed feature integrations.