The problem
Buying high-fidelity music is a big problem. Every album has a cost and for the buyer, it's important to have the chance to listen first.
The goal
To have the chance to listen to everything before buying it.
User research: summary
I conducted user interviews, which I then turned into empathy maps to better understand the target user and their needs. I discovered that many target users treat online shopping as a fun and relaxing activity when they need a break from school or work. However, many shopping websites are overwhelming and confusing to navigate, which frustrated many target users.
This caused a normally enjoyable experience to become challenging for them, defeating the purpose of relaxation.
Navigation
Website designs are often busy, which results in confusing navigation
Interaction
Small buttons and other elements of the interface, make item selection difficult, which sometimes leads users to make mistakes
Listen
To have the chance to listen to everything before buying it.
Experience
Online shopping websites don’t provide an engaging browsing experience.
User journey map
I created a user journey map of John’s experience using the site to help identify possible pain points and improvement opportunities.
Usability study: parameters
Study type
Unmoderated usability study
Location
United States, remote
Participants
5 participants
Length
20-30 minutes
These were the main findings uncovered by the usability study:
Listening
Users, didn't sure how to continue during the default listening
Cart
At checkout, users didn’t get accurate information about the downloads and quality audio format
Checkout
During the checkout process, there wasn’t a clear way for users to log in to their account to pre-fill previous billing and shipping info
Accessibility considerations
I used headings with different sized text for clear visual hierarchy
I used landmarks to help users navigate the site, including users who rely on assistive technologies
I designed the site with alt text available on each page for smooth screen reader access
Impact
Our target users shared that the design was intuitive to navigate through, more engaging with the images, and demonstrated a clear visual hierarchy.
What I learned
I learned that even a small design change can have a huge impact on the user experience.
The most important takeaway for me is to always focus on the real needs of the user when coming up with design ideas and solutions.
User flow
Low-Fi flow
Sitemap
Wireframe
