NIST Collection Case Study

Designing a responsive website for a gender-neutral online clothing and bath store.

Role: UX/UI Designer

Timeline: 2 weeks (80 hours)

Tools: Figma, Maze, Optimal Workshop

Project Overview

You can’t fill a cup that’s already full.

When I first began conceptualizing my next UX Design project, I had a conversation with a close friend who was investing in his own business. He had opened an online store for bath products and some clothing items. Still, to his dismay, he had already accumulated many products in his home and needed an essential element—the website for his online store. Recognizing an opportunity to assist each other, I took advantage of my time and ambition to create something tangible. I felt privileged to design this project, as it presented an enjoyable proposal.

Background

NIST Collection is a new online store—which will also appear at craft fairs from time to time—offering bath and clothing products. It was founded by Nihat Karaarslan, who is dedicated to developing the store's website. All products are handmade and imported from Turkey, aiming to provide quality and variety through unique styles and tastes.

The NIST Collection offers items from the bath and clothing categories, such as towels, soft washcloths, bar soap, exfoliating body brushes, stylish scarves, and comfortable pants. All of their products are gender-neutral, making them perfect for anyone and everyone. NIST provides high-quality items that are ethically sourced, ensuring that its customers have access to the best materials.

Problem

Designing a website that effectively communicates a concept, regardless of gender, is challenging. It requires thoughtful consideration of the message and an attractive, intuitive design. It involves understanding the users who will be visiting the website and the elements they will look for when they arrive. The website must be designed to be responsive and adapt to different user preferences while maintaining the same core message. Creating a website that effectively conveys the gender-neutral concept takes patience, creativity, and skill.

Solution

I began by understanding the target audience and their preferences. To meet the needs of the NIST Collection, I want to design a website that is intuitive and easy to navigate. It includes product filters, detailed descriptions, a smooth checkout, and secure payment options. Additionally, the website needs to be optimized for mobile devices to ensure a pleasant user experience from start to finish. I envision photos with models of different sizes, shapes, and aesthetics to enhance the design, creating a gender-neutral concept that the NIST Collection strives for.

Project Timeline

Research Phase

Research Approach

User interviews are an essential part of the research phase of this project. Through these interviews, I can gain valuable insights into customers' preferences, opinions, and expectations regarding bath and clothing products. Additionally, I can understand their attitudes towards gender-neutral items and what factors influence their buying decisions. I will also be able to identify the information necessary for users to make an informed decision about a product. Finally, user interviews will provide valuable feedback for the next steps, like the website design, usability, and user experience.

Launching an online store for bath and clothing products aims to provide higher quality and conceptually unique items. To achieve this, it is necessary to understand how to translate these items to an online platform.
Identify the essential information or attributes customers need to consider when trying a new bath/clothing brand.
Identify relevant information that will help people trust the quality of a product.
Understand customers' expectations for handmade bath/clothing items.

User Interviews

Interviews were conducted with five participants, all consumers of bath and clothing products. Through engaging in dialogue with these individuals, I gained an in-depth understanding of their customer experience and what criteria they consider when purchasing bath and clothing products.

Insights

Most participants usually shop for bath products in physical stores like drugstores and grocery stores.

They look for items that fit their budget and prefer well-known brands with positive reviews.
For handmade products, customers seek out items that are unique, of high quality, and ethically sourced.
Participants expressed a positive attitude towards gender-neutral clothing.
The cost, quality, reviews, and brand reputation are important factors to consider when purchasing.
Reviews from other customers and detailed descriptions on the website are essential for customers to trust the quality of a product.

Click here to check the Affinity Map for the Nist Collection Case Study.

User Persona

Emilia Senna is a conscious consumer who seeks an online store that provides eco-friendly packaging and transparent information about the company's values and history. She is inspired by trying new products, supporting local businesses, and shopping on sites that promote diversity and sustainability. Emilia also wants to know the ingredients and raw materials used in the products, as well as access user reviews from verified accounts and enjoy a speedy check-out and delivery.

Competitive Analysis

NIST Collection's competitors are online stores offering bath and clothing products, such as Amazon, Target, and Walmart, and smaller stores specializing in these items. With hundreds of online stores, it can be challenging to identify which should be considered competitors. Furthermore, NIST's gender-neutral products may make it hard to compare them to other retailers accurately. This can make it challenging to determine if NIST's products are worth the price compared to its competitors. Additionally, not all competitors carry both bath and clothing products. To help with this, I identified some brands that offer gender-neutral clothing, and the stakeholder suggested some brands that share NIST's values.

ADVANTAGES

The NIST Collection has several advantages over its competitors. First and foremost, all of the items in their store are handmade and imported from Turkey, giving customers access to unique, high-quality items. Additionally, their products are all gender-neutral, allowing customers to purchase items perfect for anyone.

DISADVANTAGES

NIST Collection's main disadvantage is its lack of visibility. As a new online store, it has yet to build a solid customer base and name recognition, making it difficult to compete with larger and more established retailers. Additionally, since their products are handmade and imported from Turkey, they may be more expensive than other retailers.

From a UX perspective, the NIST Collection stands out for its gender-neutral items. To effectively communicate this, thoughtful consideration and an attractive, intuitive design are essential. To this end, the design should be distinctive and modern, while still providing a smooth user experience.

User Flow

Before I started designing, I checked out the info architecture – how the content was structured. Then, I considered the user flow when navigating the website. The NIST Collection's user flow offers an intuitive and efficient shopping method. It allows users to filter products by category, read detailed descriptions, and apply coupon codes for discounts at checkout.

Sketches

Wireframes

Main Page

Clothing Items Page

Products Details Page

Bath Item Page

Cart Page

Order Page

Shipment/Payment Page

Usability Testing

Twenty-eight people agreed to participate in Usability Testing, all unmoderated. The Maze tool was employed for this test, and the results of the requested tasks were very satisfactory. Participants were asked to complete three tasks. I also posed questions about the website's design, concept, and usability through open questions or ratings.

The results were compiled and analyzed to understand better how users interacted with the website. The tasks were: