Flora & Folio
Role: UX/UI Designer
Tools: Figma, Jitter
Project Duration: 8 Weeks // 2023
Background
For the first project of the Google UX Design course, I chose to design a flower arrangement preview app. Many mobile apps are used for viewing and ordering different products, so I felt this was a good first project. It will give me a comparative basis for evaluation while offering the opportunity to better understand user habits.
The Problem
Selecting flower arrangements can be a difficult and frustrating process. Shops tend to have a seemingly unlimited number of options which is often attractive to many customers because they have a better chance of finding something that matches their preference. However, convoluted descriptions and poor organization can make it nearly impossible for customers to settle on an option they feel confident in. As a result, customers can be left feeling like their time and money is wasted.
The Solution
Flora & Folio is a mobile app designed to help users build or select flower arrangements perfect for any occasion. The app provides a comprehensive list of browsing categories, options for customization, and fast and easy checkout in order to create a seamless experience for customers.
Selecting flower arrangements can be a difficult and frustrating process. Shops tend to have a seemingly unlimited number of options which is often attractive to many customers because they have a better chance of finding something that matches their preference. However, convoluted descriptions and poor organization can make it nearly impossible for customers to settle on an option they feel confident in. As a result, customers can be left feeling like their time and money is wasted.
The Problem
Flora & Folio is a mobile app designed to help users build or select flower arrangements perfect for any occasion. The app provides a comprehensive list of browsing categories, options for customization, and fast and easy checkout in order to create a seamless experience for customers.
The Solution
The Problem
Selecting flower arrangements can be a difficult and frustrating process. Shops tend to have a seemingly unlimited number of options which is often attractive to many customers because they have a better chance of finding something that matches their preference. However, convoluted descriptions and poor organization can make it nearly impossible for customers to settle on an option they feel confident in. As a result, customers can be left feeling like their time and money is wasted.
Navigation
Oftentimes flower arrangement sites and apps are congested and overwhelming resulting in confusing navigation
Layouts often follow an old style which can be both boring and confusing for users to engage with
Experience
Support
Many users are unfamiliar with arrangements and bouquets and have difficulty selecting the perfect item or finding contact information to help them.
01 Empathize
Research Approach
In order to better understand the habits, needs, and pain points of customers, I decided the user interviews were an essential first step. The goals of my research included the following:
Identify patterns in how often users are purchasing bouquets
Explore motivations for purchasing flowers
Identify hindrances customers face when shopping for flowers
Explore the confidence levels customers have during their shopping experience
User Interviews Summary
Through user interviews I found that many target users shop for arrangements due to holidays or special occasions. However, many sites are congested and overwhelming making the process difficult for users. So what should be an exciting and fun process becomes frustrating for users, further swaying them to not shop for flower arrangements outside of special occasions.
In order to better understand the habits, needs, and pain points of customers, I decided the user
interviews were an essential first step. The goals of my research included the following:
02 Define
Based on the user interviews conducted I was able to generate user persona that is representative of key audience targets. These personas help identify the most important needs to address based on the majority of expected users. Let’s meet Ezekiel…
User Persona
User Journey Map
03 Ideate
Application Map
After gaining a better understanding of the users wants and needs, I developed an application map to layout essential pages and features.
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Task Flows
Based on the defined pages and features, I created the main user task flows.
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Task Flow 1 : Select and Purchase a flower arrangement for a specific occasion
Task Flow 2 : Build and Purchase a custom flower arrangement
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Paper Wireframes
With a clearer picture of the necessary features for the application, I began sketching out the main wireframe screens.
04 Design
Lo-Fi Prototype
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Style Guide
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05 Test
Usability Study Details
Research Questions
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How long does it take a user to find and order an arrangement in the app?
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What can we learn from the user flow, or the steps that users take, to order an arrangement?
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Are there parts of the user flow where users get stuck?
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Are there more features that users would like to see included in the app?
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Do users think the app is easy or difficult to use?
Participants
5 participants
Three men, two women between the ages of 20 and 55. One participant is a person with a visual impairment.
Methodology
10 minutes per participant
United States (remote)
Unmoderated Usability Study
Users were asked to perform tasks on a low-fidelity prototype
Usability Findings
Priority 0
We found the home page needs clearer labels and more options.
Priority 1
In general, users need better cues for category and filter options.
Priority 2
Users would benefit from calendar view scheduling and the ability to schedule varying arrangements in one order.
Final Prototype
Hi-Fi Prototype
Reflection
Next Steps
What I Learned
Based on original goals and initial feedback, I believe that adding a page dedicated to flower care would improve the experience of users unfamiliar with purchasing flower arrangements. This is the first feature I would address, but further research would be essential in identifying improvements for users.
Through this project I learned to not get bogged down in details early on in the design process. I found myself getting stuck on small details in the beginning which led to time wasted. Having clearly defined problems and goals, but maintaining flexibility in regards to the solution is an essential skill that I was able to learn during this project. I also became a lot more comfortable with prototyping and believe that my design process has become more efficient.
Considering the goals and pain points outlined at the beginning of this design process, I feel that I met the needs and requirements of our users. To further improve Flora & Folio I would conduct another usability to determine if there are features that could further benefit users.
Thank You!
I hope you enjoyed this case study. Check out my other work.
Considering the goals and pain points outlined at the beginning of this design process, I feel that I met the needs and
requirements of our users. To further improve Flora & Folio I would conduct another usability to determine if there are features that could further benefit users. Based on original goals and initial feedback, I believe that adding a page dedicated to flower care would improve the experience of users unfamiliar with purchasing flower arrangements. This is the first feature I would address, but further research would be essential in identifying improvements for users.