HAFELE

Redesign project | A hardware agency

HAFELE provides various interior design components, furniture and interior design solutions. I conducted the human centered design method to redesign and developed the user research and product iteration. Eventually, the index of SUS (system usability scale) increased by 50.5%, and NPS grew by 250%

Role | UX research, UI design

Project | Personal project

Period 05/2021-12/2021

Tool | figma

Project background

This project is based on the research when I was an intern in an hardware agency. About retailing the merchandise, it mostly relies on the other retailing website to increase the amount of selling; about business, it relies on the sales person to visit the customer to introduce our product. Although this agency, HAFELE already has its own official website and clients can search our product there, the retention rate of which is still low level per day.

Set the commercial goal

Apart from beauty, product needs to create commercial value. so based on the above-mentioned issues and challenges, the AARRR framework is used to define the business objectives of the project.

Set the project goal

To increase the number of orders, how to improve the user experience of the original website, and how to increase the retention to achieve the referral are challenges. I will use SUS and NPS index to evaluate the before and after to exam the optimized design.

The default and hover responses of the button are inconsistent with the general perception of user behavior, which tends to reduce the efficiency when use

The interface of catalogs is inconsistent, it is hard for clients to find the product they want.

The interface is mess, the users can’t easily focus on the mission

User interview

Interviews with potential customers, interior designers, and the employees at the front stage in the company to identify the behaviors and pain points of the current clients.

Personas

After interviewing five participants, I have clarified the problems encountered when buying hardware and furniture in this industry. I also build two kind of personas for interior designers or one-time customers who need to buy hardware and furniture.

Get the insights from the pain points

Based on the empathy, get four insights through POV framework

Confirm the design objectives

Conclude the result of whole user research above, I summarize the four indexs to be the principles to do the iteration

Ideation

Utilized HMW framework to diverge solutions and filter the available ideas, and build up wireframe to see if they meet the users’ needs.

Usability testing

I walked through the initial prototype after finishing it to identify flaws that may arise when users operate it. During this stage, I collected feedback from five participants to pinpoint problems with the initial design.

Testing result & Iteration

Deliver

The three main new features of the website.

Landing page

Clear and concise online catalogs and consultation services make it easier for customers to find the products they want.

Design outcome

SUS & NPS increase dramatically

Through the testing and data collected, the sus index increase by 50.5% and the score of NPS also change from -33 to 80. And as we can see the NPS, it grow by around 250%. It reach the goal I set, increasing the rate of retention and referral to other users.

Self-critique

The biggest challenge in doing this project was integrating the needs of the company and the customer. I interviewed both internal staff and our potential customers to integrate this need. From the company's point of view, they wanted to increase sales, and from the customer's point of view, they both shared the same desire to quickly clarify product information. To integrate these needs, my proposed solution is to use chatbots to solve basic problems, reduce internal communication costs, and leave the inquiry's more detailed aspects to humans. However, this change will change the current mode of the workflow of the company and will involve different stakeholders within the company. For example, which part of the company will handle the backend management of the website and how to effectively manage the quotations online? So the integration of processes within the company will be a challenge in the future.