Helping users understand and trust a high-ticket online product
Role
UX / UI Designer
Responsibilites
Research Wireframing User Interface Design
Timeline
Jun. 2024 - Aug. 2024
60%
Improved Conversion Rate
54%
Increase in Time Spent on Website
Problem
Users didn't have a clear understanding of the product and it's value proposition, leading to increase in customer support tickets and drop off in conversion rate.
Previously, Wattle Living's was already making great sales with customers getting directed to the website directly from their ads. However, through research I identified key pain points that led to high amounts of customer support tickets:
Customers struggle with understanding the products value proposition due to a large amounts of descriptions leading to cognitive overload and higher bounce rates
Lack of visuals to help customers understand the products unique selling points.
Friction points regarding delivery details, leading to drop-offs.
1
Solution
Reduce the friction between customers and the customer service team by outlining all the information clearly on the page and reducing bounce rate through building engagement and interest with:
1. Well-Structured Product Page Layout
2. Visual Configuration Options
3. Clearer and better organised delivery details
2
Project Goals
Customer pain points
Define the customer pain points in their journey across the funnel. Uncover whats holding them back from purchasing
Visual design
Create a user friendly interface that structures the content well and builds trust with the customer.
3
Our Research
To gain context to the project, the team provided me with an affinity diagram collating key themes across their customer support tickets. In addition to this I also reviewed and annotated all the current screens.
Reviewing current screens
Affinity diagram customer support tickets
Competitive Analysis + Gap
None Of The Competition Had Wattle's Modular Bracket Design
I analysed the 3 most popular modular sofa ecommerce brands in Australia. I found that none of them had Wattle's bracket designs which allows for many more configurations compared to the typical modular sofa. It was also able to remove its covers in simple fashion, making it a standout solution for what is typically a concern in most sofas. This became an opportunity for how I would shape my design solution. Not only was it important to highlight the technical capabilities of these features but also its lifestyle benefits.
Empathise
37 Years Old | Father Of Two
User Story
Hey! I'm Barry. I'm 37 years old and am working full time while raising two kids with my wife. We're currently renting as we're not in the right position financially to purchase a house and unfortunately we've had to move places a few times as a result of this. Family time is extremely important to my wife and I and that means having a nice living space in the house. The issue with having to move houses often is that my furniture doesn't match the new living room - whether it be the layout or the colours of the sofa and we're still waiting for a solution for this.
User Goals
• Create a cozy atmosphere at home with innovative design • Find a flexible sofa that can suit any space
User Frustrations
• Worrying about the sofa being too big or small incase he has to change houses • Sofa's covers getting dirty as he has two children and a pet dog • Sofa's colours not fitting in with the new space
Initial Sketches
Wireframe
Usability Testing Goals
CONTENT & COPY TESTING
Understanding The Product
To assess the clarity of the messaging on the product by examining the Comprehension Test Score and their understanding of our Unique Value Proposition
Success Metrics
• Comprehension Test Score (Y/N) • Number of confusions/errors
CONCEPT & IDEA VALIDATION
Section Ranking
To assess the priorities of the product features by examining the Sections ranking score
Success Metrics
• Sections ranking
Participant Criteria(s):
5 Participants
1. Cohort: Ordered a free swatch from Wattle within the last month 2. Segment: Has a family and is currently or has moved houses
Usability Test
Test #1
• Open the home & product page design • Ask what the participant thinks is the purpose of Wattle living • Ask what they believe is the UVP
Learning Goals
To test whether participants can successfully: 1. State what differentiates Wattle from other sofas 2. Identify and state the value proposition of the product
Test #2
• Rank the importance of sections from configurations, dimensions, features, materials, delivery, sustainability 1 to 6 With 1 meaning the lowest priority and 6 being the highest.
Learning Goals
To test what sections users are looking for most when purchasing a sofa online.
Findings From User Testing
About Section
Users inherently skim across the product pages to see whether they could decipher the value proposition of the product quickly. They eventually found out after opening the About and Features accordions after 1 minute but taking into consideration the bounce rates of users previously, we couldn't afford to have this.
Recommendation
Rather than redesigning the section, my first recommendation was to keep the accordions open. I checked that the idea was feasible with the developer and this was what was implemented for the next round of user testing.
Information Hierarchy
Majority of users opened up the dimensions section first and when asked - mentioned that the sofa dimensions such as seat height and depth were one of the main pieces of information they looked for.
Recommendation
Move the dimensions accordion higher up in the rankings of the accordions for easier access. The accordion was also left opened as well, taking consideration from results of the other test.
Approach & Rationale
The final application took a data-driven, user-centered approach, ensuring that all design decisions were backed by research, usability tests and aligned with business goals. To summarise:
Research
I conducted affinity diagraming and reviews of the current site to gather qualitative insights on the customers challenges and behaviours. This allowed me to identify gaps in the user journey and prioritise areas for improvement.
Usability Test
Conducted usability test sessions with 5 participants, to gather valuable insights.
Guided Shopping Experience
I implemented a visual configuration carousel and clearer product details utilising imagery and icons, helping users make informed purchase decisions. The delivery details copywriting was also refined and organised into accordions. These enhancements directly addressed decision fatigue.
Stakeholder Collaboration
Working closely with developers, marketing, and business stakeholders, I ensured technical feasibility while balancing brand identity.
Outcome
By aligning the design with user needs and business goals, the redesigned experience led to:
✔ Increased user engagement—customers spent more time browsing and interacting with products. ✔ Higher conversion rates—reduced friction in decision-making led to more completed purchases. ✔ Streamlined website, enhancing the website experience while maintaining brand consistency.
