Designed For
My role
My Constraints
Deliverables
We conducted numerous smaller research projects spanning the entire product development lifecycle, supporting the product team with user insights and actionable suggestions.
Here is an overview of our research initiatives at different stages of the journey.
Exploration / Brainstorm / Ideation / Discovery Phase
Define / Validation Phase
Design / Development Phase
Testing Phase
Post-Launch Research
EXPLORATION / BRAINSTORM / IDEATION / DISCOVERY PHASE of the product development lifecycle
Overview
After establishing our small ceramics workshop, we began experimenting with various product categories. After the first few months, we noticed that the majority of our largest orders were coming from young couples who were planning their weddings. At this juncture, we believed that this might be worth further exploration. As a result, we decided to initiate a comprehensive user research project to gain a deeper understanding of this phenomenon.
We conducted exploratory foundational research during the initial phase of the product development lifecycle. Our primary aim was to understand and prioritize user needs before designing a solution. We also sought to gain an understanding of the wedding industry before allocating significant resources to the development of our product.
Competitive Audit
I’ve identified and examined three competitors in the realm of crafting hand-made accessories for wedding ceremonies. In addition to identifying their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, I’ve also placed particular emphasis on the user experience provided by their products and services.
Semi-structured User Interviews
I conducted 11 in-depth user interviews with young couples who were currently in the final stages of planning their weddings, having already sorted out the majority of the practical details. User interviews are particularly well-suited for understanding the context and observing the wedding planning process from the perspective of the young couple.
Contextual Inquiry and Affinity Diagramming
I conducted contextual inquiries by attending various wedding events, with a specific focus on the external environment, decorations, and artifacts utilized by young couples during their wedding ceremonies. My goal was to gain insight into what people perceive as “appropriate decoration” at different types of weddings.
Personas
Our target users are couples who place a significant emphasis on the aesthetics and design of their wedding. Ideally, they actively participate in the wedding planning process, with a particular focus on choosing the design elements and accessories for their special day.
Considering the diversity among individuals preparing to get married, I have developed four distinct personas that encompass the wide-ranging user base of engaged couples.
As most decisions were made through consensus, it made more sense for my personas to depict couples rather than individuals.
DESIGN PHASE of the product development lifecycle
At this stage of the product development lifecycle, our primary aim was to figure out the best way of building our products, keeping the user experience in mind. The goal of design research was to inform the product team how the product should be built, supporting iterative design with actionable user insights.
Wizard of Oz
Employing the Wizard of Oz method, we hired an independent contractor to assist in creating and delivering our products. Despite being financially unsustainable in the long-run, this approach allowed us to simulate product experiences, observing user reactions firsthand without the full implementation. Although financially challenging, this experiment provided invaluable insights into user behavior, guiding subsequent design iterations towards a more user-centric approach and significantly enhancing our understanding of user needs.
Intercepts
We joined weddings to observe how our users use our products in real situations. Being part of the actual ceremony, allowed us to capture high-level feedback, observing user engagement and behaviour first-hand. By immersing ourselves in these settings, we gained practical insights, enabling us to refine our products based on real user behaviors observed during weddings. Incorporating user feedback, we significantly reduced the weight of the actual product and modified product attributes, including color, shape, and ergonomics.”
A/B Testing for Social Media Engagement
Main industry trends:
Benchmarking:
Product attributes:
Strategy:
Stakeholder collaboration impact:
Strategic impact:
Product impact:
User testing:
Details, details, details…
Regularly share findings:
Speed matters:
LAUNCH PHASE of the product development lifecycle
At this stage of the product development lifecycle, our primary aim was to successfully validate that the product is meeting user needs.
Validation of Product Performance
User satisfaction
Marketing and sales recommendations
User needs visualisation
Confirmation of product success
Product impact
Strategic impact
Data-driven product decisions:
Qual & Quant:
Closing the loop: