Sea Salt & Twig is an e-commerce website based in Newfoundland and Labrador, showcasing a variety of handmade items. During my collaboration with Capelin Creation, I had the opportunity to apply my UI knowledge to enhance the website's usability, making it more user-friendly. With the support of Capelin Creation's creative team, we successfully achieved our goal of making the website more visually appealing and user-friendly. This transformation aims to simplify the purchasing process for users who have a passion for art, the environment, and diverse cultures.
problem statement:
Introduction
Collaboration with Capelin Team
During our collaboration, we established regular meetings to align on project goals. The Capelin team provided a well-organized and detailed list of issues that needed attention, ensuring we were on the same page regarding the envisioned changes to evolve and improve the website.
Despite the unique and handcrafted treasures offered by Sea Salt & Twig, the previous user interface posed challenges that impacted the overall user experience. Usability flaws led to friction in the purchasing process, diminishing the website's efficiency in showcasing and selling the owner's handmade products. Users, in search of a seamless and engaging online buying experience, faced hurdles due to a lack of straightforward navigation and visual appeal. Recognizing these issues, the project aimed to address usability concerns and transform the website into a more user-friendly platform, ensuring a smoother and more engaging journey for visitors.
1. Enhance Usability:
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Objective: Improve the overall navigation and functionality of the website to eliminate user friction during the browsing and purchasing process.
2. Optimize Visual Appeal:
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Objective: Redesign the interface to enhance visual attractiveness, ensuring that the unique and handmade products are presented in a compelling and aesthetically pleasing manner.
3. Increase User Engagement:
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Objective: Implement features and design elements that encourage user interaction, such as intuitive product displays, personalized recommendations, and social sharing options.
4. Simplify Purchase Journey:
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Objective: Streamline the purchasing process to make it more straightforward and user-friendly, reducing steps and barriers for users completing transactions.
5. Mobile Responsiveness:
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Objective: Ensure a seamless experience for users across various devices, with a particular focus on mobile responsiveness to accommodate the growing trend of mobile shopping.
6. Reflect Brand Values:
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Objective: Align the website design with the brand values of Sea Salt & Twig, emphasizing art, nature, and cultural diversity to resonate with the target audience.
7. Improve Load Time:
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Objective: Optimize website performance to reduce load times, enhancing the overall user experience and preventing potential user drop-offs.
Goals and Objectives:
Given that the website was already established by the owner, our focus was on refining the existing elements to create a more appealing web flow and a user-friendly layout for an e-commerce platform. We opted for a Box layout, implementing a simplified navigation menu to enhance ease of use. Our primary objective was to reorganize and streamline the homepage, making it more organized and easy to navigate.
Crucially, our approach aimed to preserve the integrity of the branding materials. Rather than making drastic changes, we emphasized maintaining the brand's identity. This strategy allowed us to enhance the website's overall aesthetic and functionality without compromising its established identity and recognition.
Design Process:
Key Features and Improvements
1.We needed to improve the announcement bar
3. We reorganized the contents using a box layout to enhance navigation
4. We integrated pertinent information into the other pages, aiming to demonstrate a keen understanding of site maps and optimize navigation.
2.We needed to enhanced the website's header
5.We revamped and streamlined the footer
In summary, the project not only delivered tangible improvements but also provided valuable insights and lessons that can be applied to future design endeavors.
Results:
The project yielded significant positive outcomes, including enhanced user experience, increased engagement, a consistent brand image, and easy navigation.
Acknowledgment:
I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Jordan White, the owner of Capelin Creations, and his talented creative team for their invaluable collaboration on this project. Their dedication, insights, and meticulous attention to detail played a pivotal role in achieving the successful transformation of Sea Salt & Twig's e-commerce website.
Special thanks also go to Liz Combdon, the visionary owner of Sea Salt & Twig, for entrusting us with the opportunity to enhance and elevate the online presence of her unique and handmade offerings. Liz's commitment to art, nature, and diverse cultures inspired our design choices and contributed significantly to the project's success.
This collaboration was truly a collective effort, and I appreciate the trust and support from both Jordan White and Liz Combdon throughout the entire process.
Thank you for the privilege of being part of this creative journey.
