** Hey, I'm now on Substack! I'd appreciate your support—follow me and check out some of my interesting posts. Read my latest posts **
Designing a seamless customising platform for Make Laser Gifts
Introduction
I designed experiences for the ‘Make Laser Gifts’ MLG platform, this included their e-commerce store, tutorial templates and a custom designer tool for craft enthusiasts. Launched in early 2015, this platform allowed users to design and purchase custom laser products. I joined after their minimum viable product 'MVP' launch, which was built on Shopify and initially attracted hundreds of users but faced significant usability issues, particularly in the user journey and checkout process. Despite the product's initial appeal, technical limitations and bugs hindered its potential for growth.
Client
Make Laser Gifts ~ Aalfy
Project Type
Web
Project Duration
2/3 Months
Project Details
Sketch
Framer
Shopify
Zoom
Challenges
As the lead freelance designer for Make Laser Gifts, I was tasked with transforming their e-commerce platform into a seamless, user-friendly destination for buying, customising and booking laser-cut product workshops.
* Streamlining the user journey: Simplify the process from product discovery to purchase, ensuring a smooth and intuitive experience.
* Enhancing the customisation interface: Develop an easy-to-use yet powerful tool for users to personalise their laser-cut products.
* Integrating workshop bookings: Create a cohesive system for users to browse, select and book workshops alongside product purchases.
* Improving checkout experience: Redesign the checkout process to reduce cart abandonment and increase conversions.
* Addressing technical limitations: Collaborate with developers to identify and resolve bugs and performance issues affecting the user experience.
* Maintaining brand identity: Ensure all design solutions align with Aalfy's social enterprise values and community-focused ethos.
Problem statement
How might we create inspiring, interactive and accessible landing pages that effectively inform and engage new community members, enhancing their onboarding experience and fostering a welcoming environment?
Key project considerations
We faced a tight timeline that extended to approximately two and half months. Key milestones included multiple rounds of user interviews to understand how our 'crafters' were using laser gifts and participating in workshops run by MLG. Our primary users, termed 'crafters' were members of the Aalfy community with a passion for creating and building their own craft products. Additionally, we focused on improving the designer tool to enhance the e-commerce checkout experience. I collaborated closely with the Aalfy team to ensure the product aligned with their vision. These initial milestones highlighted the designer tool as a crucial element for gathering insights and customer feedback. We discovered that mobile devices were the preferred platform for customers, and many used the gifts as presents or to invite friends to workshops. Seasonal demand was a significant factor, and 'crafters' particularly valued the ability to create custom designs.
Focusing on the designer tool
1) Revamped designer tool interface: After identifying user confusion with the existing tool layout, I developed a user experience focused on delivering the shortest path to value. The redesigned tool now features a Navigation Pane for options such as text and graphics, a Design Pane for drag-and-drop functionality, and a Canvas for interactive design, creating a more intuitive user experience. 2) Responsive implementation: ensure a seamless experience across various devices, we adopted a responsive-first approach for makelasergifts. We addressed challenges associated with smaller screens by introducing collapsible navigation, native mobile interactions and a new layout hierarchy for devices with a width of less than 350px. 3) Auto save - my designs: I addressed the limitation of the existing third-party canvas integration, which required designs to be completed in a single session, by implementing a user authentication system. This feature allows users to save their work and resume later, reducing the risk of lost designs and fostering greater engagement with the platform.
Optimising the e-commerce user experience
The project aimed to enhance the Make Laser Gifts platform by crafting an inclusive and efficient design experience. This included the development of educational tutorials and a new interactive designer tool. We redesigned the MLG site to enable community members to discover and design custom products seamlessly across devices. To improve the user experience, we focused on operational successes in the product catalogue and checkout process. Following the design sprint methodology, our objectives were to create engaging landing pages, streamline the customer journey, ensure universal accessibility and build a user-friendly platform for the internal team. These efforts underscore our commitment to enhancing user accessibility and optimising team efficiency, resulting in a dynamic and inclusive platform for custom laser products.
Collaborating with stakeholders to ensure a successful launch.
Overall, this project provided valuable lessons in stakeholder management and aligning the business owner's vision with project goals. I focused on leveraging insights to ensure the user journey was intuitive and effective. Given the tight timeline, the project required rapid yet thorough iteration rounds to meet deadlines while maintaining quality. This experience highlighted the importance of balancing speed with attention to detail to achieve successful outcomes.