Waxing & Skincare by Juliana
Timeline
Overall: February 2023 - March 2023
Discovery & Research: 1 week
Design & Testing: 3 days
Team (5)
Yarisel
Sean
Madi
Krissalys
Clariss
Roles
UX/UI Designer
User Researcher
Prototyping and Testing
Tools
Figma
Figjam
Miro
Trillo
Google Forms
Google Fonts
Overview
At Waxing & Skincare by Julianna, the primary emphasis is on offering top-notch waxing and skincare services. Our primary goal was to redesign the company's website and enlighten the owner about the distinctions between UX/UI design and traditional web design.
About Our Stakeholder
Meet our stakeholder Juliana, the owner of Juliana's Waxing and Skincare, a licensed medical spa nestled in the charming city of Altamonte Springs, Florida. The spa is renowned for its exceptional waxing and skincare services and also offers an array of other treatments, including body treatments, lash extensions, makeup application, and eyebrow threading.
Juliana, a highly skilled and seasoned professional, is committed to utilizing only the finest products to deliver top-notch services to her clients. With a strong emphasis on client comfort and satisfaction, Juliana's Waxing and Skincare is the ultimate choice for those in search of premium spa treatments.
Problem
Juliana's Waxing and Skincare website lacks engaging design and content, leading potential clients to choose competitors. Navigation is difficult due to excessive homepage content, and the outdated color scheme and font size do not reflect the brand's modern identity.
Goal
Revamp the website to enhance user engagement, simplify navigation, and create a contemporary visual appeal. Ensure users can easily find information and book services, aligning with Juliana's brand identity.
Solution
Implement a modern design with an updated color scheme and font sizes. Streamline homepage content for clear navigation. Incorporate UX/UI principles to improve user experience, add educational resources, and present transparent pricing and testimonials to build trust and credibility.
Research
Effective Communication and Adaptability
In the process of redesigning the website, keeping a constant line of communication with the stakeholder was essential. The project had a tight deadline, and there was no specified budget since it was part of a design challenge. As the project unfolded, adjustments were needed for certain color designs and animations, altering the project's scope. In the second week, the stakeholder was briefly unavailable, leading our group to concentrate on other project elements until the stakeholder's return for the survey and feedback process.
Competitor Analysis
In our extensive competitor analysis, we carefully examined the strengths and weaknesses of other businesses in the industry. This comprehensive evaluation allowed us to pinpoint areas where we can enhance our services and outperform the competition. By understanding our competitors' approaches, we discovered valuable opportunities for growth and enhancement, allowing us to refine our approach and provide exceptional experiences for our clients.
Direct Competitors
Strengths
The European Wax Center's primary limitation lies in its inability to offer a wide range of services beyond just waxing.
European Wax Center
Weakness
As an outsourced company, it lacks the intrinsic alignment with government operations.
Strengths
The Brazils waxing centers excel at specialized Brazilian waxing services and offer a membership option with exclusive perks.
Brazils Waxing Center
Weakness
Limited services, only four waxing types are offered.
Indirect Competitors
Strengths
Offers a wide range of skincare, facial, and massage services and various spa treatments, providing clients with a comprehensive selection of beauty and relaxation options.
Hand and Stone massage and facial spa
Weakness
The establishment does not offer any waxing services, nor do they have their own line of skincare products for sale.
Strengths
Their extensive network of locations across the country and wide range of services make Massage Envy a top choice for customers.
Massage Envy
Weakness
Large companies with multiple locations can feel impersonal and offer varying services, leaving customers unsure of which location to go to for a specific service.
To view the Competitor Analysis in more detail, click here!
Stakeholder Interview
We interviewed Juliana using Google Forms to capture her vision for her website. Key questions focused on user experience and content priorities to help us understand her goals. The insights gathered helped us create a tailored design that reflects her brand's uniqueness and dedication while offering a user-friendly experience.
Objective
Our questions were influenced by the need to understand Juliana's vision for user experience, her priorities for content, and the overall feel she wanted for her website.
Main Insights
The main insights included Juliana's desire for the website to evoke a welcoming and professional atmosphere, highlight key services and testimonials, and reflect her brand's uniqueness and dedication.
Findings
We used the findings to shape the design of the website, ensuring it aligned with Juliana's vision. This included prioritizing key content, creating a user-friendly interface, and incorporating elements that reflect her personal touch and professional expertise.
To view the Survey in more detail, click here!
Customer Interview:
To understand our users' experiences and needs, we conducted a detailed survey. Participants navigated the website and provided feedback on their likes, dislikes, and suggestions for improvement.
Objectives
Our questions focused on understanding user experiences, preferences, and areas for improvement.
Users interviewed
We surveyed a diverse group of users to gather a wide range of insights.
Main insights
Users appreciated the overall design but suggested improvements in navigation and content organization.
Findings application
We used the survey findings to refine the website's layout, enhance navigation, and ensure content was easily accessible, ultimately providing a more user-friendly experience.
To view the Survey and Key findings in more detail, click here!
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![Proto Persona: Mike Taylor]()
Proto Persona: Mike Taylor
Meet Mike Taylor, a 27-year-old software engineer in Orlando, FL. Mike spends most of his time at his computer and is eager to return to the dating scene. He values efficiency and seeks a knowledgeable waxer/esthetician with a fast, easy booking system. Nervous about waxing and with sensitive skin, Mike wants a quick process and tailored grooming tips. Understanding Mike's needs, Waxing and Skincare by Julianna can design a website that addresses his concerns and ensures a satisfying customer experience.
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![User Persona: Tate Malone]()
User Persona: Tate Malone
Tate Malone, a 34-year-old software engineer from Orlando, seeks to improve his self-care routine but feels overwhelmed by the abundance of options. As a male seeking grooming services, he worries about potential discrimination. Tate's goals include receiving a facial, learning skincare techniques, and managing his facial hair. He enjoys podcasts, TikTok, running, and reading. Tate desires an inclusive platform that caters to his unique needs, providing informative guidance to help him navigate his self-care journey confidently.
Ideation & Design
Custers Skincare Journey
Imagine Mike Taylor, a 27-year-old software engineer, embarking on his skincare journey. Initially curious, he searches for a website offering clear, concise information about skincare services and fair pricing. His expectations include easy navigation, informative content, and finding a skilled esthetician.
Mike's journey begins as he discovers the website. He explores detailed information, reads testimonials, and views before-and-after pictures, building his confidence. Booking an appointment is seamless, meeting his expectations. Throughout this process, feedback plays a crucial role, driving continuous improvements to ensure an educational and user-friendly skincare experience.
Path Selection: We chose to map the most common user path, from finding the website to booking an appointment, to capture key interactions and touchpoints.
Validation: Testing was conducted with mid-fidelity and high-fidelity prototypes, gathering user feedback at each stage.
Revelations: The journey mapping revealed straightforward experiences but identified pain points in navigation and clarity of information.
Pain Points: Key issues included difficulty finding detailed service information and a cumbersome booking process.
Design Changes: Insights led to improved navigation, clearer content, and a smoother booking process, enhancing the overall user experience.
To view the User’s Journey Map in more detail, click here!
Card Sorting
Our goal with card sorting was to create an intuitive information architecture that aligned with users' mental models. We chose an open card sorting method, giving participants the freedom to organize topics into categories that made sense to them.
Participants sorted information into groups such as services, booking, testimonials, and contact information. This revealed valuable insights into their mental models and expectations for navigating a skincare website.
By understanding users' preferences, we restructured the website to match their intuition. The new layout improved the design by:
Making essential information easily accessible.
Prioritizing key features and content.
Ensuring effortless navigation.
Overall, card sorting provided a user-centered approach to information architecture, resulting in a seamless, intuitive, and satisfying experience for website visitors.
To view the Card Sorting in more detail, click here!
Low-Fidelity: Blueprint for Success
Our main purpose for sketching was to brainstorm, test, and refine the website's user flow and layout. We used information from user research and our understanding of design principles as the basis for our sketches.
During the process, we created multiple versions with variations in element placement, navigation, and content hierarchy. These variations allowed us to explore different ways of addressing user needs and preferences.
After evaluating each version, we chose a design that prioritized simplicity, intuitiveness, and efficiency. This design featured a clean layout with clear navigation, well-organized information, and an emphasis on essential elements like service descriptions, testimonials, and booking.
Our sketches served as a blueprint for the website's final design, helping us visualize and refine the user experience. With these sketches in hand, we moved forward confidently, shaping a seamless and enjoyable user journey from start to finish.
Wireframe
We developed high-fidelity wireframes to visualize the website's structure, layout, and functionality clearly. Using Figma, a versatile design tool, we created an interactive wireframe that allowed us to test and iterate on the design efficiently.
Through usability testing with the wireframes, we found that users appreciated the clean layout and clear organization. However, we identified areas for improvement, such as enhancing navigation and highlighting essential information.
In response to user feedback, we iterated on the wireframe multiple times, refining the design and incorporating user suggestions. Each iteration brought us closer to our goal of creating a user-friendly, minimalist website that reflects the brand essence and delivers a smooth, enjoyable experience for all visitors.
To view the Service page in more detail, click here!
To view the Home Page in more detail, click here!
UI Style Tile and Guide Development
Our UI style design embraced a professional and light visual approach, aiming to establish a welcoming and soothing atmosphere for users.
While we didn't strictly follow specific design guidelines, we sought inspiration from prevalent design patterns and best practices. By prioritizing usability and accessibility, our design aimed to meet the diverse needs of our users.
We integrated user feedback and preferences at every stage, resulting in a final design that truly represents our users. The professional yet approachable visual style, soothing color palette, and clear typography collectively contribute to a seamless and pleasant user experience.
By emphasizing crucial elements such as testimonials, we addressed the users' need for trust and credibility, ultimately creating a design that deeply resonates with our target audience.
To view the UI Style Guide in more detail, click here!
To view the UI Style Tile in more detail, click here!
Usability User Testing Plan: Enhancing Website Experience
Our main goal was to create a user-friendly navigation and gather valuable feedback to enhance the skincare website. Through our guerrilla usability testing, participants provided useful insights into the website's navigation.
Task #1: Homepage Evaluation
Participants browsed the homepage and shared their thoughts on layout and content organization. Their feedback included suggestions for rearranging sections and improving footer spacing.
Task #2: Services Exploration
Participants explored the services section and shared insights on pricing clarity, image inclusion, and dropdown menu optimization. Their input helped us identify areas for improvement in presenting service details.
“ separate the price from the service to make it easier to read, add pictures”
“ Drop down is too small, likes having a big title section”
“ the "about me" should be higher up on the page instead of the bottom page”
Solution Implementation:
Based on user feedback, we implemented the following solutions:
Rearranged homepage content to prioritize essential information
Adjusted footer spacing and improved visibility of business hours
Moved the "About Me" section higher on the homepage
Separated prices from services for better readability
Added images to enhance visual appeal
Optimized the dropdown menu for easier navigation
Iterative Design Process:
Throughout the process, we iterated on the design multiple times, incorporating user suggestions and validating changes with follow-up testing. This iterative approach helped us refine the website and ensure a seamless user experience.
In conclusion, our usability testing plan proved invaluable in gathering user insights and guiding design decisions. By addressing key areas for improvement, we were able to create a website that caters to users' needs and preferences.
Presentation
Group Work - Collaborative Design Phase
In our group project for Waxing and Skincare by Julianna, our team set out to create a user-friendly website by tackling key design challenges. We listened to valuable user feedback to make improvements to various aspects of the site, including the logo, color palette, and images. Our collaborative effort enabled us to build an engaging and visually appealing platform. By addressing these issues directly, we were able to meet our project goals with creativity and determination. These insights led us to embrace the Z method to enhance the website's text and images, making them more appealing and engaging.
Individual Contribution - Final Product Design:
After the design challenge was over, I took it upon myself to further refine and expand the website's functionality and visual elements. To achieve this, I dedicated my time to adding more pages and implementing additional components that would elevate the overall user experience.
To ensure the design's effectiveness, I conducted further user testing and incorporated the feedback I received. Once I made the necessary adjustments, I completed the final design and presented it to the stakeholder, emphasizing the distinction between the work of a web designer and a UX/UI designer.
Key Takeaway & Future Projects
Through our efforts on the Waxing and Skincare by Julianna website, we realized the significance of user input in creating an optimal user experience. Despite making substantial advancements, time constraints limited our ability to fully finish the project as a team. Our high-fidelity prototypes provided valuable feedback; collaboration with the team was crucial for the design's development. Although time constraints restricted us from expanding the website during the design challenge, I recognized the importance of delivering a comprehensive product. As a result, I took the initiative and continued refining and completing the website independently, resulting in a more extensive and polished final design.
Next steps
If given the opportunity to continue this project, I would prioritize:
01
Optimizing the website for mobile devices.
02
Integrating an online booking system.
03
Develop engaging and informative content to attract and retain visitors.
04
Set up analytics tools to track website performance and user behavior.
My advice to the designer following me would be to maintain open communication with the team and prioritize user feedback in all aspects of the design process.
Growing as a Designer
Throughout this project, I developed new skills in:
Effective communication and collaboration with a design team
Balancing time constraints with design goals while maintaining a user-centric approach
Navigating team dynamics and addressing uneven workload distribution
One significant challenge we faced was working with a team member who consistently failed to meet expectations despite clear communication and task allocation. We offered assistance and support but ultimately had to redistribute the workload among the remaining team members. I communicated to the team that consequences would be in place for those who fail to meet expectations, including reduced work assignments and credit for the project. This experience has shown me the importance of being transparent and setting clear expectations from the beginning of a project. It has also taught me that making tough decisions, like adjusting the workload distribution, is sometimes essential to ensure the success of a project.
Research Insights and References
For a more in-depth look at our research process, findings, and tools, please explore the following resources: