PROJECT OVERVIEW
THE PRODUCT
A responsive website to help wine lovers and “foodies” find the perfect pairings to meals.
THE PROBLEM
Consumers, wine lovers, and “foodies” enjoy pairing wines that enhance their meals. They aim to create layers of flavor and texture to make dishes a superior experience to consume. It is frustrating to consumers to find the right pairing through trial and error.
THE GOAL
The goal was to create a responsive website that would allow users to find the perfect pairings to delicious meals curated by sommeliers and to provide information about different wines. A secondary goal was to create a community of pairing enthusiasts to share knowledge on the subject and upcoming events.
DATE
June 2022
ROLE
Lead UX/ UI | Visual Designer
RESPONSIBILITIES
Wireframing, designing, and prototyping responsive website
RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES
USER RESEARCH
SUMMARY
We needed to find out if the primary user experience locating pairings and finding information about the sommeliers was easy and if users were finding the information on the website helpful. Therefore, the client tested the usability and desirability of a website that would provide that information. We wanted to understand the specific challenges that users might face in understanding pairings, searching and locating the right wine for their dish. The client conducted research with these goals in mind and based on those, I created empathy maps to further understand the use of the Paircraft website, and the user’s pain points that needed to be addressed.
USER RESEARCH | PAIN POINTS
USER JOURNEY MAP
The goal was to understand the user’s pain points. In order to do this, I focused on three main issues: 1) finding the perfect pairing to a dish, 2) Making it clear which were the perfect matching wines for each meal by offering a wine card, 3) Giving the users information on where to buy the wines for the perfect pairing. We iterated the user flow many times after a series of usability research studies.
PAPER WIREFRAMES
Goals:
- Build a website that is intuitive and easy to use
- Solve user’s pain points when it comes to searching, matching, and buying wines to pair with their dishes.
Thought process:
- Identify key pain points
- Address those pain points and learn more about what users need/want in order to build a successful, informative easy-to-use website.
DIGITAL WIREFRAMES
Being able to scroll through the different pairings makes it easier for the user to identify the dish and pairing that they want to select. The navigation menu allows for easy login, sign-up, and access to free sampling of dishes and info on the sommeliers. In order to save users time, I built a grid design for easy scrolling, a clear menu, and an easy-to-find call-to-action button to sign up for membership.
DIGITAL WIREFRAMES
Goal:
Making it easy for users to identify options and to sign up for membership.
Thought process: In order to save users time, I built a grid design for easy scrolling, a clear menu, and an easy-to-find call-to-action button to sign up for membership.
LOW-FIDELITY PROTOTYPE
The goal was to understand the user’s pain points. In order to do this, I focused on the three main issues which were: 1) easily finding a perfect pairing for a dish, 2) finding the perfect match for the dish, 3) buying the perfect pairing wine for the dish
MOCKUPS
Early designs included an explanation of the processes used to select the perfect pairing, however, based on the insights from the usability study, I made changes to improve the user experience. One of the major changes I made was to highlight the different pairings on the homepage for the users to understand what they were getting if they signed up for the membership. The “call to action” button was placed on the right-hand corner of the website to facilitate sign-up.
HI-FIDELITY PROTOTYPE
ACCESSIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS
TAKEAWAYS
IMPACT
The Paircraft Website was designed to provide perfect wine pairings to enhance dishes. The goal was to fulfill the user’s needs and resolve their pain points with an informative website that is easy to use and that will make the task efficient and friendly.
WHAT I LEARNED
Throughout the project, I learned that users want fast access to the information that they are looking for. Understanding and acknowledging biases will help us create products that are excellent in providing user-centered and effective experiences.