Ecolife
An online store dedicated to making sustainable living accessible by offering eco-friendly homeware products.
challenges
Starting from Scratch: Eco-Life was a new concept with no prior platform, requiring a complete UX design process from the ground up.
Target Audience Needs: Eco-conscious shoppers desire an intuitive shopping experience that aligned with their sustainable values and provided detailed product information.
Establishing Credibility: As a new brand, it is critical to build user trust by clearly communicating Eco-Life’s sustainability mission and ethical practices.
Business Goals: The objective was to create a platform that engaged users, highlighted the unique value of eco-friendly products, and provided a seamless user experience.
solutions
Intuitive Navigation: Designed a user-friendly site structure with clear categories and filters to help users find products effortlessly.
Engaging Product Pages: Included detailed sustainability information, icons for eco-certifications, and clear calls-to-action to educate and encourage purchases.
Streamlined User Flow: Created an optimised user journey from landing page to checkout, focusing on clarity and simplicity.
Mobile-First Design: Ensured the platform worked seamlessly on mobile to meet the growing needs of on-the-go users.
Educational Resources: Introduced a "Sustainability Hub" to provide tips on eco-friendly living, positioning Eco-Life as a thought leader in the space.
My process began with market research to understand the competitive landscape and the expectations of eco-conscious consumers. I analysed leading eco-friendly brands, uncovering common design patterns and features that resonated with this audience. Alongside this, I developed user personas based on hypothetical customer needs, such as prioritising transparency and valuing ease of use.
To guide the platform’s structure, I created a sitemap and user flows, ensuring clarity and simplicity from the outset. These were tested and refined through feedback sessions with peers to validate their usability. Lo-fi wireframes were then created, followed by high-fidelity prototypes, which incorporated a clean, modern aesthetic that reflected Eco-Life’s brand values. Accessibility was a key consideration, with contrast-checked designs and a focus on inclusive navigation.
Finally, I conducted usability testing with four participants who were guided through key tasks like product discovery and checkout. Their feedback validated the design decisions and informed refinements before finalising the prototype. Tools like journey mapping and competitor benchmarking shaped the process, ensuring the design aligned with both user needs and business goals.
01
A standard benchmarking excercise was undertaken to compare the current competitor offerings and assess the market-fit.
02
Conducted usability tests for analysing competitor apps/websites so as to understand how users are feeling by using their products and platform.
03
Before surveying potential customers, I did some qualitative research to get an idea of the success factors that needed to be prioritised.
04
Analysing the user responses and listing the user wants helped inform the sitemap and visualisation of page content.
05
I created the low fidelity wireframes after taking into account the core user needs and establishing 3-4 personas.
06
After continued research and benchmarking, I finalised the brand UI to reflect eco-conscious values through clean, modern, and nature-inspired aesthetics.
wrap up
Quantitative Results:
Initial testing indicated high success rates (93%) for completing key tasks, such as finding products and navigating the checkout process.
Participants spent an average of 30% longer engaging with product pages compared to earlier prototypes.
Qualitative Outcomes:
Positive feedback included comments like, “The little touches such as the certification icons feel trustworthy – the prototypes are professional and seamless.”
Testers appreciated the transparency of sustainability details and the additional resources in the Sustainability Hub.
Lessons Learned:
Establishing trust early through clear communication and transparency is crucial for new eco-focused brands.
Future usability testing could explore the placement of these messages, as well as further refinements to the filtering system and ease of check-out.
Next Steps:
Exploring personalised product recommendations and user accounts for improved engagement.
A/B testing homepage layouts to optimise conversions further.
Continued focus on gathering post-launch feedback for ongoing improvements.
