Figma
InVision
SOFTWARE USED
The aim of this project was to enhance the user experience (UX) of the Pretty Little Thing website and mobile app in order to increase user engagement, improve conversion rates, and boost overall customer satisfaction. The project involved conducting user research, redesigning key elements of the user interface (UI), and implementing the new design.
PrettyLittleThing (PLT) is a UK-based fast-fashion retailer, aimed at 16-35 year-old women. PLT has rapidly grown into one of the biggest online womenswear brands, working strategically with celebrities and influencers.
While Pretty Little Thing emphasises a customer-centric approach, digital users, including many of my friends, have voiced concerns and encountered usability issues while navigating through Pretty Little Thing's website and app. This inspired me to assess the online platform of Pretty Little Thing and seek avenues for enhancing the website, all while staying true to their existing brand ethos and creative vision.
Identify pain points and usability issues in the current e-commerce website.
Develop a user-centric design that promotes easy navigation and a seamless shopping experience.
Enhance visual aesthetics and improve the overall appeal of the website.
Optimise the checkout process to reduce cart abandonment rates.
Increase customer trust and credibility through improved UI and visual consistency.
From my research, I found that good UX is essential in e-commerce.
Think with Google found that 62% of users were less likely to purchase from a brand they've had a negative mobile experience.
In the UK, 67% of online purchases during the 3rd quarter of 2021 were made on smartphones- Statista.
63% of mobile users abandoned a product or site at least once due to mobile usability issues- Baymard Institue.
Due to COVID-19, I found that several shoppers reported changing their habits due to the pandemic. However, convenience outranked COVID-19 as a critical factor, accounting for a part of online buying.
34% of users shopped online as they were cautious of COVID-19
64% of users shop online for convenience
Competitor Analysis
User Surveys
KEY FINDINGS
✅ Majority of respondents shop online for ease, convenience, ease and efficiency
📲Most respondents prefer shopping on mobile rather than desktop
😵💫57% of respondents said they sometimes felt overwhelmed due to the amount of choice
😩64% of users raised concerns about the lack of information on the product page when shopping online
👍🏾87% of respondents like styling and product recommendations
✖️57% of respondents do not find the “sort” filter effective
Interviews
Main Insights
Difficulty navigating the help/support page: Participants expressed they did not find the page helpful and were left more confused when they attempted to use it. Participants mentioned they would rather use social media to receive help than use the PLT interface.
Viewing out-of-stock items: All participants expressed this frustration and felt it was a waste of their time to be viewing items they could not purchase.
Lack of information on product pages: Participants expressed there isn’t enough information or visuals on product pages to make a decision if they want to purchase a product or not.
Overwhelmed by the number of items when shopping online: All participants mentioned feeling overwhelmed when shopping due to scrolling through items for a long period of time and not being able to find specific items because a lot of items PLT sells are under similar names
Difficulty navigating the wishlist: Participants who regularly use the wishlist feature, expressed frustrations when navigating the page
How Might We Questions
Ideation
Mindmap
Crazy 8'S and AB Testing
Mid-Fidelity Wireframes
Testing + Improvements
Final Design
The Style Guide
Accessibility
Design Principles
Jakob's Law:
Implementing Jakob's law allowed me to implement improvements that create familiarity for users whilst navigating the websites, as the user flow is similar to competitor sites. Analysing competitors' sites helped me to understand what features users value. According to the user interview results, users value a drop-down menu and filters to sort through products, hence why these features were implemented in the design.
Hicks Law:
Implementing Hick's Law allowed me to reduce decision-making time by minimising choices across the page. On the homepage, shortcuts to each product category were added to create progressive onboarding to minimise cognitive load for new users.
Miller's Law:
Implementing Miller's Law allowed me to organise content into smaller chunks, which is beneficial for the users as it allows them to process, memorise and understand information quickly. I have organised content on product pages into smaller chunks (reviews, product information) to correspond to this law.
The entire process, from start to finish, was thoroughly enjoyable. Witnessing the amount of thought and care that goes into UX/UI design is truly unique.
Throughout this case study, I've gained valuable insights and am proud of the overall quality of my designs. I successfully created solutions that addressed the user's problem while staying true to PLT's core brand identity.
Looking back, if given more time, I would love to delve deeper into this brief. Implementing A/B testing and usability testing to gather user feedback would be immensely beneficial in understanding how specific elements of the user experience influence behaviour. Additionally, conducting face-to-face interviews would provide valuable data for further development.
