Item no.

01 Defining the problem

Due to the pressures of other online retailers and the growing use of mobile devices in ecommerce customer journeys, Target Optical needed to rethink their digital service offering. With other online retailers offering innovative ways to purchase and try their product, customers demanded digital support to experience products before committing. Target needed to offer new services to facilitate an easy experience from phone to home. Target was behind their competition and without an updated product their customers would find what they needed elsewhere.

Item no.

02 Focusing the creative lens

Current site analytics, industry trends, competitive analysis and feature comparisons. In order to define the audiences better I also conducted a series of guerrilla style users interviews to gather information about how people shop for glasses online. I wanted people from three main categories: Needed glasses but hadn't tried online shopping yet, recently looked for glasses online, and just bought glasses online. I had each different audience walk me through their glasses buying experience, the features they liked, and what other sites offered that they found memorable. These insights helped create a new perspective for Target Optical, one that differed from the scope that we had agreed upon at the start of the project. With this information we approached them with a new scope of work that focused on the areas that users identified as most valauble.

* Wireframes and other IXD deliverables were created by me and are available upon request

Finding and surfacing research opportunities

Through the quick creation of some flows and brief diagrams (the client didn't have this in their scope) we came back with some recommendations for where gaps in their and our understanding existed

Important learnings from research

Digital Try-on was useful in determining glasses to try but not a decision point

Indeed everyone had their preferred digital-try on experience with one vendor offering a full 3D app experience with their glasses try-on.

Women often shopped in the men's section for glasses as they complimented their face shapes more than "women's" shapes

This came up more times than you'd think. With this insight we made sure that their new filtering system was built upon "filtered pages" that could be unfiltered so it was easy to add/remove applied search filters

Target's checkout process was the worst part of shopping at Target Optical

This section wasn't in the scope of our project but it was the single-most agreed upon point and one that was reflected in the review of the analytics. This was our main addition to the scope.

Armed with this knowledge we approached the client with a new scope plan, an increase in budget, and a business case as to why it would help them achieve their goals more than other items.

It was successful! With the approval from the client we began tackling the full path to purchase for both desktop and mobile through building out robust wireframes

Item no.

03 Execution & Craft

Target Optical was part of the larger Target brand offering and so couldn't deviate from their parent too much. However, much of their content was unique to their offering and thus required some custom attention beyond what the rest of Target offered their customer base. Using modern design principles, mobile-first thinking, and an emphasis on large product photography, easy filtering, and plenty of marketing and brand opportunities, I created a site that offered better features, cleaner information, and memorable interactions through thoughtful visual decisions and key animtation opportunities.

Hand holding the mobile version of the Target Optical website

Desktop Prototype

Using Invision, a prototype was created to demonstrate basic functionality and context. This a brief walkthrough of some of the core features and content found in the site.

Brand new mobile designs and checkout flow

Mobile was arguably the most important part of this process, however the equity their desktop had built over time and the fact that it was the sole source of their digital business meant that we designed desktop first with mobile in mind. Specific mobile features include a sticky filter bar when on mobile fitlering, full screen glasses try-on, and native-like contact and payment features.

Though Target's styles are well defined, I updated their digital presence with some targeted opportunities like; Custom iconography, modern button sizes and rounded corners, increase in type hierarchy and sizes, and better diversity in nuetral colors against the red.

It wasn't a re-design or a brand update, I used their brand in more modern ways. Stretching where I could, updating where it made sense but not crossing a line where someone might ask, "wait is this Target?"

Mobile Prototype

Using Invision, a mobile prototype was created to demonstrate basic functionality and context. This a brief walkthrough of some of the core features and content found in the site. The prototype was built out using finished visual designs and in-progress screens which were switched out little by little as needed for the creation of components or user stories for testing.

Item no.

04 What did I learn?

Part of my creative process now always includes the validation of the client's assumptions. If validation isn't possible then it should be the tracking and written agreement of assumptions being used to design an experience. These shared assumptions can be used to define the success or lack of success in a project which is helpful when a company or product needs to shift in a new direction. Without an understanding of what items are assumptions during the course of the project the ability to make informed or "mostly informed" decisions along the way is handicapped. This was most evident when we came prepared with a new project scope. We showed how our approach was based on information both quantitative and qualitative which would lead to better results.

Project lessons learned

Some is most always better than none

There is a common belief that research and insights are hard to come by. This is simply not true. Information can be gathered in both complex and simple ways each of which can provide insights or validate assumptions. We often want research to be harder and more time consuming than it actually needs to be.

Good designers provide value even if that means changing the scope and direction of the project

Based on analytics and a heuristics activity I knew the site needed to change their cart and checkout process. I had to sell the proposed direction and help the client see what I was seeing. With the help of the strategist on the project, we built a business case around the change and pitched the new direction. We became strategic partners in that moment.

Seeing is believing. Help the client see early on in the project

There's a pattern in some of the clients we deal with on a daily basis. The project doesn't come together for them until they see tangible evidence of it. There is power in visualizing your ideas to create consensus or pull out new feature requirements.

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The closest I've come to viral

View a selection of my work

Brand, DIgital Concept

Tomato Vine

Mobile App, Visual System, ui/ux

BCBS Customer View

Brand, Digital Concept

Spaced Concept

Responsive Web, Ecommerce,ui/ux

Target Optical

Product Suite, Ui/UX, Brand

Eventus AI

Responsive, Visual System, CMS

Uponor

Responsive, Ui/UX

All Kids Hospital

Digital Concept

Bookawocky

Product, Responsive, Ui/UX

Stratsys Customer Hub

Digital Concept, Motion

Biatain Product Page

Responsive, Ui/UX, Concept

Best Buy Platform

Product, Motion

Wifi Analyzer: Geek Squad

A larger selection of work is available upon request. Projects ranging from creative concepting, motion UI, Design systems, product design, etc.

Web design, Responsive design, Product design

Target Optical responsive re-design

Work done while at ICF Olson / Art Direction / Experience Design

Item no.

01

Defining the problem

Item no.

02

Focusing the creative lens

Finding and surfacing research opportunities

Important learnings from research

Digital Try-on was useful in determining glasses to try but not a decision point

Women often shopped in the men's section for glasses as they complimented their face shapes more than "women's" shapes

Target's checkout process was the worst part of shopping at Target Optical

Item no.

03

Execution & Craft

Desktop Prototype

Brand new mobile designs and checkout flow

Though Target's styles are well defined, I updated their digital presence with some targeted opportunities like; Custom iconography, modern button sizes and rounded corners, increase in type hierarchy and sizes, and better diversity in nuetral colors against the red.

It wasn't a re-design or a brand update, I used their brand in more modern ways. Stretching where I could, updating where it made sense but not crossing a line where someone might ask, "wait is this Target?"

Mobile Prototype

Item no.

04

What did I learn?

Project lessons learned

Some is most always better than none

Good designers provide value even if that means changing the scope and direction of the project

Seeing is believing. Help the client see early on in the project

Check out the live site

Get in touch

Check out my freelance hustle Wattle & Daub

Tell me your favorite kung fu movie or reach out to talk about design

The closest I've come to viral

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