Project Overview
This project was a my first UX/UI project as it was a part of the application to Berghs School of Communication. The task was to choose a well-established company with a strong brand and redesign their website. The challenge lied in maintaining the strong brand character while improving user-friendliness of the design.
Brief
I chose Ganni, a Danish fashion brand, embodies a unique twist on 'Scandi-style' with a strong visual identity. The reason I picked Ganni's website, was because it is a forward-thinking and modern platform that, while vibrant and dynamic, may benefit from enhanced user-friendliness. The challenge lied in improving usability without compromising the brand's bold expression. Ganni primarily targets young adult women who resonate with playful yet elegant self-expression.
My Contributions
My process involved research by five interviews with individuals from Ganni's target audience to identify potential improvement suggestions. Respondents provided feedback on Ganni's website, focusing on the homepage, product categories, and product presentations. The original design's first page was perceived as: "Cluttered, large images provide no overall impression", "Feels like a magazine, where should one click?", and “I find it annoying to scroll so much on the website.”. The interviews were complemented by insights from usability expert Steve Krug, design principles by Benyon for a human-centered user experience, and classic design principles by Bergström for effective visual communication. Some key insights from the research were: that the website is difficult to navigate and that it's challenging for users to obtain a comprehensive view, creating a sense of clutter.
My homepage design presents a clear layout with product categories, popular items, and a CTA button inviting visitors to explore Ganni's spring collection. Users can navigate discreetly to a product category through a more subtle menu, where the title is retained for navigation. Exploring products illustrates selectable colors instead of the text "1 COLOR(S)." as it was before. The new layout also allows the user to browse images of the product, and clicking on a product provides a clear product presentation along with similar and recently viewed items.
All design proposals prioritize clarity to highlight functionality and ensure an improved user experience while inspiring visitors with Ganni's vibrant character. Iterative testing with individuals from Ganni's target audience has refined the design based on feedback, resulting in a well-received user experience. In contrast to the original design, the redesigned solution has been given feedback like "a simple user experience with easier navigation." Thus, testing the design proposals has contributed to creating a secure and clear website in a time of constant change.
