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Context and the problem
Stockpilz is a website that sells paper. They asked our team to help them with the design of their website. We conducted research in order to understand the flaws of their current website. Then we processed the data and came up with suggestions. We conducted interviews with competitors as well as a usability script analysis of the website, among other methods, which you can find in the report below.
Design Process
Before beginning our research into Stockpilz, we first had to gain some knowledge of the paper industry and what Stockpilz was trying to accomplish with their company. We did this by conducting in-depth interviews and testing usability scripts with paper marketplace companies and people who have an interest in buying paper.
We also conducted a Heuristic Analysis as a group to talk about the initial issues we had with the feel and user interface. We used a combination of Forrester and other best practices websites to create categories we were able to score 1-5, to determine what the problems were and how they affected how the customer navigates the site. The results of this analysis showed a need for improvement in aesthetics and navigation.
Final Solution
After analyzing the data from the research conducted, we made recommendations to improve the User Interface. The following issues were identified:
1.Typography: The current typography makes it difficult to distinguish the hierarchy of the site. It is difficult to distinguish where the site wants your eyes to move based on the size, color, and font of the typography. Recommendation: Use different fonts and make sure everything isn’t the same size which will make the website more navigable.
2.Colors. The colors did not seem appropriate for this type of business. Users thought that the blue and green along with other design aspects did not demonstrate a marketplace for paper, but instead, an organic business. Recommendation: For the color palette we recommend that it be something less green Although there are some colors throughout the website you can keep, users, felt the site needed a neutral color throughout the website. Like the colors, the logo could also be altered to express that it is a marketplace. We recommend that something within the logo expresses change.
3. Flow, Navigation, and Menus. There is not a clear order throughout the site. Users were often confused when trying to navigate the site. The icons are aesthetically good but they lack hierarchy and functionality. The students we tested our usability script on felt it wasn’t clear as to where the consumer should first look based on things like icon size and typography. There are 3 main products and then there are subcategories, which should be rearranged to create easier navigation. Recommendation: To give the website a more ordered feel we thought the site could improve its typography use (not all uppercase and same size), use of boxes, and the overall layout. In terms of the navigation, the 3 main products and subcategories should not be listed on the same line.
The most severe issue was usability in the navigation, therefore we suggested a new Information Architecture for the site. Also, the branding of the company was being applied in a way that it felt forced, so from an aesthetic point of view, we suggested an improvement on the visual design of the interface.
Methodology and tools applied
Heuristic Evaluation, Eye Tracking, In-depth Interviews, Usability Script Analysis, Quantitative Data Collection, Qualitative Data Collection, Competitive Analysis.
VIEW STOCKPILZ UX REPORT