RESEARCH, PROTOTYPING AND TESTING | 2023 | STUDIO PROJECT
Refining the patterns of grocery shopping
DURATION
3 week Purdue UXD Studio Project
ROLE
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Grocery stores use the "racetrack" design to force customers to walk the perimeter, increasing sales of frequently purchased items. Though profitable, this can frustrate customers.
My aim was to understand the mental model of a grocery shopper and design an experience that would maximize the positive and empowering embodied interactions, while also considering the tradeoffs of using technology in the store which would affect the current store monetization techniques.
UX designer in a team of 4 designers from Purdue University.
DESIGN OUTCOME
6A service design prototype of the proposed product's final design vision.
WHAT I DID
Contextual inquiries, task flows, hi-fi prototypes, sketching, experience prototyping, user testing, design iterations
PROBLEM DISCOVERY
What problem am I trying to solve?
Understanding the needs of a contemporary grocery shopper
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Grocery stores have been slow to adopt visible technological innovation. They use the "racetrack" design to force customers to walk the perimeter, which increases sales but also causes frustration among the customers
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Current customer assistance methods, including store signage and app features, often lack specificity and accessibility, while reliance on store associates limits independent problem-solving for customers.
SOLUTION
Introducing the concept of a "Smart Cart"
Haptic Feedback on the cart handle for easier navigation and accessibility
On-screen navigation, store map, checkout and barcode scanner
Smart cart in kiosk form for basket shoppers
Seamless Shopping Journey: Search, Discover, Navigate, and Save!
Shoppers can -
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Search for an item in the search bar
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Check out the ongoing offers and discounts in the store
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Use the map icon to navigate directly to the store map if they don't want to use the search feature
Effortless Store Interaction: Zoom In, Discover Deals, Personalized Suggestions
Shoppers can -
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Tap on the map to zoom in on the location
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Check out the ongoing offers and discounts in the store
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Look at the suggestions related to the item they have searched for
A Smarter Navigation: Explore Aisles, Sections, and Smart Cart Integration
Shoppers can -
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Move the map around to see where the aisle is located
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Choose various sections within the store like 'Deli', 'Pharmacy', 'Restroom' etc.
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Choose the 'Start Navigation' option to connect the Smart Cart
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Select the "How to use cart navigation" option whenever they need help
Convenient Navigation Options: Read, Return to Map, and Resume Cart Navigation
Shoppers can -
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Read through the instructions
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Go back to the map screen
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Come back to Cart Navigation in between navigation
Informative Store Carousel: Displaying Offers and Promotions
When the shopper does not want to use the smart cart feature at all, a screen saver displays on the cart like a carousel with offers from around the store.
If shoppers opt for a basket or intend to make quick purchases, they can seamlessly interact with the Kiosk screen
So...how did I get here?
METHODS : SECONDARY RESEARCH, INTERVIEWS AND CONTEXTUAL INQUIRIES
I investigated the shopper's in-store search behaviors, categorizing shopper types, examining the adoption of smart carts, and exploring embodied interactions
I conducted 4 Contextual Inquiries
- observing shoppers' movements and patterns in grocery stores, and noting any encountered challenges.
and 3 User Interviews
- carried out to understand shoppers' decision-making processes, grocery list organization, and how these influence their in-store navigation strategies.
From our contextual inquiries and observations, we found that customers primarily use digital or paper shopping lists and visit the store weekly or as needed. They typically remember aisle numbers for regular purchases, use the store app, or seek staff assistance for locating items. Frustrations arise from store layout changes, scattered items, and product unavailability. Interestingly, customers often prioritize quality over price, occasionally visiting other stores, and impulse buying is triggered by discounts and strategically placed items near checkout.
These insights paired with our secondary research findings allowed us to determine that the most prominent issue is -
Finding the desired items in the store
IDEATION
Narrowing the problem frame
PROBLEM/OPPORTUNITY SPACE 01
“How might we reduce customer frustrations about navigating the store and finding what they need?”
It was important to help regular shoppers find the items that they need in a quick manner without making them explore the entire grocery store and run through it.
Looking up items on the screen attached to the smart cart
Search results with the option to navigate to the aisle
PROBLEM/OPPORTUNITY SPACE 02
“How can we enable better customer engagement with the store’s paid promotions and general catalog?”
Integrating paid promotions/store offers and discounts into the platform to ensure customer engagement and expand their purchase options, simultaneously benefiting the business
Offers section access on every screen
Offers and discounts as a screensaver for the cart screen
PROBLEM/OPPORTUNITY SPACE 03
“How can customers engage with the store in an embodied manner and how can we encourage this in our solution?”
Haptic feedback provides nuanced guidance for users, akin to verbal directions in a tangible form, facilitating navigation at the user's pace while maintaining clear objectives in the grocery store
Developing the idea
PROBLEM/OPPORTUNITY SPACE 04
“What about shoppers who are at the store for a quick grocery run?”
We recognized the need to cater to customers with minimal purchases through the introduction of Kiosks in each supermarket section, providing item searches, aisle details, offers, advertisements, brand suggestions, and store navigation
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Kiosks as a solution for the edge case scenario of minimal purchases
TESTING
Let's see if this works
Users quickly understood the trolley device and kiosk due to their familiarity with grocery store apps.
Users were initially confused by the haptic feedback, but later understood that it conveyed direction with a little more explanation from us
Users had positive feedback on the "suggested items" on the device screensaver, as it informed them about availability and sales/promotions.
REFLECTION
Taking a step back, I now know
During iteration, we identified limitations in our design that would be addressed with more time.
Enhancing Accessibility in Design
Haptic feedback is not easily usable by those with touch sensitivity issues. Adding headset adapters or cart speakers for the hard of hearing could improve this limitation.
Enhanced Personalization and Data Insights
For those uncomfortable with the screen, allow pairing of phones to the cart for shopping list upload and potential for personalized product recommendations and loyalty benefits. This creates opportunities for the store to understand shopping behaviors and pair them with other demographic information.
Mitigating Cognitive Overload
Kiosk map creates a heavy cognitive load for users as it requires map reading and memorization skills to find searched items.