UX/UI Design
Purdys UX Case Study
Discovering and redesigning UX issues on Purdys website
Tools
Adobe Photoshop
Usability Hub
Google Forms
Duration
3 weeks
Date
Feb 2020
*This is a BCIT school project completed with Thanh Q and Gloria Z.
Problem
By conducting a UX study on Purdys website, I discovered users have difficulty registering for Purdys fundraiser program and finding the cost of bulk ordering custom chocolate gifts on the website.
Solution
Based on observations from the usability tests and user feedback, I redesigned the task flow for registering as a fundraiser with Purdys to improve ease of use.
Persona
We started the project by exploring the website and getting familiar with its functions and features. Then we asked ourselves - who would likely use the site based on the services available on it?
We came up with 3 user types:
- Soccer parents who sell Purdys chocolate for fundraisers
- Corporate employers and employees who use Purdys chocolate as business gifts or for company fundraising initiatives
- Event planners who bulk order Purdys chocolates for special events
I only included the soccer parent persona, which I prepared.
Usability Testing
After coming up with the personas, we wanted to know how easy it is for these users to accomplish tasks specific to them on the website. I tailored some of the usability tests to these users, as you can see below:
Test 1
How easy is it for these users to find the group savings tab?
Task
We asked users to click on where they think the group savings link is using a first click test.
Test 2
How easily can they find the bulk order price of custom chocolate gifts?
Task
We asked users to find the price of 500 boxes of custom chocolate gifts.
Test 3
How easily can parents or corporate workers sign up for fundraising campaigns?
Task
We asked users to register as a new seasonal fundraiser.
Test Participant Profile
Ideally, we would invite test participants who fit our personas. We made do by testing on 5 BCIT Business and Media students. They were between the ages 18 - 35. Three females, two males.
Test Results
Based on the usability test results, most users had trouble completing the tasks.
Test 1 Result
Only 40%, or 2 out of 5 of the users found and clicked on the group savings link
Test 2 Result
Only 20% or 1 out of 5 of the users found the price for 500 boxes of custom chocolate gift boxes
Test 3 Result
Only 20% or 1 out of 5 of the users was able to register as a seasonal fundraiser
User Feedback
After conducting the usability tests, we asked the test participants to answer some post-test questions about their experience on the website. A few important takeaways from this survey are:
- Overall impression score 60%
- Several participants suggested a clearer navigation and labeling system, which is in line with a separate heuristic analysis I conducted on the website.
Redesigning the Fundraiser Section
Based on observations from the usability tests and user feedback, I redesigned the task flow for registering as a fundraiser with Purdys.
Task Flow – Before
Task Flow – After
Changes start at step 2. Step 1 is the same as before.
Recommendations for the Custom Chocolate Section
- Clicking on the Custom section in the main navigation should direct users to a page where they can see the other subsidiary options available (Custom Mix Gift boxes, Corporate Gifting, Weddings & Anniversaries)
- Put a pricing table on the page so users don’t have to dig through a pdf catalogue
- The whole custom section could be an interactive feature that lets users customize and order the chocolate gifts online, without going through a catalogue and contacting the Purdy’s sales team to place an order
Reflections
More User Testing
In the future, I would test the redesigned fundraiser section and see if there’s an improvement in ease of use. For example, can most users complete the task? Is there a significant decrease in the time taken to complete the task compared to the current stats? Is the experience easy and intuitive, or is it still a struggle?
Limit Participant Response Types
I would limit the type of responses participants can give depending on the post-test question. For example, one participant typed “sometimes” as an answer to the question “how often do you do online shopping?”. This answer is not very informative because it’s ambiguous – does she mean weekly or monthly? We don’t know.
