Tyler Y. Designs
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House2Home: Simplifying Home Decorating with Curated Starter Kits
House2Home is a user-friendly application designed to help individuals transform their living spaces effortlessly. By offering curated starter kits tailored to different aesthetics, budgets, and room types, House2Home simplifies the home decorating process for both beginners and experienced decorators.
Date
July 2023
1 Weeks
Project Type
Design sprint project at Springboard
Team & Roles
User research & User interface design
Applications Used
Project Overview
This project was completed as part of a one-week design sprint where we were provided with existing research and a defined problem to solve. Our task was to design an application that included all the necessary features while incorporating our own creative input on what additional functionalities would enhance the user experience. The goal was to ensure a seamless process for users to browse, customize, and purchase home décor kits that align with their style and budget.
Project Parameters
The design had to be for a website rather than a mobile app.
The focus was on decorating homes with small, affordable items rather than full-room makeovers.
Items included in the starter kits had to range between $10-$50 to ensure affordability.
Design Sprint
As part of the one-week design sprint, we followed a structured process to develop the House2Home application:
Day 1
Map
Gather information and identify the problem. Create end-to-end experience for users.
Day 2
Sketch
Conduct lightening demos. Create Crazy 8 sketches. Design a solution sketch.
Day 3
Decide
Create 5-15 sketches also with solution sketch to create a storyboard.
Day 4
Prototype
Create the prototype for the project in Adobe XD.
Day 5
Test
Interview and test 5 users using the prototype.
Problem Statement
When people move into a new home, they often struggle with decorating due to time constraints, budget limitations, or lack of design expertise. Finding cohesive furniture and décor that aligns with their style and budget can be overwhelming, leading to frustration and unfinished spaces. House2Home simplifies this process by offering curated starter kits that match users’ preferences, ensuring a seamless and affordable decorating experience.
Research and Discovery
As part of the design sprint, we were given insights from prior user research and a persona named Ally, which helped guide our decision-making process. These resources provided valuable information on user struggles when moving into a new home, allowing us to determine necessary application features that address common pain points.
User Interviews
"I moved into a new apartment and it was sooo empty, so I wanted to buy some stuff to make it a little more stylish. I knew I needed a few things, but it was hard trying to stick to a budget"- Maria
"I know the 'look' I want, and how I want to feel when I walk in... I just don't really know what products to buy to pull it off."- Deena
"So many items look great in the staged photos - but will they look good in MY living room? You don't really know until you order them and see how they look in the space."- Anna
Persona
Basic Information:
Ally
23 Years Old
Chicago, IL
Goals:
Ally wants to find decorative items in her budget that will give her apartment the look & feel she wants.
Ally wants to give a quick "facelift" to her apartment, without needing to shop for lots of individual items.
Behavior:
Ally graduated college one month ago, and now lives in a small studio in Chicago.
She was really excited to decorate her “own” apartment.
Ally browses Pinterest for ideas on how to decorate her apartment.
Ally puts time aside to shop for decorations but often gets overwhelmed.
Frustrations:
Ally hesitates to buy appealing small items because she's unsure how they'll fit her space.
How can she get a similar look of the inspirations she sees, on a budget?
Ally knows the desired "look" but isn't sure which items to buy for her apartment to achieve it.
Ally wants impactful décor for her apartment without major changes like painting or renovation.
Design
Day 1: Understanding the Problem
Reviewed existing research, analyzed user needs, and identified key challenges. We created "How Might We" questions to determine essential features:
How might we help users visualize their homes with the items?
How might we help users find the perfect starter kit?
How might we help users decide what to put in their homes?
How might we help users find inspiration for interior design?
End-to-end User Journey
Day 2: Scoping out Inspiration/Competition
Researched competitors to identify key features and differentiators. Created Crazy 8 sketches to ideate potential screens, followed by sketching a critical screen and its navigation flow.
Havenly
This website has more luxurious and expensive items.
It has a style quiz and explore section where users can test which style best fits them.
The ability to consult a designer and ask them for their opinion.
IKEA Planning/Kreativ
IKEA is well-known budget friendly brand that many new young homeowners use.
The IKEA Planning is used to book appointments with a designer.
IKEA Kreativ uses augmented reality where users can scan a QR code to access the app.
They offer an interior design service to help with interior design.
Has a large collection of images to use as inspiration.
Community driven with comments and collections.
Ecommerce is integrated into the website where users can sell their own products.
Crazy 8 Sketches
We kicked off with an eight-minute sketching challenge, creating eight rapid concepts to explore different functionalities of our website. This exercise pushed us to think quickly under pressure while visualizing key features such as augmented reality, an AI assistant, and both curated and custom starter kits.
Critical Screens
Building on our initial sketches, we identified three critical screens that best represented our application’s core functionality. In just one minute per sketch, we created a three-panel presentation highlighting our most essential features: augmented reality, curated starter kits, and custom starter kits. This exercise helped us focus on the most impactful aspects of the user experience.
Day 3: Creating the Story
Storyboard
With a solid foundation in place, we shifted our focus to storytelling. Using the user flow as a guide, we developed a 10-panel storyboard to visually map out the experience. These sketches illustrated how users navigate through the app, showcasing different interactions, options, and key features. The storyboard helped us refine the overall flow and ensure seamless integration between screens.
Day 4: Sketches Come to Life
We bring our story to life by transforming our sketches into high-fidelity wireframes that directly address the challenges identified earlier. This marks our first experience working with Adobe XD, introducing an added layer of complexity given the tight timeframe. These wireframes serve as the first iteration of our design, integrating all planned features and ideas for the application.
Your very own curated kit
Question: How might we help users find the perfect starter kit?
Extensive list of starter kits based on themes, moods, color, and other factors.
Personalized list of items displayed to help make a decision.
Picture it in your home
Uses Augmentative Reality to help display the different items in the room.
Users can use an AI to help create a kit or they can create their own.
Users can the Augmented Reality page to quickly decide and add items without wasting much time.
Extensive but Affordable
Question: How might we help users find the perfect starter kit?
Large inventory of items and categories.
Many starter kits, based on emotions, themes and anything else the users can think of.
Items are affordable, perfect for new home owners.
Indecisive? It's Okay, We're Here
Question: How might we help users find inspiration for interior design?
Curated starter kits that are interchangable.
Large inspiration section, gathering ideas from all over the internet.
Create custom kits using A.I.
Day 5: The Last Stretch
We conducted usability testing with five users, each representing a diverse range of ages, careers, and technological backgrounds. Our goal was to ensure the application was accessible to all users, regardless of their experience level.
To gather valuable insights, we assigned six key tasks for users to complete:
Change the picture frame in the interactive page
Navigate to the inspiration page
Add a custom kit to the cart
Find the fourth object in the kit
Navigate to the custom kit page
Navigate to the cart
As users navigated through these tasks, we observed their interactions, identified pain points, and noted areas for improvement based on their feedback.
Insights and Observation
Anthony Liang
Category menu or something that helps navigate
Struggle to see some pages because there is no navigation to pages (category).
Evan Liu
Hard to navigate throughout page and it is a little confusing
Took time on each page to try and look at what to click
Maybe add back button
Sabrina Wong
Add a back button
Confusing on what to click, maybe something that can help better (easier buttons and sections)
Add a menu for everything and easy navigation
Irvin Sutton
No sense of direction when navigating through pages
Make pages more clear
Have back button
Henry Garcia
Add a back button
Fix the title that leads to interactive and not custom
Maybe add a small menu either next to cart and profile or under header like clothing pages.
Final Solutions & Takeaways
Final Solution
Based on insights and observations from user testing, we made several changes to improve the House2Home experience:
Participants encountered difficulties accessing specific pages and experienced challenges navigating the entire website.
Added clearer navigation elements to ensure users can seamlessly browse through different sections.
Participants also discussed having a back button where they can click to navigate to the previous page.
Implemented a visible and accessible back button for improved navigation.
Key features include:
Curated Starter Kits
Pre-designed kits based on aesthetic, budget, and room type.
Professional recommendations for a cohesive look.
Customizable Kits
Option for users to swap or remove items.
Price and style filters for personalization.
Interactive Room Planner
Augmented reality (AR) preview for virtual placement of furniture.
Drag-and-drop functionality to visualize layout.
Community & Expert Advice
User-generated inspiration boards and shared designs.
Q&A forums with interior designers.
Final Solutions
Prototype
Takeaways and Next Steps
Simpler is Better Sometimes
From our last project, we aimed to incorporate more artwork, but sometimes, excessive visuals can distract users from key features. Maintaining a balance is crucial for creating an optimal project.
There Needs to Feel Like a Flow of Direction
Users may feel disoriented when using an application or website, leading to frustration, which is undesirable. It's crucial for pages to guide users effectively through text, images, and other forms of communication. Our aim is to create a user-friendly experience to ensure convenience in achieving their goals or tasks.
Time Management & Efficiency
This design sprint pushed my limits and reinforced the importance of effective time management. Sometimes, there isn’t enough time to execute every idea, so prioritization is key.
I realized that simpler might be better in some cases, such as replacing complex backgrounds with more minimal designs.
Creating a clear sense of direction in my projects is crucial, ensuring that users feel guided throughout their journey in the application.
Next Steps:
House2Home successfully provides an all-in-one decorating solution for new homeowners and renters. Future updates could include:
AI-driven design recommendations.
Enhanced AR capabilities for real-time visualization.
Expanded product offerings with more customizable kit options.