Easing the move-in process for those starting from scratch.

settle in

CONTRIBUTION

User Research, Branding, Prototyping, User Testing

TOOLS USED

Figma, Optimal Workshop, Otter.AI

DURATION

4 weeks (January 2023)

OVERVIEW

settle in is a mobile-first e-commerce website designed to help first-time home movers acquire the essentials. 

PROBLEM

Moving is especially stressful for those about to live on their own for the very first time.

It can feel daunting to know what items one even needs, much less having the time and resources to obtain everything. Establishing a space where one feels prepared and thus “at home” is especially imperative during this major life transition.

THE GOAL

I designed a mobile-first website to ease the move-in process for those starting from scratch, by serving as a one-stop shop for all of the most essential home needs.

The household items are all practical while also aiming to evoke feelings of coziness to help ease the anxious minds of new movers.

I also aimed to eliminate decision fatigue through a small yet carefully-curated selection of items. Unlike traditional e-commerce websites that can feel overwhelming, settle in primarily works off of its streamlined Build-a-Kit feature which guides users from room to room, allowing them to simply select items as they are needed.

MARKET RESEARCH

According to a study conducted by North American Moving Services, 64% of respondents shared that their most recent move was one of the most stressful experiences they’ve ever gone through.

But what makes moving so stressful?

Finding the time and energy to pack amidst a busy schedule

Budgeting for costly expenses (down payment, renting a large truck, hiring movers, etc.)

The emotional toll of change (ie. moving away from family, deciding which belongings to take/part with, etc.)

USER INTERVIEWS

I aimed to understand the nuances of people's experiences with moving.

I sought out those who had either recently moved in the past year, or were currently in the process of moving. A few objectives to help guide my interviews:

Understand the reasons people moved in the first place

Understand what the most stressful part of the moving process was

Understand what obligations people prioritize most throughout their weekly schedule (work, children, etc)

Determine if people utilized outside services and the reasons for why or why not, and if they were worth it

FINDINGS

Many of the insights gathered were fairly predictable and logistic, such as cost concerns and stressors over packing. One particular theme, however, emerged above the rest:

People strongly prioritize feeling comfortable and “at home.”

40% of my participants mentioned this multiple times in conversation. Feeling at home is of most importance to these individuals, and it in some way caused a significant amount of stress during their moving experience. 

THIS PROMPTED THE NORTHSTAR QUESTION:

How might we help someone who is anxious about living alone for the first time feel prepared to handle the new transition?

USER PERSONA: WHO ARE WE DESIGNING FOR?

Meet Alex, the anxious homebody who hopes to quickly ensure that her new home is well-equipped and thus feels like a safe-haven. 

IDEATING

Designing a traditional e-commerce website was out of the question.

Unique problems require unique solutions. With our user in mind, it was important to prioritize simplicity (so as to not further overwhelm), coziness, and feasibility.

Two top-contending ideas emerged:

IDEA #1: ONLINE RE-SALE MARKETPLACE

Just like Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist, users can browse their local area for second-hand home goods.

While items would be lower in cost, decision fatigue could still arise. It would also be difficult to ensure the quality of items.

IDEA #2: HOME GOODS "STARTER KIT"

Users would create their own personalized home “starter kit” from a curated selection of necessary items that intentionally evoke feelings of warmth and coziness.

Users would also be guided from room to room to ensure they do not forget anything.

WINNER!

COMPETITIVE RESEARCH

So, what’s the competition doing?

The central feature I had in mind was inspired by two successful companies in the e-commerce space, BoxFox and Happy Box.

NOW PICTURE THIS...

Alex is excited about moving out for the first time, but she also feels overwhelmed with how much she has to now purchase. Cookware, cleaning supplies, basic decor… not only does the list seem endless, but she also isn’t fully aware of all that she even needs.

Her worries are put to rest once she discovers settle in and the Build-a-Kit feature. Guided from room to room, she can select all the essential home items she needs to get her started. The kit will be delivered straight to her doorstep, ready for her on move-in day.

So, how do users mentally process and categorize items?

CARD SORTING

Conducting a card sorting exercise was crucial to this project. While I had an idea of which items to include, I was unsure how my users would process and categorize them.

A few discrepancies came to light, specifically with items that could either be categorized as “bathroom” or “cleaning.”

LO-FIDELITY & MID-FIDELITY WIREFRAMING

Sketching out ideas first by hand immediately allowed me a better sense of scaling and proportions. 

BRANDING: COLOR PALETTE

Evoking warm, grounding feelings with visual design

Because the moving experience is often stressful for people, my goal was to evoke calming and grounding feelings with the visual design.

It was intentional that the color palette be comprised of earthy tones. The muted green hues are intended to promote feelings of both peace and growth. The warmer tones (golden yellow and burnt orange) feel bright and lively, signifying the excitement and optimism that still also come with moving. 

BRANDING: TYPOGRAPHY

Similar to the thought process behind my color palette choices, I also wanted the typography to feel inviting and friendly. I chose Poppins as it feels open and relaxed. Averia Serif Libre was chosen as a pairing for the major headers on the homepage.

USER TESTING

I tested the product with five end-users, all of whom were in the process of moving or had previously moved in the past year. I informed my participants of the task at hand and gave them a generalized shopping list.

How would success be gauged?

The key metric evaluated was a 100% task completion rate. How intuitive would this flow be?

I also wanted to hear from end-users and discover a few areas for design improvement.

So, what did our users say?

I uncovered five core areas where users ran into issues:

1. Item categorization
60% of users felt “hand soap” should be listed in the Bath section vs. Cleaning

2. Navigation between steps
40% of users had difficulty navigating from one section to the next

3. Radio button touch-size
60% of users struggled with touch-size during check-out

4. Lack of price transparency
40% of users immediately wondered about prices not being listed

5. Choice selection
60% of users expressed desire for greater options/color choices in items

ITERATIONS

What impact did these changes have?

Task completion rate grew by +25%

User satisfaction

PROTOTYPE WALKTHROUGH
TAKEAWAYS

With more time, I would conduct a few more rounds of user testing to discover any deeper issues that may exist.

I would make a few minor adjustments to the UI to better enhance the overall user experience and flow.

Comments or questions? I’d love to hear them.