My Framer Site

CONTEXT

A Hypothetical UX project, using real world participants to conduct my research and gain insights for the projects goals

ROLE

User Analysts

UX/UI Design

User Analysts, UX/UI Design

TIMELINE

1 Month, 2025

PROBLEM

Most e-commerce platforms fail to cater the unique needs of small businesses

This problem hinders the businesses development to expand their investment long-term.

Users, lack the option to support their local businesses due to other services providing a better online platform approach.

WHAT I ACCOMPLISHED

Bridging the gap between business owners and users.

Users felt a clear sense of connection towards the app, retaining the community feel whilst allowing them to familiarise themselves with the convention on an app

Providing options for multiple delivery services. This approach benefited the small businesses by offering convenience, flexibility, and enhanced collaboration.

Key Takeaways

Convenience drives engagement

A digital product can attract more customers by making online ordering easier and more accessible.

discovery matters

Many customers don’t realise how close the store is—adding a location feature could help drive foot traffic.

loyalty

A quick reordering option based on past purchases would make returning customers more likely to buy again.

transparency builds trust

A tracking feature would keep both the store and customers informed, improving the overall experience.

Local connections are valuable

Helping users discover nearby small businesses could strengthen the local economy.

Customer expectations are evolving.

As convenience becomes a priority, digital solutions can help small businesses stay competitive.

How did I get to my outcome?

Breaking down the issue

After conducting my research, I aimed to refine both user and store owner pain points and goals, validating my assumptions while considering business needs and measuring potential outcomes.

Problem Statement

Small business owners struggle to attract new customers and gain visibility in a competitive market.

User Needs

Increased brand exposure and the ability to attract new customers through a digital product.

How Might We?

How might we help store owners gain more exposure and drive new customer acquisition through a digital platform?

KPI (s)

New users who visit the app and make a first purchase.

Customer acquisition rate from usability testing to track new user engagement and conversion.

Problem Statement

Customers often have difficulty discovering local businesses and accessing convenient features for shopping.

User Needs

Easy access to nearby businesses, a seamless shopping experience, and quick reordering of favourite items.

How Might We?

How might we make it easier for customers to discover nearby businesses, shop seamlessly, and quickly reorder their favourite items?

KPI (s)

Increase in repeat purchases, higher engagement with nearby store listings, and reduced time to complete a transaction.

SECONDARY RESEARCH

Before touching anything design related. I wanted to dive into

the psychology and motivations behind goal setting.

Before touching anything design related. I wanted to dive into the psychology and motivations behind goal setting.

Main Assumption - why is an app so important for store owners who own a small business?

85x

Users spend 85x more time on mobile apps than they do in mobile browsers.

26% of consumers start their search on branded apps

Zudu

85%

89%

85% of consumers prefer to shop in a mobile app instead of browser

Apps account for 89% of mobile media time

Adobe Experience Cloud

mobile apps offer small UK-based businesses a plethora of opportunities to enhance visibility, engage customers, streamline operations, and drive revenue growth.

Sw Londoner

Key Takeaways

Mobile application choice

Through the research insights, creating a mobile app deemed the most viable outcome

Customisation and Flexibility

Ensuring the users have a variety of options to explore their needs

Ease of use

Focus on a clean UI, simple onboarding, and minimal learning curve to attract

non-tech-savvy users.

Focus on a clean UI, simple onboarding, and minimal learning curve to attract

non-tech-savvy users.

Value preposition

Secondary research provided valuable insights to reassure store owners that the app would successfully address their pain points and benefit their business.

Potential Cons to Consider

Research showed a massive positive response, but it was important to emphasise that the app is a long-term investment, driving higher retention rates over time rather than immediate results.

A seat at the table

Small UK businesses can adapt to a mobile-driven world, creating a 'reach and retain' model to drive long-term success.

USER SURVEY

Interviewing the Users

I conducted a usability survey with six participants (18–58) to ensure the product meets diverse needs. Their feedback helped refine the design, making it more accessible and user-friendly for a broad audience.

100%

Would like to see who they are buying from

50%

Preferred

shopping online

80%

Would like to see offers

on the app

80%

Prefer to

shop daily

Questions Asked

How often do you shop at local stores?

Do prefer shopping online or in person?

What is your preferred payment option?

Preferred method reviewing orders?

What would encourage you to buy from a store online instead of going in person?

What features would you like on the app?

Mindset

Try to understand why they prefer a specific method in their shopping experience

Validating what service works best for the users ei. delivery or pick up in person.

Identifying the most valuable features to prioritise, guiding the development of an MVP that aligns with user needs.

USER INTERVIEW

Interviewing the Store Owner

“A digital product can significantly benefit local businesses by attracting more customers and meeting the growing demand for convenience, such as online ordering.”

“The app could help them discover other nearby shops, benefiting local businesses in the area, Many new customers are unaware of how close the shop is, and a location feature could address this.”

“For returning customers, the ability to quickly reorder previous purchases based on their order history (e.g. Would you like to order the same as last time?)”.

A tracking feature would keep customers and myself informed about order progress.

Defining users, owners problems

and solution

Defining users,

owners problems

and solution

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

To better Understand the problem, I engaged directly with my target audience.

A family-owned business let me speak with them and their customers, providing key insights on how the product could improve their operations and customer experience.

DESIGN ARCHITECTURE

Mapping It Out

The app was coming to life— I had a clear vision of the key features and how it could function. To refine its structure and navigation, I created an app map and user flow to ensure a seamless experience.

Key:

Key MVP Features

WIREFRAMES

Bold, clean & simple

Having mapped out my app and certain features it would include. I proceeded to create mid-fidelity wireframes

My plan was also to use my wireframes to conduct user testing, so users would be focused on the function of the app & placement of its features rather than it’s branding/specific UI elements.

USABILITY TESTING

Testing the Product

In the usability test, five participants tested the initial iteration, helping identify and resolve pain points early for a smoother experience before adding branding.

Goal 1

Test the overall feature functionality and ease of use

Goal 2

Evaluate how well the key features (MVP) work. Such as, past orders, nearest stores and specific interest of the user.

Goal 3

See how well users navigate the product item page and store page

Goal 4

Gauge the users motivations to finish the test

PROBLEM

Users struggled with the missing back button while scrolling.

SOLUTION

Making the back button static improved navigation, reduced frustration, and created a smoother user experience.

PROBLEM

3/5 participants want the option to contact the seller.

SOLUTION

Adding a contact option builds trust, improves user confidence, and enhances the shopping experience, leading to higher conversion rates and customer satisfaction.

PROBLEM

Users want notifications for low or out-of-stock items to avoid inconvenience.

SOLUTION

Stock notifications improve transparency, reduce confusion, and streamline purchases, boosting customer satisfaction and retention.

PROBLEM

Users want product and store details at the start

of the order.

Users want product and store details at the start

of the order.

This increased the churn rate of users finishing payment.

SOLUTION

Adding product and store details at the start of pickup enhances trust and ensures a smoother payment process, leading to a better user experience and higher conversion rates.

Key Points: After the revisions

After refining the payment flow, all 5 users successfully completed their tasks without issues.

Users liked the flow of the mvp features with no issues, creating a seamless interaction.

3/5 users preferred contact options on the store page, confirming that this feature helps users connect with the store owner and leaves a strong impression.

5/5 users said the app felt intuitive and easy to use

UI & Branding

After refining the wireframe through usability testing, I developed the app’s look and feel, incorporating branding elements.

I wanted the app to show a friendly, supportive, and approachable, look. reflecting the entrepreneurial spirit of small business owners.

PROTOTYPE

Creating Seamless Interactions

Participants review of the app

“I found the interface really easy to use and there was no confusion in using the app.”

“Also loved the colours you selected. It was really nice to look at.”

“ I really like it! It looks professional and easy to use”

See the prototype

What I’ve learned

This was my first full UX project, where I took complete ownership from research and definition to product framing. Along the way, I faced challenges that tested my problem-solving skills and patience, but ultimately, I focused on creating something valuable rather than just a quick concept. The journey has been both rewarding and insightful.

What started as a simple idea became something more meaningful after speaking with a close family member in the small business sector. Hearing his frustrations and challenges with growth sparked the idea for this project. It pushed me to empathise, step into his world, and use my skills to design a solution tailored to real needs.

Although this project is hypothetical, I see opportunities for refinement, such as a flash sale feature or promotional offerings to increase customer engagement. I also wonder how this product would scale beyond the UK. How would different markets respond? What adaptations would be needed? How would the product look

If I was to collaborate with a full stack team?

As a working Graphic Designer. This experience has reinforced my passion for UX design, problem-solving, and user-centred thinking. I look forward to applying these skills in real-world projects that create meaningful impact.

meaningful impact.