Picture This
An e-commerce to empower photographers of any expertise.
CLIENT
CONCEPT PROJECT
ROLE
UX DESIGNER
TEAM
INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTOR
DURATION
6 MONTHS
TOOLS
FIGMA
Inspiration
My vision was to create a concept that aims to help users with photography inquiries, facilitate equipment purchases, and cultivate a trusted learning environment.Design Challenge
As a once lost and aspiring photographer, the amount of complexities I faced when learning photography was broad and the journey lacked clear paths.Recognizing the challenges faced by other enthusiasts seeking guidance, my goal was to create a haven - a trusted, all inclusive hub that caters to photographers’ needs for equipment, education and community. All that which brought me to question:How might we develop a unified platform so that photographers of all levels can access the right tools to learn effectively and efficiently?
Research Objectives
Before visualizing concepts, I needed to understand the users’ perception of their experience learning photography and the pain points that come with it. Through 12 surveys and 5 interviews with participants of varying experience levels, along with a competitive analysis of larger camera brand companies and third party vendors, I gathered valuable insights to guide the next phase.Key Insights
ALL THE INFO, NOT ENOUGH TIME
While the internet is rich in educational resources for camera equipment, participants feel the sheer volume of information consumes considerable time as they search for learning materials, creating an overwhelming experience.
TRY BEFORE YOU BUY
Established camera brands lack rental options for their equipment, compelling participants to seek third-party websites.
RELIABILITY
Third-party camera equipment sites lack credibility, leaving users wary and seeking reassurance through reviews before making any investment.Ideating
Wireframing
By addressing each pain point, I came up with recommendations to approach each of the insights in order to help finalize a design solution.Create a space where customers can:Assess: Take a quiz that inquires needs for desired productsBuy: Acquire filtered productLearn: Access professional tutorials
Avail rental optionsComfort customers by allowing them to familiarize with the product before commitment to purchase.
Enable camera brand attributesTo strengthen customer trust through authenticity.
Early Concepting: Lo-Fi Wireframes for Buy Process
UI Visual Palette
The vision was to infuse a color theme with vibrant energy and enthusiasm, offset by rich, cool tones for contrast. To achieve this, I studied the color palettes of beloved photographs by renowned photographers that sparked similar emotions. To ensure strong contrast, I validated the selection through Adobe Color to meet the AA rating standards.Design Concepts
Home Page
Title header with “Shop Now” button - for users who want to explore the e-commerce section
Scrollable list of partnered camera brands - links to product pages of each brand when clicked (Canon, Sony, Fujifilm, etc.)
“CamQuest” card with Quiz button - for aspiring photographers looking to get their photo inquiries answered
“Learning Center” card with Sign-In button - for access to tutorials, documents and more with subscription
From colors to content, the purpose of Picture This’ design was to create a warm welcome through its vibrant space as users encounter the home page.
To create that never-ending experience in a website, the home page contains a navigation pane in the top left for menu options to explore, as well as content on the main page that links to the following:
To alleviate the frustration of endless internet searches and trust issues with website credibility, the "Picture This" homepage delivers upfront information. This allows photographers to swiftly locate what they need while establishing trust through authenticity.
CamQuest Quiz
I developed a quiz that helps photographers find the right equipment based on their conditions by asking a series of common photography questions (as researched in prior phases).
Once the quiz is complete, the answers compile in the backend and output a list of available products that have been filtered based on the user’s answers. From there, users can continue their shopping experience with ease knowing they’re looking at the right products as a mindful investment.
Assess
Product Pages
Product List Page
The product list page displays products listed in columns for purchase and rent on the website. The lists can be filtered to desired specifications and applied for users to find products they want quicker.Product Detail Page
The product detail page expands on the general attributes visible in the product list page, offering rental options and comprehensive information such as Overview, Specifications, Reviews, Accessories, and Similar Products via a scrollable bar.Buy
Learning Center
Inspired by LinkedIn Learning, I wanted to replicate a similar space for users to learn about the products they purchased. When subscribing to Picture This, users can sign in and access the “Learning Center”, a space for photographers of all levels and credible instructors to connect and acquire skills.
Users can watch video tutorials, save posts, search for content, download artifacts, write Q&A with instructors, read reviews, and interact with other users in the public domain.
Learn
Usability Testing
Following the design process, my testing objective was to understand two main questions from users:How do users find information on the website, and what avenues do they take?
Could the layout and interactions be better compared to its current state?
5 interview participants
Results
Somewhere Only We Know
Most participants navigated to a camera’s product detail page from the menu drawer to explore camera information and determine suitability.What Is Great Can Go Unnoticed
The camera quiz and learning center lacked user visibility/intuitiveness.So Fresh, So Clean
All participants described the app as “simple, clean and easy to navigate”, relative to other camera brand and wholesaler websites. Sorry Ms. Jackson, but they were forreal!
“I could see photographers using this a lot, it's a great way to bridge the knowledge application of camera equipment and the functionalities of it with an easy shopping experience. I don’t feel I have to run around and keep looking for other resources. I loved the quiz!”
- UT Participant
Conclusion
Reflections & Learning
While embracing new ideas is quite the thrill, I’ve recognized the importance of acknowledging users’ tendencies to follow familiar paths when navigating websites. It’s essential to respect these established patterns while introducing innovative design elements. As I approach the feedback, I’ll need to integrate the quiz and learning center into their usual navigation flow to preserve that familiarity while still shining light on the unique features. I was so elated to discover users’ comfort with the concept and visual/navigation design, which allows me to address the first two critical insights in the next steps.I’m thankful I could offer this opportunity to my fellow aspiring, expert and hobbyist photographers, to reduce their stress and confusion in this ongoing journey that we all hurdle through. Managing a learning curve is overwhelming for anyone, but sometimes it takes one person to provide just that bit of guidance to make a difference!Next Steps
Place additional reference points for the quiz and learning center across more accessed areas to capture attention towards the unique featuresCycle through a second usability testing session post updatesCreate a community forum for the Learning Center
