Problem
Vans sells five shoe styles that are customizable – but users don't know these styles have customizable options. In effort to increase awareness to the Customs business, Vans collaborates with artists to promote custom shoes with the artist's patterns and artworks. However, users buy the shoes as-is and don't understand additional customization options are available to them. We need a way to show that shoes can be bought as-is or further customized without adding friction to the check-out process.

Project Goals
Consumer:
Increase awareness to the Customs business.
Make it clear to customers what shoes are customizable.

Business:  Design an equitable, resuable and flexible tool that builds long-term effeciences for our digital design team.

Non-Goals
Add friction to the check-out process.
Force customers to customize.

Client
Vans (in-house)

My Role
Lead Interactive/UX Designer (Strategy, UX, UI)

Team
UX Design Manager 
Web Developer

Stakeholders
Interactive Design, Director
Ecommerce Marketing, Director
Digital Customization, Director

Because ecommerce and shopping is so universal on the internet, this discovery phase focused heavily on a competitive analysis. I started with obvious places like Nike and Converse and then turned to unique products like cars where you can buy as-is or build to spec. I also looked at embedded shopping experiences on social media platforms.

"Choose your own adventure"
I learned that retailers that offer two versions of a product (build your own vs. buy as is) mimic the two options in a choose your own adventure type of design. 

Embedded Shopping
I also found that embedded shopping was common among the web and on mobile apps. Typically they were called out with a dot and/or icon and followed by a CTA. 

From the discovery findings, I compile a brief outlining the problem, the reason to address the problem, audience, personas and project goals and non-goals. I also define the feature highlights and how we might measure success. I use the creative brief as a roadmap for the next design phase and to showcase my findings and plan to stakeholders.

Articulate My Approach
Equipped with a strong understand of the problem and opportunity, I articulate my approach to stakeholders. I share my understanding of the problem, the thorough competitive analysis and my plan and vision.

Recommend a Direction
I gather stakeholders and recomend a direction – taking their feedback and advice into consideration for the next steps.

Rapid, Paper Ideations
I start with traditional pen and paper to express anything and everything that comes to mind as a possible solution. Then I go back and question my ideas and how they may or may not work.

UI Explorations
After the paper exercise, I move onto digital to develop my solutions. In this case, the UX was strong but the UI required further explorations.

I deliver it to our stakeholders and our web developers. I walk through my work in a proper hand off meeting, answering questions and including annotations.

Finish Strong
I present the final design in a prototype to the stakeholders and web developers. I make sure to label designs and annotate where necessary, such as expressing motion. After hand-off, I am available for ongoing support for our web developers.