The Research.
User Personas.
User Journey Maps.
To better understand how a user might think and feel as they're trying to make a purchase, a user journey map was created. This took a look at each step of the user's journey through making a purchase, revealing what pain points they might encounter and what improvements could be made to make they're journey a happier one.
This journey map helped reveal features that I want to include in this version of my prototype, as well as features that I want to include in a future iteration to further enhance the user experience.
Competitor Audit.
In order to see what features may or may not be helpful in my own app, I took a look at a handful of direct and indirect competitors. Doing this helped me gain a better understanding of what my users would be looking for, and what might put my own product ahead of the rest.
Site Map.
In order to help better define the information architecture of my app, a site map was created. This map helped me keep the pages organized, and also helped me create a coherent user flow without getting bogged down in extraneous pages or details.
User Flow.
To help visualize the user's journey through the app, I created a user flow that shows the steps that need to be taken while making a purchase, from start to finish.
This flow focuses on the purchasing path that the majority of users will likely take.
