DIY Simplified
Role​
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UX Researcher
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UX Designer
Project Type
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Concept
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Team
Tools​
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Figma
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Maze
Timeline​
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3 weeks
Solution to all DIYer's Needs
A section within The Home Depot app was crafted for DIY enthusiasts to brainstorm, plan, track, and document their projects effortlessly. Our primary goal was to simplify the entire DIY process, consolidating multiple stages of the user journey into one seamless interface for a hassle-free experience.
Why Now?
The Home Depot updated their mobile app and wanted to improve the experience for home improvement do-it-yourselfers (DIYers), to gain more traction on the app to increase conversion rates.
Who is The Home Depot?
The Home Depot offers a wide range of home improvement products across diverse categories. In addition to their extensive product selection, they provide valuable resources such as workshops and detailed how-to instructions on their website for DIY enthusiasts and homeowners.
DIYer's Main Problem
When solidifying the users problem, a persona and "how might we" statements were used to confirm the problem. The users problem was that they needed a digital platform to research and guide their DIY projects so that they can save time, be efficient, and lessen their mental load.
Navigating Challenges
During the project, we stumbled upon unexpected challenges that prompted us to reevaluate our approach.
Unexpected User Findings
DIY enthusiasts explained that they can be spontaneous and rarely formally plan, track, or document a project.
0% Completion in Usability Testing
The design lacked specific information for users to make an informed decision when asked to complete a certain task.
Personalization, Planning, and Instructional Focus
We sought inspiration for our design by exploring home improvement websites. We meticulously analyzed the websites features to discern patterns and identified elements that could prove beneficial for our users.
Step-by-step Instructions
Videos were used as a guiding tool to explain how users can transform their spaces.
Seeking Inspiration
Saving posts was used as a convenient way to keep track of interests and inspirations.
Tailored Options
Personalization was used to offer diverse options for ensuring choices match users unique style.
The DIYer's Journey
In our design approach, we prioritized addressing the pain points of sourcing materials and multiple platform use of users.
Gathering Materials
Independent Research
Users typically began searching for required materials, only to realize that the items were available at different locations.
Users often refer back to instructions when completing a task because they need step-by-step guidance.
Group Brainstorming
During the ideation process, we kept the persona front of mind and prioritized these findings about DIYers
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Need a way to compare their skillset to the project requirements
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Make multiple trips to gather tools and materials
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Spend little time planning beforehand and are happy to learn throughout the process
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Motivated by saving money and as a result become self-sufficient by completing the project themselves
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Don't have enough time to complete all of the projects they would like to complete
My teammate Alexandra Brooks, sketched the first ideation based on individual sketches from team members and live feedback. We then designed the mid-fi MVP. We focused on the general project breakdown page as this is where we could address multiple user needs in one screen.
Testing Findings
For usability testing, 6 moderated and 10 unmoderated tests were completed. To validate phone application use while completing a DIY project, it was found that 69% of unmoderated test participants used phone applications for a DIY project.
During moderated testing it was discovered that users didn't have enough information to move forward confidently. This lead to the design that displays more details about each project to help users make informed decisions about their selections.
Through analyzing the heat maps from unmoderated testing and considering user feedback, it was identified that users had difficulty finding an exit. This insight resulted in the replacement of the hamburger menu with a back button, providing a more intuitive navigation solution.
The Answer for DIYer's Everywhere
The final solution aimed to provide DIY enthusiasts with an all-in-one platform for project planning, guiding, and material sourcing, addressing the identified user challenges.
Future Actions
To further enhance the DIY section of The Home Depot app, these are the following steps I would complete:
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Conduct another round of usability testing to evaluate the value and effectiveness of the updated design
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Measure conversion rates of tools and materials purchased from the suggested list
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Provide a detailed breakdown of each skill level for users to properly assess their skills with a given project
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Add a dedicated section for inspirational content to be shared to stimulate user creativity
Lessons Learned
I learned that when creating a user flow for a design it may seem obvious as to what the next step is however when tested on users it is apparent that assumptions that one can make while designing doesn't actually lead to an intuitive design.