Implementing new key features to turn a blog site into an online gift recommendation platform and commerce site.

Caits Curates

Brand Identity
UX/UI Design
UX Research
Cait's Curates is a gift recommendation site that was started by Caitlyn. Before, it was hosted on a blogging platform. Users had to browse Caitlyn’s recommended gift collections through her blog posts or email Caitlyn directly for customized gift suggestions. As a designer at Generate Product Development, I worked alongside designers and software engineers to deliver a new brand identity and web application for Caits Curates. The website solved user pain points with the previous blogging platform design and introduces new features to assist Caitlyn and her clientele.
Jump to the Figma prototype
Time: September 2023 - December 2023
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​Team: 3 leads, 4 designers, 6 developers

Role: Designer​

Tools: Figma, Illustrator
Problem Statement

How might we design a more seamless way to request gift recommendations?

The previous blog format had several limitations:
1. Users had to scroll through all Caitlyn’s blog posts to find gifts that suited their recipient and the occasion
2. Users must leave the blog site and email Caitlyn directly to request gift recommendations
3. Our client expressed that there was a need to remake the overall brand identity and improve the user experience of the website
The Solution

Ideating and implementing new features

The new website addresses the three key problems with the current design. We added two core services and other various features to improve the user experience.
Consolidated Shopping Page - Users are be able to browse Caitlyn’s recommended gifts and gift collections in one shopping page. Each product has various tags that describe what it is and what occasion it’s good for. Users can filter the products by occasion, recipient type, recipient interests, and price range.
User Profile - Users can create an account with Caits Curates to store their credit purchase information, gift request history, giftees, and gifting calendars.
Global Search - A user can search for something specific across the entire website.
Gift Request Quiz - Users can request personalized gift recommendations from Caitlyn in a streamlined way. The gift request quiz asks users to fill out details such as the giftee’s personal details and preferences, the occasion of the gift, and the user’s budget. Per the client’s request, the new gift request process is also monetized, requiring users to pay for credits to submit a request through the quiz.
Quantitative Research

The growing market of gift concierges

Our primary objective was to gain a deeper understanding of the user base and competitive landscape within this niche market. We analyzed quantitative metrics such as market size, growth rates, and competitor market share to assess the competitive landscape.

“We estimate that the corporate gifting market in the US will reach $258 billion in 2022. This represents 6.6% year-over-year growth, indicating acceleration in the US corporate gifting market.”

Weinswig et al.
Coresight Research, 2022
Competitive Research

Taking a deeper look at the existing market

We conducted a competitive analysis on different platforms that offer similar services. We analyzed designs and features that provided a good user experience. Here are some of the key takeaways:
1. The copywriting should convey thoughtfulness and friendliness, encouraging a sense of trust with users
2. Gift collections should be grouped by categories like recipient type and recipient interests – instead of product categories
3. Users should be able to search across the entire platform and within specific collections.
4. The core services of the company should highlighted on the front page of the site – making it easy for users to understand what's being offered
Branding

Making gift giving more convenient, supportive, and fun

The new website addresses the three key problems with the current design. We added two core services and other various Our client’s core brand values are centered around efficiency, friendliness, and quality. We crafted moodboards and design strategies to find a visual brand that best aligned with our client’s vision. Our final brand strategy is elegant, warm, and sleek to improve the user experience.
Site Map

Effective navigation to guide users through the site’s services

Based on the product requirements and features, we developed this sitemap to outline the information architecture of the website.
Lo Fis

Iterating on low-fidelity wireframes based on user feedback

We tried multiple variations of our primary features to explore possibilities before jumping into high-fidelity designs. I mainly experimented with common layouts seen on e-commerce sites. After settling down with design variations, we did two rounds of usability testing to see if overall flow and layouts would make sense.
Design System & Components

Creating a consistent design system across all pages

Documenting the specific interactions, use cases, sizing, and spacing of the site's components are essential to creating an organized and cohesive UI component system in every interaction on the Caits Curates site.
Final Design

The final design with the new core features

Check out the final iteration of the site and see how everything came together!