Project
001
MRM/McCANN
GM Certified leverages its dealer network and the approximately half-million used vehicles they have in stock.
Overall, when buying a car online, people want convenience, transparency, detailed information, competitive pricing, financing options, test drives, and easy delivery. Websites that can offer these things are likely to be more successful in attracting and retaining customers. The goal is to connect buyers and sellers, provide detailed information clearly and accessibly while building trust and credibility.
Figma
Sketch
Invision
Storybook
Roles
Info
002
Tools
UI
UX
Prototyping
User testing
Problem
003
The homepage was experiencing a high number of drop-offs, and this was especially critical because this was the point of entry into our site.
The UX team and I were tasked to increase our overall sales conversion, and we prioritized the search results page as the first step.
Overview
Ultimately, the goal of connecting buyers and sellers, providing detailed information, and building trust and credibility is to create a positive experience for all parties involved. With that in mind, it is more likely that buyers will be satisfied with their purchase and recommend the seller to others, leading to long-term success and growth for the business.
Goals
004
Design Process
01
My usual initial approach involves defining the overall business needs, project requirements, comprehending the expected deliverables, timeline, and expectations. Maintaining coherence with the team is crucial. During this stage, I prefer noting down my hypotheses regarding potential issues.
Specify scope
02
In this stage, I gather information by conversing with individuals and investigating the problem domain. Moreover, I scrutinize user reports to grasp the reasoning behind the product's current state.
Identify the problems
03
During the interpretation phase, I analyze the user’s needs and pain points to define them effectively. I create or update personas, journey maps, storyboards, and problem statements. At this point, I set the goals and metrics that we need to achieve to ensure success. This phase always provides significant insights.
Analyze the findings
04
I find the ideation phase to be enjoyable. We’ll normally organize an ideation session with developers, other designers, stakeholders, and customer support representatives to brainstorm various ideas. I like to let my imagination run free and create as many solutions as possible. At this point, I prioritize quantity over quality to maximize the number of ideas we can explore.
Brainstorm solutions
05
During this phase, I will develop an interactive prototype which can range from a high-fidelity Figma prototype to an interactive website, depending on the stage of the process and the testing requirements.
Prototype
06
Deploy, test, improve
During this last stage, I will conduct user testing on the prototype. The testing can range from a rapid guerrilla test to a more comprehensive usability test. Based on the test results, we can gain insights into areas that require changes and improvements.
Research
005
Mary Johnson
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34 years old | Female | Married
Bachelor's in Marketing
Marketing Manager
Income $85,000
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Personality: Detail-oriented, practical, and analytical
Interests: Cooking, hiking, and DIY home improvement projects
Values: Value for money, safety, and reliability
Lifestyle: Busy professional with a family, interested in finding a dependable vehicle that meets her needs
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Goal: To find a reliable, safe, and affordable used car that meets her family's needs
Need: Detailed information on vehicle history, safety features, and pricing
Pain Point: Limited time for research and potential safety concerns when purchasing a used car
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Devices Used: Laptop, smartphone, and tablet
Frequency of Use: Regularly checks online reviews and compares prices
Preferred Platform: A user-friendly website with clear information and easy navigation
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RESEARCH AND DISCOVERY
Mary Johnson begins her user journey by researching the different types of reliable used cars available on the website. She filters her search based on her preferences, such as fuel efficiency, safety ratings, and price.
COMPARISON AND EVALUATION
Mary Johnson compares and evaluates the different cars she is interested in by reading their detailed specifications, history reports, and customer reviews. She narrows down her options to a few cars that meet her needs and preferences.
FINANCING AND INSURANCE
Mary Johnson explores financing options and insurance quotes. She evaluates the different financing plans available, such as leasing or buying, and considers the cost of insurance for each car.
INSPECTION AND TEST DRIVE
Mary Johnson schedules an inspection and test drive of the cars she has selected. She arranges a time to visit the dealership or arranges for the car to be delivered to her home for an inspection and test drive.
PURCHASE AND DELIVERY
After the inspection and test drive, Mary Johnson decides on the car she wants to purchase. She finalizes the financing plan and insurance options and arranges for the car to be delivered to her home or picked up at the dealership.Overall, Mary Johnson's user journey focuses on finding a reliable used car that meets her needs and preferences while providing her with financing and insurance options and a seamless user experience on the certified used online car search website.
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Prior Experience: Has purchased a used car before but experienced issues with the vehicle's safety and reliability
Other Preference: Interested in financing options and additional warranties for added protection
Carlos Rodriguez
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27 years old | Male | Single
Associate's in Computer Science
Software Developer
Income $65,000
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Personality: Tech-savvy, analytical, and pragmatic
Interests: Gaming, technology, and outdoor activities
Values: Value for money, efficiency, and practicality
Lifestyle: Busy professional who values a reliable and efficient vehicle for commuting
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Goal: To find a high-performance and affordable used car that meets his needs
Need: Detailed information on the car's performance, features, and pricing
Pain Point: Limited time for research and potential technical issues when purchasing a used car
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Devices Used: Laptop, smartphone, and gaming console
Frequency of Use: Regularly checks online forums and reviews for technical information and comparisons
Preferred Platform: A website with advanced search and filter options for a quick and efficient search
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RESEARCH AND DISCOVERY
Carlos Rodriguez begins his user journey by researching the different types of used sports cars available on the website. He filters his search based on his preferences, such as horsepower, performance specs, and price.
COMPARISON AND EVALUATION
Carlos Rodriguez compares and evaluates the different cars he is interested in by reading their detailed specifications, history reports, and customer reviews. He narrows down his options to a few cars that meet his needs and preferences.
FINANCING AND INSURANCE
Carlos Rodriguez explores financing options and insurance quotes. He evaluates the different financing plans available, such as leasing or buying, and considers the cost of insurance for each car.
INSPECTION AND TEST DRIVE
Carlos Rodriguez schedules an inspection and test drive of the cars he has selected. He arranges a time to visit the dealership or arranges for the car to be delivered to his location for an inspection and test drive.
PURCHASE AND DELIVERY
After the inspection and test drive, Carlos Rodriguez decides on the car he wants to purchase. He finalizes the financing plan and insurance options and arranges for the car to be delivered to his location or picked up at the dealership.
Overall, Carlos Rodriguez's user journey focuses on finding a used sports car that meets his needs and preferences while providing him with financing and insurance options and a seamless user experience on the certified used online car search website. -
Prior Experience: Has some experience with purchasing used cars and prefers performance over appearance
Other Preferences: Interested in financing options and trade-in options for his current vehicle
Grace Chen
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48 years old | Female | Divorced
Master's in Accounting
CPA
Income $120,000
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Personality: Detail-oriented, practical, and organized
Interests: Traveling, yoga, and volunteering
Values: Value for money, comfort, and practicality
Lifestyle: Busy professional who values comfort and luxury in a vehicle
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Goal: To find a luxury used car that meets her needs and provides comfort during her long commutes
Need: Detailed information on the car's luxury features, history, and pricing
Pain Point: Limited time for research and potential concerns with purchasing a used luxury car
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Devices Used: Laptop and smartphone
Frequency of Use: Regularly checks online reviews and comparisons for luxury cars
Preferred Platform: A user-friendly website with detailed information on the car's luxury features and financing options
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RESEARCH AND DISCOVERY
Grace Chen begins her user journey by researching the different types of luxury used cars available on the website. She filters her search based on her preferences, such as features, mileage, and price.
COMPARISON AND EVALUATION
Grace Chen compares and evaluates the different cars she is interested in by reading their detailed specifications, history reports, and customer reviews. She narrows down her options to a few cars that meet her needs and preferences.FINANCING AND INSURANCE
Grace Chen explores financing options and additional warranties for added protection. She evaluates the different financing plans available, such as leasing or buying, and considers the cost of extended warranties.INSPECTION AND TEST DRIVE
Grace Chen schedules an inspection and test drive of the cars she has selected. She arranges a time to visit the dealership or arranges for the car to be delivered to her home for an inspection and test drive.PURCHASE AND DELIVERY
After the inspection and test drive, Grace Chen decides on the car she wants to purchase. She finalizes the financing plan and extended warranty options and arranges for the car to be delivered to her home or picked up at the dealership.Overall, Grace Chen's user journey focuses on finding a luxury used car that meets her needs and preferences while providing her with detailed information, financing options, and a seamless user experience on the certified used online car search website.
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Prior Experience: Has experience with purchasing luxury cars but prefers to save money by purchasing used
Other Preferences: Interested in financing options and additional warranties for added protection
Johnathan Lee
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40 years old | Male | Single
Bachelor's in Finance
Investment Banker
Income $500,000
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Personality: Decisive, ambitious, and driven
Interests: Fine dining, luxury travel, and sports cars
Values: Value for money, performance, and status
Lifestyle: High-net-worth individual who values high-performance vehicles and luxury features
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Goal: To find a high-performance used sports car that meets his needs and reflects his status
Need: Detailed information on the car's performance, features, and pricing
Pain Point: Limited time for research and concerns with purchasing a used sports car with potential issues
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Devices Used: Laptop, smartphone, and tablet
Frequency of Use: Regularly checks online forums and reviews for technical information and comparisons
Preferred Platform: A website with a vast selection of high-performance sports cars and detailed information on their specifications and history
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RESEARCH AND DISCOVERY
Jonathan Lee begins his user journey by researching the different types of high-performance sports cars available on the website. He browses through the website's vast selection of cars and filters them based on his preferences, such as performance, features, and price.
COMPARISON AND EVALUATION
Jonathan Lee compares and evaluates the different cars he is interested in by reading their detailed specifications and history, as well as customer reviews and ratings. He narrows down his options to a few cars that meet his needs and preferences.
FINANCING AND INSURANCE
Jonathan Lee explores financing options and trade-in options for his current vehicle. He evaluates the different financing plans available, such as leasing or buying, and the trade-in value of his current vehicle to determine the most cost-effective option.
INSPECTION AND TEST DRIVE
Jonathan Lee schedules an inspection and test drive of the cars he has selected. He arranges a time to visit the dealership or arranges for the car to be delivered to his home for an inspection and test drive.
PURCHASE AND DELIVERY
After the inspection and test drive, Jonathan Lee decides on the car he wants to purchase. He finalizes the financing plan and trade-in options and arranges for the car to be delivered to his home or picked up at the dealership.
Overall, Jonathan Lee's user journey focuses on finding a high-performance sports car that meets his needs and preferences while providing him with a seamless and convenient user experience on the certified used online car search website. -
Prior Experience: Has experience with purchasing high-performance sports cars and values the status and performance they provide
Other Preferences: Interested in financing options and trade-in options for his current vehicle
006
Ideation
007
Challenges
Navigating challenges
While it was fun to ideate and propose possible new elements to enhance overall functionality, improve user experience and the nonexistent accessibility features — we were told that it was out of scope.
01
Limited functionality
The website had limited functionality, which made it difficult to implement new features or improve existing ones.
02
The site was built on an outdated platform, which made it difficult to implement modern design techniques and technologies.
Technical challenges
008
Retrospective
Project outcome & introspection
01
Overall, the design process provided me with valuable learning opportunities in areas such as user needs and behaviors, problem-solving, collaboration, creativity and innovation, data analysis and interpretation, and iterative design.
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Personally, I believe that this website is a poor attempt to help keep their precious dealerships from dying.
According to a recent study, 75% of vehicle buyers prefer to buy their vehicles online and skip the dealership altogether. The study also found that the most frustrating part of the current buying process is the amount of time buyers spend at the dealership. Another survey by Autotrader was even more critical, as it showed that only 17 out of 4,002 people surveyed actually enjoy the current sales method.
02
In the end, the most that we were able to change and improve upon was introducing some very basic WCAG standards. These standards include clear and descriptive headings, providing multiple ways to find information, and inserting alt text.
The stakeholders were very reluctant to make any major changes, citing budget constraints. My guess is that they want to avoid introducing too many changes too quickly to the demographic that is actually using this site.