Core home
A marketplace for exclusive curated furniture
A marketplace for exclusive curated furniture
Role
Lead Product Designer & client contact
Industry
Home decor & ecommerce
Duration
12 months
Introduction: a marketplace backed by art
Core is a firm founded to blur the lines between art, architecture, and design. Established by one of the most influential figures in Mexican interior design, Core aimed to expand its reach into the digital realm while maintaining its personal attention and focus on clients. We were approached with a specific challenge to help them achieve this goal.
The challenge: luxury and personal attention online
At that time, Core's clientele was primarily acquired through word of mouth and recommendations. As the founder focused on providing highly curated and personal attention to each customer, she needed a platform that would allow more people to achieve similar results without enduring long waiting lists. Additionally, the platform needed to showcase the products curated by the design firm. With this in mind, we were tasked with creating Core's first website and e-commerce platform.
Introduction: a marketplace backed by art
Core is a firm founded to blur the lines between art, architecture, and design. Established by one of the most influential figures in Mexican interior design, Core aimed to expand its reach into the digital realm while maintaining its personal attention and focus on clients. We were approached with a specific challenge to help them achieve this goal.
The challenge: luxury and personal attention online
At that time, Core's clientele was primarily acquired through word of mouth and recommendations. As the founder focused on providing highly curated and personal attention to each customer, she needed a platform that would allow more people to achieve similar results without enduring long waiting lists. Additionally, the platform needed to showcase the products curated by the design firm. With this in mind, we were tasked with creating Core's first website and e-commerce platform.
Stage 1. Getting to know our core
Core’s main value proposition lies in the personal attention clients receive when addressing interior design challenges. The team at Core’s studio is specialized and skilled in understanding each client and curating solutions that reflect their personality. Therefore, it was crucial to communicate carefully with clients and thoroughly understand who they would be. To achieve this, we conducted:
User interviews
Design thinking workshops with Core’s team
Trend analysis and research
Workshops on digitalization and agile methodologies
With the gathered information, we began our first design deliberation, focusing on wireframing based on our primary insight: "Our core reflects in everything we do."
Stage 1. Getting to know our core
Core’s main value proposition lies in the personal attention clients receive when addressing interior design challenges. The team at Core’s studio is specialized and skilled in understanding each client and curating solutions that reflect their personality. Therefore, it was crucial to communicate carefully with clients and thoroughly understand who they would be. To achieve this, we conducted:
User interviews
Design thinking workshops with Core’s team
Trend analysis and research
Workshops on digitalization and agile methodologies
With the gathered information, we began our first design deliberation, focusing on wireframing based on our primary insight: "Our core reflects in everything we do."
Stage 2. Reflections as a first draft
When we presented the first iteration of the design, we encountered our main challenge: differentiating the agency’s core value proposition (personal shopper service) from the products. To better understand users and customers, we proposed user testing and activities that included:
Design thinking sessions
In-depth interviews
Shadowing
From the insights obtained with the development of these activities, we determined that we needed to separate the products from the agency's website. This introduced a new challenge. While we were ready with the initial stage of investigation to deliver a draft of the e-commerce platform, we also needed to conceptualize a new website and space where Core’s clients could directly request a personal shopper.
Stage 3: the schism that created a new Core
When we presented the first draft of the e-commerce platform, Core's team was delighted with the results. However, just as we had identified a gap in the previous phase (the lack of a personal touch for the clientele) Core's team also recognized this as an issue. We were prepared for this challenge and took it as an opportunity to refine our approach.
To address the feedback, we developed a second site with a clear distinction between the e-commerce platform and the main agency site. This new design incorporated dedicated spaces for both the agency's offerings and the founder’s personal touch. We implemented features such as a personalized contact form and scheduling system, allowing clients to directly request consultations and appointments with the founder. This separation not only clarified the user journey but also enhanced the overall user experience by ensuring that clients could easily access both the product catalog and the personal services.
Stage 3: the schism that created a new Core
When we presented the first draft of the e-commerce platform, Core's team was delighted with the results. However, just as we had identified a gap in the previous phase (the lack of a personal touch for the clientele) Core's team also recognized this as an issue. We were prepared for this challenge and took it as an opportunity to refine our approach.
To address the feedback, we developed a second site with a clear distinction between the e-commerce platform and the main agency site. This new design incorporated dedicated spaces for both the agency's offerings and the founder’s personal touch. We implemented features such as a personalized contact form and scheduling system, allowing clients to directly request consultations and appointments with the founder. This separation not only clarified the user journey but also enhanced the overall user experience by ensuring that clients could easily access both the product catalog and the personal services.
Stage 4: The Core Deliverable
As we approached the conclusion of the project, we presented the final draft of the website and e-commerce platform. Working closely with Core's team, we made the necessary final adjustments and delivered the new design system and online presence. The founder was extremely pleased with the results. We successfully created a distinct e-commerce experience with products that stand out in the current market.
Throughout the project, we gained valuable insights by deeply engaging with our users and understanding their needs. By employing UX research methods and incorporating feedback loops, we ensured that the design resonated with users on a personal level. This process allowed us to establish a meaningful connection between Core and its clients, mirroring the strong relationships Core builds with its own partners.
Stage 4: The Core Deliverable
As we approached the conclusion of the project, we presented the final draft of the website and e-commerce platform. Working closely with Core's team, we made the necessary final adjustments and delivered the new design system and online presence. The founder was extremely pleased with the results. We successfully created a distinct e-commerce experience with products that stand out in the current market.
Throughout the project, we gained valuable insights by deeply engaging with our users and understanding their needs. By employing UX research methods and incorporating feedback loops, we ensured that the design resonated with users on a personal level. This process allowed us to establish a meaningful connection between Core and its clients, mirroring the strong relationships Core builds with its own partners.
Results and Learnings
Core gained a comprehensive online presence through the development of social media channels, a website, a design system, and a fully functional e-commerce platform, thanks to the efforts of my team and myself. This significantly expanded the agency's reach and created new business opportunities, as well as new challenges. In the end, we successfully delivered:
A new, fully-fledged design system for Core
20+ responsive pages
A fully functional e-commerce platform
A comprehensive product design project incorporating UX research methods and UI implementation
Social media integration
Blog integration
Results and Learnings
Core gained a comprehensive online presence through the development of social media channels, a website, a design system, and a fully functional e-commerce platform, thanks to the efforts of my team and myself. This significantly expanded the agency's reach and created new business opportunities, as well as new challenges. In the end, we successfully delivered:
A new, fully-fledged design system for Core
20+ responsive pages
A fully functional e-commerce platform
A comprehensive product design project incorporating UX research methods and UI implementation
Social media integration
Blog integration
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Copyright 2024 Ivar Arriola
Copyright 2024 Ivar Arriola
Copyright 2024 Ivar Arriola