This project involved the complete redesign of the Natura Solve website, a company specializing in soil remediation and water renewal. The goal was to transform the site into a user-friendly platform that effectively guides potential customers from initial curiosity to making a purchase.
My design focused on building credibility, improving navigation, and making the purchase journey more seamless and intuitive for users. My work included conducting in-depth user research and performing a competitive analysis to identify key opportunities for improvement. I developed personas and customer journey maps to better understand the target audience and their needs. Based on these insights, I designed low and high-fidelity wireframes, conducted usability testing to refine the design, and ultimately delivered a final prototype that addressed major pain points, such as information overload, cluttered navigation, and a complex checkout process.
My role
User Researcher & User Interface Designer
Timeline
February - April 2024
Platform
Website
The client
Natura Solve
_Background
They offer all-natural products manufactured in the USA, with unique features, such as long shelf life and effectiveness in extreme temperature ranges. The current website was created hastily on GoDaddy during the company's early stages (mainly for market testing) and lacks a clear target audience. Natura Solve now aims to redesign the website to cater to its re-focused target audience and improve the user experience.
Jennifer Mitchell
Founder & CEO
_The Challenge
After conducting user interviews, I gained a deeper understanding of the diverse nature of Natura Solve's customer base. This diversity presented a significant challenge, as the website needed to cater to a broad spectrum of users. Creating a platform that is both intuitive and flexible was crucial in driving user engagement and increasing sales conversions.
Types of users:
Direct customers
Local and global resellers
Product distributors
Local and state agencies
Industries that users are coming from:
Agriculture
Mining
Food security
Aquaculture
Recycling
Water rehabilitation
Problems that users are looking for solutions:
Breakdown biomass
Decrease plant disease
Decrease pesticide effect
Poor soil conditions
Polluted waterway
Algae and other bacteria in water
_Heuristic analysis
This audit provided a clear understanding of the areas that needed improvement, setting the foundation for the redesign process
1
All pages are too overwhelmed with information
2
The checkout process have many barriers that prevent users from buying
3
The layout is cluttered, with unclear navigation between the pages
Natura Solve’s current homepage
_Stakeholder Interview
After reviewing the client’s brief, I collaborate with my team members to create a list of questions to interview the stakeholder. We want to understand more about the company, its products, the customers, and what the client is looking for in this website redesign project.
A photo from our team Zoom meeting with the stakeholder
Stakeholder interview questions and notes document
_Top 3 problems
_The Goal
Show the products' features, effectiveness and testimonials
Create a simple and intuitive navigation
Include the company's credibility and past successes
_Design Process
Discover
Define
Design
Test
Deliver
Stakeholder Interview (Team work)
Competitive analysis
User Interview (Team work)
Research synthesis
User personas
Journey maps
Research finding presentation to stakeholder (Team work)
Ideation
Wireframing
Prototyping
Design Critique (Team work)
Usability test
Rapid feedback
Final redesign prototype
Final presentation with the stakeholder
_Competitive Analysis
This comparison allowed me to identify best practices and areas where Natura Solve’s website could differentiate itself. By evaluating competitors’ approaches to user experience and functionality, I gained insights into what works well in the industry and where there are opportunities for improvement.
Takeaways
Navigation: The website needs to have different pages for different industries and types of users
Check out process: Allow direct customers to make purchases on the website. Resellers and distributors can contact through email or call customer service.
Ease of finding information: Implement search bar, FAQs and blog page, and detail usage of the products so users can get information easily.
_User Interviews
Over the course of two weeks, our team conducted in-depth interviews with 7 individuals. They are customers, resellers, and industry professionals, with their contacts provided by the stakehodler. I was able to gather valuable insights into the various challenges they face, their needs, and their expectations from the website.
Gary M.
Global reseller
“It’s very hard for people to buy without the shipping information”
James F.
Customer
“I told her (Jennifer) what I and my customers need and she sent an invoice to me”
Sean A.
Customer
“The easiest way to prove that it works and people to see the results is through small samples”
Timothy W.
Reseller
“Getting people to buy is to let them know how much we can save them and how easy it is to use”
Josh A.
Customer
“One of the most important thing right now is the buy now button on the website”
Darren F.
Reseller
“I need to make it clear that it’s [the product] is not a pesticide”
Corydon C.
Customer
“The website is the opening for Natura Solve’s explosive growth”
_Data Synthesis
I carefully analyzed the information gathered from the user interviews to extract key insights and patterns. By organizing and categorizing the feedback, I was able to identify the most pressing user needs and pain points. This synthesis was then used to create a clear and concise presentation of the user research findings, which I delivered to the stakeholder.
Need to establish the company and the products through transparent and updated information to build trust.
Tell a brand story
Showcase customers’ reviews
Provide solutions to customers’ problems
Implement statistics about their impact
Need to implement best shopping cart practices to ensure a seamless experience for customers .
Implement checkout process best practices
Include options for shipping international
Need to present the information in an easy-to-find way so customers can look up and synthesize what is presented to them.
Add categories and search bar for quick access to information
Reduce visual and information clutter
Create short contact forms
Add a language translation feature
Collect customers’ emails
Let customers try small samples
_User Personas & Journey Maps
By creating detailed personas for both resellers and customers, I was able to map out their specific actions, thoughts, and emotions throughout their experience with the Natura Solve website. My goal with the redesign was to intervene and enhance these critical phases, ensuring that users can easily find the information they need and receive prompt, helpful support when contacting customer service.
_Ideation
I began by sketching out the main web pages, focusing on the core user interactions and features. Through iterative cycles of feedback from my mentor and teammates and revision sessions, I continued to build on these sketches, developing and enhancing the concepts until they formed a cohesive and intuitive user experience.
_Usability Testing
These tests were crucial in understanding how real users interacted with the new design and identifying any areas that needed further refinement.
My notes from the usability testing sessions
_Final Design
_Key feature #1
Feature: I presented key product features and differentiation factors so users can easily find product information. I also included testimonials, brand story, contact form, and upcoming event sections so the company can build trust and relationship with customers.
Problem addressed: users cannot find information about the products and the company.
_Key feature #2
Feature: I categorized some of the most prominent industries on the website, with specific and relevant problems that users face and describe how the product can help them. This categorization allows users to quickly navigate to the solutions that best fit their specific needs, enhancing their experience and
Problem addressed: users cannot find relevant information to solve their specific problems in their field of industry.
_Key feature #3
Product calculator + add to cart
Feature: The product calculator is designed to help users easily determine the exact amount of product they need for their specific land or water area. By inputting their measurements, users can quickly calculate the required quantity, making the purchasing process more straightforward and ensuring they have the right amount to achieve optimal results.
Problem addressed: users are often confuse about how much product is needed to solve their problems, thus they don't know how much to purchase.
_Key feature #4
Feature: To build credibility and trust with customers, I created a timeline that showcases Natura Solve’s history, key achievements, and global impact. By highlighting the company’s milestones and success stories, this feature allows users to gain a deeper understanding of the brand’s values and contributions, reinforcing their decision to choose Natura Solve as their solution provider.
Problem addressed: The company want to expand globally so the website has to show their credibility and previous impacts.
_Key feature #5
Feature:To ensure that users receive the support they need as efficiently as possible, I designed a specialized contact form. This feature helps users easily connect with the appropriate department or local supporters based on their specific inquiry. Whether they need technical assistance, product information, or customer service, the form directs them to the right resources, minimizing wait times and improving overall satisfaction.
Problem addressed: When users encounter a problem or need a specific quote, they don't know who to contact.
_Final Presentation
I walked them through the key features and user flows that were developed to address the challenges identified during the research and analysis phases. Each design decision was carefully explained, highlighting how it aligned with the stakeholder's goals of enhancing user experience, improving navigation, and driving sales conversions.
VIEW PRESENTATION
A photo from my stakeholder presentation
Homepage design mockup
_Feedback
That [the presentation] was excellent. I think the layout is intelligently done, and makes a lot of sense with the flow of the information, and I'm surprised at how much you were able to fit, and still make it look so clean like the depth of information, and the layout is put together. You did a really good job in understanding the feedback from everybody. So congratulations!
Jennifer Mitchell
Founder & CEO, Natura Solve
“Khanh impressed me very much with her hard work and passion for learning new things, even with a busy student schedule. She showed great resourcefulness in finding answers to her questions before reaching out to me. She is a fast learner and puts a lot of energy into her work. She absorbed the elements of a good web designer through her own research and natural talent for visual design, and combined it with her knowledge of best UX practices. Her final prototype was visually pleasing, looked professional, and solved a lot of challenges the client was facing.”
Jinny Chung
_Takeaways
I learned the importance of considering both user needs and business objectives throughout the research and design process. This experience taught me how to create solutions that not only enhance user experience but also align with the company’s strategic goals.
If I had more time, I would have expanded the design to include more in-depth features and additional screens, allowing for an even more comprehensive and refined user experience.
