Heuristic Analysis

Due to the client’s wishes, we will be keeping the identify of these competitors anonymous for this report. We conducted the analysis by evaluating the sites using the following three Nielsen Norman’s usability heuristics:

1. Match Between System & The Real World

2. Recognition Rather Than Recall

3. Help & Documentation

We decided that these three heuristics were the most important in aiding users to achieve the goal of navigating through a website and completing a purchase as these heuristics are vital in creating a clear path to purchasing. The images below are some examples of each heuristic we analyzed from the different sites.

To access the full heuristic analysis report, click on the button below.

Heuristic Analysis Takeaways

Based on our findings, we came away with a handful of action items that we thought would be important to incorporate into our upcoming designs:

• Present users with pre-made solar kits as a purchase option.

• Add a more extensive nav menu to the site.

• Provide definitions to users that explain internal jargon.

• Build an FAQ page for questions that users might need answered in order to complete their purchase.

Personas

Since our research problem only focused on those who already understand their power needs, we created two personas using the findings from the secondary research we conducted on the industry market and user groups. 

These two personas helped the group relate to an actual user’s needs, wants, and thought processes, and would be at the forefront of our design decisions moving forward.

User Journeys

Using the personas we developed, we moved onto the crucial step of creating user journeys. A user journey shows the path a user takes in order to complete their goal of purchasing products when visiting the RVSC online store.

Each user journey consists of four stages: explore, compare, consider, and purchase. The stages highlighted in green show where the user is currently having an easy time navigating while the items in red show current pain points. These are places where the journey could be improved to make the user more self-sufficient.

Red Routes

We used the data and insights from the two user journeys to create red routes, which helped us and our client visualize the exact decisions both personas would be making as they navigated the site. The red routes for each user represent their most critical path, which in this scenario, is the path to purchase. 

Tyler comes with prior knowledge of his needs, and has done some research off of the site. He uses the search function on the RVSC website to type in exactly what he needs. Joe, on the other hand, is less familiar with the topic and looks to do some more research and comparison prior to purchasing. He navigated the site by filtering his search, and visited a page with FAQ and additional resources to learn more before he makes a decision.

Wireframes

During the fourth and final week of our project, we used all of our findings to create a tangible recommendation to our client in the form of wireframes. These low-fidelity screens visually portrayed the key changes we recommended our client to use for their future revamp of the website, based on our research and understanding of target users.

Homepage & Menu Updates

• Menu Changes

  • Add drop down category links under “Shop” to provide users a quicker way to orient themselves and
    start shopping.

  • Remove the “Home” button as it is redundant, since users can navigate to the homepage by clicking the RVSC logo, and removing it will free up real estate for more important items.

  • Nest “Contact us” under “About us” to free up space, and also encourage users to begin their shopping experience before immediately reaching out to the client for advice.

  • Add a link to Resources, a new page we recommended our client add, which will include FAQ and tutorials.

• Homepage Changes:​

  • Update the main CTA on the Hero image to say "Shop by vehicle type" in order to direct users down a search funnel, which they can use to find products that best suit their needs. As it stands currently, the "Get Started" link leads to a contact form.

  • Swap out the CTAs on the two info blocks below the Hero image to better advertise Resources and Kits. This will encourage users like Joe, who understand their buying needs but still have some gaps in knowledge, to complete their purchasing journey on their own.

Page Additions

We created an additional page for users to choose the vehicle type they are shopping for in order to help them narrow down their search. This greatly benefits users like Joe in helping direct him in his shopping needs. The "Shop By Vehicle Type" page is where users will land after clicking the CTA prominently featured on the Hero image of the homepage.

We also created a resources page that includes a section for FAQ and tutorials. Users who are on the fence about buying a product because of outstanding questions can find answers directly on the RVSC site, and they won't abandon their web sessions.

Search Results

The key recommendation made for the search results page was the addition of filters. We included kits, vehicle type, and budget in our filter list. The current search results page does not allow the user to hone in on the items they are looking for, and both Tyler and Joe could make use of a filter feature. Joe might decide he wants to only look for kits, as opposed to individual products, while Tyler might be looking for a particular product, but on a budget.

Product Page

The current product page is organized in a way that some users might find confusing. There is a lot of white space, and users need to scroll down to find pertinent product information.

We recommended that the client rearrange the product image and its thumbnails to make the page more visually appealing by removing the excess white space. Moreover, we recommended adding a comparison feature so users can easily understand the difference between the products they're viewing. Providing users easy access to direct comparisons will give them confidence; they know that what they are buying is the best option for their needs. Ultimately, buyer confidence should increase conversion rates.

Conclusion

In the future, RVSC plans to work with other designers to continue growing their business. Our timeline did not allow for user testing which will be crucial for understanding whether our proposed changes will amount to increased conversions. During our final meeting, we provided the client with a recap of our process as well as recommended next steps, shown in the diagram (next slide). The items marked with an "X" are deliverables we completed, while the bullet points represent future recommendations.

Collaboration amongst our team members was paramount to the success of this project. Each designer's unique perspectives and work helped in delivering the best end result for the client. When implemented, we believe our recommendations will allow users who understand their buying needs to more seamlessly navigate through the RVSC site to find, and then purchase, the items they need.