Freighthub were looking for someone to research, create and test a new booking system for their revolutionary Freight start-up. I worked as a contractor with Freighthub for approximately 5 months designing and testing the new system.
Freighthub was started with the ambitious goal of utilising the empty space that exists on almost every freight truck in the world. Using GPS data Freighthub is able to work out which trucks have space and know where they are going.
Freighthub had been using an MVP for a couple of years and needed a new booking system that would give their customers better options and incentives to use the space that already existed in the freight system.
The challenge was to find a way to clearly show users how they could benefit from utilising the spare space available and present it to them clearly and simply. The solution ended up being much more difficult than first thought!
Our UX design process kicked off with comprehensive research to understand the intricacies of freight booking, user expectations, and pain points within the existing system. We conducted stakeholder interviews, carried out desk research, and delved into customer feedback to identify key areas for improvement.
Time is always critical: Overwhelmingly the feedback was that when freight was booked – they wanted it gone ASAP.
Simple is best: Users wanted to maintain the consistency and ease that existed in the MVP with only some improvements.
Freight is still in the dark ages: While moving goods via courier is very 21st century – freight is not. It’s still paper-based and a very manual process.
The plan was to create an updated booking form that is simple and speedy yet contains the extra functionality and incentives that Freighthub felt it needed, to entice users into allowing more flexibility in how their freight needs were managed.
New booking page
The process steps were:
1. Ideation and wireframing:
• Conducted brainstorming sessions with staff and clients to generate innovative ideas for the new booking system.
• Created low-fidelity prototypes to visualise and iterate on the proposed design concepts
2. User testing:
• Organised in-person and online user testing sessions to gather feedback on the prototypes.
• Identified pain points and areas of confusion to inform iterative design.
Over 14 different price selectors were tested
3. Iterative Design:
• Iteratively refined the design based on user feedback, focusing on enhancing navigation and clarity.
• Collaborated closely with the Freighthub team to ensure alignment with business goals.
A full suite of menu choices and different states were created
4. Interactive Hi-Fi Prototypes:
• Using Figma developed high-fidelity interactive prototypes to simulate the end-to-end user experience, then refined the design based on user insights.
• All frames needed for the developers to work off were also created.
Unfortunately during this process, it became more and more apparent that the vision of Freighthub did not always align with the customer base it served. In February 2019 Freighthub was not able to secure further investor funding and wound down their operation with plans to completely close. However many customers demanded Freighthub remain open and agreed to a substantial price increase so that they could continue to serve its client base. In an unusual twist, COVID-19 was to hit one month later and freight volumes suddenly went through the roof, because of this, Freighthub is still trading today.
The Parent Village website was getting visits, but no new members. We researched, designed and tested a new onboarding process for them as well as a new mobile-first website design.
Parent Village, a community-driven platform for parents, approached us with a challenge – despite having a substantial amount of website traffic, the conversion rate for sign-ups was significantly low.
Parent Village serves as an online hub for parents seeking support, advice, and connections. The existing website used Facebook ads to get users to visit their website. But although the traffic was great – there was very little engagement after that first interaction.
Our research identified that trust and value were important in users’ thought processes and we needed to address these points in a much better onboarding process that would highlight the benefits of membership to new users.
Our initial research phase focused on understanding potential Parent Village users, analysing user behaviour, and identifying the barriers preventing sign-ups. We conducted user interviews and used Hotjar heatmaps and user video analysis to uncover insights into user expectations and pain points.
Complex Onboarding: The existing onboarding process was lengthy and complicated, deterring users from completing the sign-up.
Lack of Incentives and value: Users needed clearer incentives to sign up, highlighting the benefits of joining the Parent Village community.
Lack of Guidance: The onboarding process did not explain why certain information was required – leading to a lack of trust in the process.
Access Points: Research indicated three clear access points where potential users are entering the website.
1. User Flow Mapping:
• Mapped out the existing user journey to identify pain points and areas of friction.
• Redesigned the onboarding flow to reduce steps and enhance user engagement.
2. Wireframing and Prototyping:
• Developed wireframes for the new onboarding process, focusing on simplicity and clarity.
• Created interactive prototypes to visualise the user flow and gather early feedback.
3. Incentivising Sign-ups:
• Ensured that the value of becoming a member was made clear from the beginning.
• Gave examples of possible people that new members could immediately be connected with after the sign-up process.
• Let them be comfortable with the amount of information required, by only having the minimum number of mandatories.
4. User Testing:
• Conducted usability testing with a sample of Parent Village’s target audience to validate the effectiveness of the redesigned onboarding process.
• Gathered feedback and iteratively refined the design based on user insights.
Final user flow map
The redesigned onboarding process gives Parent Village. In testing, users responded positively to the simplified journey, clear incentives and value-led approach, fostering a stronger sense of community engagement. Parent Village is currently seeking further investment while it takes the new design into development.
Partridge Jewellers came to us with a brief to completely redesign their website and add functionality to their online presence that was lacking in their current site.
Partridge Jewellers is a leading retailer of luxury watch brands and fine jewellery manufacturing with a rich heritage spanning over a 150 years.
Partridge approached us intending to revamp their online presence. They wanted a modern, user-friendly website that not only showcased their incredible product line but also provided a seamless user experience for their customers.
Partridge has a strong reputation in the high-end jewellery sector. However, their existing website did not align with their brand image and lacked the necessary features for an optimal user experience.
We suggested that they create a new website that would run on Magento 2, a CMS (Content Management System) that can be used to create online stores and has a powerful, scalable and secure architecture.
Our initial phase involved in-depth research to understand the target audience, their preferences, and the online behaviours of luxury jewellery shoppers. We conducted user interviews, analysed competitor websites, and collaborated closely with the Partridge Jewellers’ team to identify pain points and opportunities.
Outdated Design: The existing website design felt outdated and did not reflect the brand’s elegance.
Limited Functionality: The website lacked essential e-commerce features, hindering the potential for online sales. It also didn’t connect customers with staff in a seamless way through the website.
Difficult Navigation Partridge had a lot of different categories that had been added to over the years. The navigation was not intuitive and users found it challenging to explore the product range which impacted their overall experience.
Our plan was to:
1. Create a visually stunning and contemporary design that aligns with Partridge Jewellers’ brand identity
2. Enhance the navigation by using a mega menu that helped to create an intuitive journey for users browsing and purchasing products
3. Implement a modern e-commerce platform to facilitate online transactions seamlessly
Mega menu implementation
Our process steps were:
1. Wireframing and Prototyping:
• Developed wireframes to map out the new site’s structure and layout
• Prototyped key user flows to visualize the navigation and interactions
2. Visual Design:
• Created mobile and desktop designs simultaneously to ensure consistency of functionality and aesthetic
• Crafted a modern and luxurious visual design that emphasized the brand’s sophistication
• Incorporated high-quality imagery to showcase the jewellery collection
• Created a set of elegant icons to be used within the site
• Explored new font libraries to be used for all Partridge material
• Introduced a mega menu for both desktop and mobile applications
Store visit enquiry process
3. E-commerce Integration:
• Selected a user-friendly e-commerce platform and integrated it seamlessly into the website
• Implemented secure payment gateways to ensure a trustworthy online shopping experience
• Added functionality for customers to contact staff for products that were not e-commerce compatible
Product display details on hover function
4. User Testing:
• Conducted usability testing with a diverse group of users to gather feedback on the website’s functionality and design.
• Iteratively refined the design based on user insights
The redesigned Partridge Jewellers website successfully blends elegance with functionality. The integration of e-commerce capabilities has expanded their reach and increased online sales. Positive user feedback indicates a significant improvement in the overall user experience, aligning with the brand’s reputation for excellence.
