An Overview

In response to customer feedback highlighting the difficulty of visualizing furniture from Target's exclusive online collections within their own spaces, our team of UX designers set out to bridge this gap with an innovative, user-centered approach. Leveraging insights from in-depth user research, surveys, and interviews, we identified a clear need for a solution that enhances confidence in furniture purchases.

Our solution: an augmented reality (AR) feature that allows users to view and arrange Target's furniture in their own rooms. This feature empowers customers to make better-informed purchasing decisions by visualizing how pieces fit and complement their current décor and room dimensions.

Success will be measured by an increase in brand awareness for Target’s home furnishings collections, with a target uplift of at least 5%. Through this AR enhancement, we aim to enrich the shopping experience, drive engagement, and build customer trust in Target’s exclusive online offerings.

My Learnings

I was involved in research comparing features with top competitors, synthesizing data to identify key patterns, and organizing them in a feature prioritization chart. I also sketched UI iterations for the app's screen design and conducted usability testing before creating graphics in Photoshop and Sketch. Later, our team presented the project to a large group. This experience allowed me to gain impactful skills in UX research, e-commerce, visual UI design, teamwork, and presentation.

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The Challenge

The customer feels dissatisfied because the home products they ordered online did not meet their expectations which were displayed on the application.

• ‍Compete with more established furniture retailers.‍

• Attract users to use Target's shopping app.

• ‍Increase sales by implementinga user-friendly, innovative feature.

The Propsed Solution

By offering a feature to view products in augmented reality,  it will empower customers to make more informed decisions regarding home products and purchases.

• We will know this to be true when customers feel more satisfied, have more brand awareness and purchase more brand products online.
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• We can verify this later by conducting a user survey and by analyzing Target’s financial reports.

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Market Research

Competitive Analysis

The competitive analysis examines retailers in the home goods and furnishings market, focusing on features that enhance product search, purchase, and pickup (with delivery as a standard). It compares the strengths and weaknesses of Target, Amazon, Wayfair, and Walmart across online and mobile platforms.

• Target does not have 3D AR view for home products
• AR feature on competitor platforms are unintuitive
• Competitors provide unexpected icons for the AR feature with no labels

Comparative Analysis

This research revealed that companies use unique AR kits tailored to their technology. Based on these findings, we concluded that Target requires its own custom-designed AR kit.

Key Findings

• Design proportionate placement and movement in all planes
• User-friendly language to explain AR i.e. “View in Room” or “Place in Room” or “View in Space

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User Research

User Surveys and Interviews

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The UX team collected user data by first sending out a screener survey with interviewees that were recruited through social media (Facebook & Instagram stories and surveyors ranged from ages 22-66). Then we sent out another user survey to refine the results and followed up with 5 follow up interviews.

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Total Number of Data Collected

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— Screeners: 33

— User Surveys: 29

— Follow up Interviews: 5

Quantitative Insights/Findings

‍ONLY 27.6% of our participants do currently use the target app.

‍93% of our users feel “neutral” to “Very Comfortable” using an augmented reality feature on an app.

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Affinity Mapping

Two rounds of affinity mapping helped organize data from the screener survery and interviews in order to find key patterns and trends

Key Trends & Patterns

• Customers want consistency when it comes to online & in store products
• Customers want a way to visualize how a piece of furniture would fit in their personalized space. (Color, size, fit)

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User Persona

Storyboard

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User Journey

The primary persona, Kimberly is looking for a new couch and the user journey displays her emotions of positive and negative experiences with finding the ideal piece to fit in her space.

Key Takeaways and Opportunities:

• Tool to help with color matching and visualization
• AR measure tool to make sure of fit

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Defining the MVP

Feature Prioritization

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Feature Prioritization Results for MVP (Minimum Viable Product).

Based on research from our screener surveys, interviews, and follow-up interviews an importance-difficulty matrix maps out the features users want based on the MoSCoW method.

The results show to include these four features in the MVP:

1. AR View on a single product

2. AR Filter

3. Better way to view colors in AR

4. AR Icon

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Information Architecture

The existing sitemap for the app's furniture categories revealed significant issues, including excessive depth and repeated product listings, making it challenging for users to locate desired items efficiently. To address these problems, the new sitemap was simplified to streamline navigation and prioritize the app's new AR feature, enhancing user experience and accessibility.

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User Flows

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Design Process

Low-Fidelity Sketches

First we started with a wireframe sketch that we tested early to bring us to the next stage.

Lo-Fidelity Paper Prototype

Then we moved to a paper prototype for eleven rounds of usability testing to flush out ideas and remove screens.

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Mid-Fidelity Prototype

It took several rounds of testing to identiy the core experience. Then I focused on bringing graphic assets to a higher fidelity using my visual design skills.

High-Fidelity Prototype Iterations and Testing

Iteration 1: Ability add multiple objects in AR mode, for shoppers to easily see how products will look in their space without leaving the AR mode.

Iteration 2: There are suggested items in the shopping cart during the check out process to go with current selected products.

Iteration 3: AR Icon that is the exact symbol from Apple iOS’ ARkit to indicate that a product has the “View in Room” Feature. Also acts as a call to action button to view items in an AR room scene.

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Usability Testing

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I designed the final prototype and then asked a collegue to test it with InVision. Some feedback I included for the next steps section.

The Final Prototype

Watch the flow here:

https://youtube.com/shorts/ziTwCRMCyvg?si=kNuYpccMYtfULFSK

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Next steps

First iteration round concept

I continued to ideation and sketched ideas to test which include:

• Changed the home screen and categories
• ARkit asks for permission to use
• “View in Room” screen has different signifiers to move item in augmented reality
• Apple Pay is added and used for this user journey
• Target product box indicates that the product has shipped

Categories Iteration

The first high-fidelity prototype has an image of a user with an iPad showing a blender in AR, for the the further iteration for the high-fidelity it is a user with a iPhone viewing a piece of furniture. Also the images showcase Target furniture categories, which help with the business model.

AR Icon Iteration

Using Apple’s ARkit, an AR Icon call to action button is used to filter products that can be seen in the “View in Room” feature. For even further iterations: narrow the scope on the filter feature, to include all of Target’s home furnishings and sort through them filtering only the products that have the AR feature.

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Reflection

As a group of UX students, we fully immersed ourselves in this project, conducting extensive research to inform our design decisions. Through market and user research, we identified the Minimum Viable Product (MVP). My contributions included creating a feature prioritization matrix, which proved invaluable in narrowing our focus, and conducting competitive and comparative analyses, further expanding my UX research expertise.

I also played a key role in prototyping, including designing the final high-fidelity project, which allowed me to showcase and refine my visual design skills. In addition, I conducted usability testing, gaining meaningful insights to improve the product. Even after the project ended, I remained passionate about it and continued exploring iterations to push the concept further.

Collaboration wasn’t always easy, but I developed strategies to overcome teamwork challenges. Strong communication and regular check-ins helped align the team and keep us efficient. Ultimately, it was a rewarding experience, and we were thrilled to see Target later release an AR feature similar to the concept we had created.

Key Takeaways:

• Research drives the project. Thorough research uncovers valuable insights and helps identify the target user.
• Iterate early and often. Sketching user flows and testing frequently allowed us to refine and enhance our design.
• Communication is key. Open dialogue and regular check-ins were essential for team alignment and efficiency.
• Professionalism matters. Staying dedicated, working hard, and maintaining focus not only shaped the project’s success but also contributed to my personal growth.
• Passion fuels success in UX design. Being deeply invested in the project motivated me to go above and beyond, continuing to refine and iterate even after its completion.

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