Synopsis

As a UX Consultant, I collaborated with a dynamic team of UX, UI, and Visual Designers, along with Project Managers, to revolutionize the returns and exchanges process for an e-commerce platform. Our project aimed to streamline the consumer experience, reduce return rates for businesses, and create sustainable employment opportunities within the Gig Economy Workers. My key contributions included:

1. Strategic UX Guidance: I provided guidance on the development of UX research methodologies tailored to understand and improve the consumer return and exchange process.

2. Business Strategy Development: I provided strategic insights to align the platform’s objectives with market needs, ensuring a balance between consumer convenience and business profitability.

3. Research Oversight: I carefully reviewed research materials as needed, including conversation guides, to ensure the integrity and effectiveness of our research studies.

This project not only enhanced consumer satisfaction by making returns and exchanges more convenient but also helped businesses reduce return rates and fostered reliable job opportunities in the Gig Economy.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Project Milestones

Business Problem

What is Doorstep?

Doorstep is an e-commerce return and exchange platform, simplifying the return and exchange process for consumers, businesses and returns agents with free pickups and various shopping options for fewer returns.

Give your customers a choice

With built in options like AI Chatbot support, exchange with incentives, and returns, Doorstep reduces loss per transaction.

Listen to their story

Learn what went wrong and review collective customer feedback from 
your business dashboard.

Verify Product Quality With AI: Confirm products are returnable

Products are automatically checked for stains, wear and tear, so you instantly know that products can be sold again.

Allow for easily scheduling

With home pickup, items can be retrieved directly from customers through our network of reliable return agents.

Make home pick up stress free

Customers can choose between male and female return agents, as well as various return options like UPS or local retail drop off.

Provide seamless chat

Customers can chat with return agents through SMS text and can rate their
pickup experience.

Show how to buy again

Give them multiple places to find their credit including text message and email.

What Started It All?

Doorstep came to life from the frustration of driving to a local retailers or UPS for returns while balancing more pressing life matters.

Smaller online retailers even still require printing labels, packaging items, and paying for return shipping costs.

Problem Statements

Team Structure

PLAN

Deliverables

1. Build The Team

2. Project Management

3. Project Goals

4. Business Metrics

Build The Team

To access the widest pool of top talent, we utilized LinkedIn.

Project Management

Our team employed FigJam and Trello for project tracking, offering transparency in deadlines and fostering accountability.

FigJam Documentation

Project Goals

This project was designed to create value for all participants in the ecosystem — businesses, consumers, and return agents.

Business Metrics

We wanted to define what success looked like before diving into the designs to ensure we achieve success for all users in the Doorstep Ecosystem.

RESEARCH

Research Questions

Developing research questions guided the project’s direction and outcomes, leading to a better understanding of how users would be effected.

• Will having a free doorstep pickup option persuade consumers to exchange items that they would have previously chosen to return?

Persona Questions

• What problems do our users experience?

• What are their needs?

• What motivates them?

• What do they value?

• What context do they use the product in?

• What solutions do they use to solve current problems?

Competitive Research

Competitive research helped to understand how the market was serving customers and identify gaps where Doorstep can assist.

12 Competitors in the Market

Competitor Analysis

• Automation & Easy Integration: Automate exchanges and seamlessly integrate with e-commerce platforms to simplify the process.

• Fraud Prevention: Implement data-driven strategies to combat fraudulent exchanges, enhancing trust and security.

• Sustainability Focus: Promote doorstep pick up for exchanges as an eco-friendly choice, appealing to green-conscious consumers.

• Superior Customer Experience: Prioritize reliable logistics and responsive support to ensure a smooth exchange process.

• Tech-Enhanced User Experience: Use chatbots and AI for instant support and efficient logistics, making exchanges more attractive.

Independent Research

Conducting independent research helped to accurately define the problem space and cross-reference our findings from the competitive analysis.

Research Analysis:

• Balanced Returns Policy: Strike a fair balance between customer-friendly policies and protecting seller revenue to mitigate fake returns. (Quartz)

• E-commerce Adaptation: Adjust return strategies to market changes, balancing customer preferences with cost-effectiveness. (Opinion)

• Strategic Logistics Partnerships: Leverage partnerships for innovative solutions to the complex challenges of e-commerce returns. (Opinion)

• Customer Convenience: Implement doorstep pickup to streamline returns, enhancing customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. (WallStreetJournal)

• Return Experience & Loyalty: Prioritize a positive return process to boost customer loyalty and encourage repeat business. (MDPI)

Consumer Survey

We used Google Forms to conduct survey!!!!!!!!!! The 155 responses gave us insights into consumer demographics, behaviors, and return experiences, and served as a foundation for our user persona and recruitment database.

Discovery Interviews

User interviews offered a deep dive into consumer and business behaviors with return and exchange processes, and provided us with authentic data insights.

Personas

The personas delivered a detailed yet concise summary of our target users that enhanced our design process and decision-making process.

Initial User Map

The user map captured our streamlined perspective on ideal persona interactions, that guided our user flows, journey mapping, and identification of edge cases.

IDEATE

Design Hypothesis

This set the stage for identifying key learnings we aimed to extract from the usability testing.

• If we provide consumers with incentives like free doorstep pickup, then they will likely choose the exchange option.

• If they choose to return the item, the return option would leave them with a positive experience with the business and they would likely purchase again.

How Might We + Risk Assessment

By reframing risks as opportunities, this step helped our team kickstart ideation, which would later inform and guide our wireframing process.

HMW: Consumer

1. Difficulty in Scaling to Different Brands

   • HMW adapt our model to meet the unique needs and expectations of different brands effectively?

2. Retailers Won't Adopt the Platform

   • HMW demonstrate the value of our platform to retailers to encourage adoption?

3. Challenges Scaling with High Transaction Volumes

   • HMW enhance our system's capability to efficiently manage high volumes of transactions?

4. Lack of Trust or Satisfaction from Customers

   • HMW build trust and increase customer satisfaction to ensure repeat usage and positive word-of-mouth?

5. Lack of Differentiation from Competitors

   • HMW innovate to create unique features or services that differentiate our platform in the market?

6. Unattractive Pricing Model for Retailers

   • HMW develop a pricing strategy that is both attractive to retailers and sustainable for our business?

7. Lack of Incentive for Consumers to Do Exchanges

   • HMW create compelling incentives for consumers to engage in product exchanges?

8. Exchanged Products Don’t Meet Quality Standards

   • HMW ensure consistent quality in exchanged products to maintain customer satisfaction?

9. Regulatory Compliance and Legal Challenges

   • HMW navigate and comply with various trade and commerce regulations effectively?

10. Supply Chain and Logistics Management

    • HMW optimize our supply chain and logistics management, especially for cross-border transactions?

11. Data Security and Privacy Concerns

    • HMW enhance data security measures and ensure privacy compliance to protect customer and retailer information?

12. Dependency on Third-Party Logistics and Partners

    • HMW reduce dependency on third parties or ensure their performance aligns with our service quality standards?

13. Market Dynamics and Consumer Behavior Changes

    • HMW stay adaptive and responsive to changing market trends and consumer preferences?

14. Financial Sustainability and Cash Flow Management

    • HMW ensure our financial sustainability and effectively manage cash flow, particularly during market downturns?

15. Technical Scalability and Infrastructure

    • HMW scale our technical infrastructure to support growth and increased demand efficiently?

HMW: Business

1. Difficulty in Scaling to Different Brands

   • HMW adapt our model to meet the unique needs and expectations of different brands effectively?

2. Retailers Won't Adopt the Platform

   • HMW demonstrate the value of our platform to retailers to encourage adoption?

3. Challenges Scaling with High Transaction Volumes

   • HMW enhance our system's capability to efficiently manage high volumes of transactions?

4. Lack of Trust or Satisfaction from Customers

   • HMW build trust and increase customer satisfaction to ensure repeat usage and positive word-of-mouth?

5. Lack of Differentiation from Competitors

   • HMW innovate to create unique features or services that differentiate our platform in the market?

6. Unattractive Pricing Model for Retailers

   1. HMW develop a pricing strategy that is both attractive to retailers and sustainable for our business?

7. Lack of Incentive for Consumers to Do Exchanges

   • HMW create compelling incentives for consumers to engage in product exchanges?

8. Exchanged Products Don’t Meet Quality Standards

   • HMW ensure consistent quality in exchanged products to maintain customer satisfaction?

9. People Use the Service Only Once a Month

   • HMW understand and address the barriers to increase frequent usage?

10. People Use the Product Once, Then Stop

    • HMW iterate our product or service to increase repeat usage?

11. Fraud

    • HMW implement effective fraud detection and prevention mechanisms?

12. Porch Pirates

    • HMW ensure secure delivery to prevent theft by 'porch pirates'?

13. Drivers Stealing Packages

    • HMW implement tracking and accountability measures for quality package handling?

HMW: Return Agent

1. Theft or Misappropriation

   • HMW effectively track inventory throughout the return process to prevent theft?

2. Inadequate Verification

   • HMW enhance the verification process for returned items to ensure accuracy?

3. Lack of Motivation for Timely Returns

   • HMW create incentives for return agents to prioritize timely returns?

4. Logistical Errors

   • HMW address common logistical challenges faced by return agents?

5. Fraudulent Claims

   • HMW establish checks and balances to detect and prevent fraudulent returns?

6. Data Privacy Breaches

   • HMW strengthen data protection measures for handling customer information?

7. Inconsistent Return Policies

   • HMW streamline the management of differing return policies from various merchants?

8. Damage During Transit

   • HMW identify and mitigate common causes of product damage during transit?

Updated User Map

After gaining a deeper understanding of our users and business risks, our knowledge of their interactions evolved, leading to an updated map.

Insights:

The user map evolved to show how the happy path of the consumer could interact with the business and return agent.

Happy Path & Edge Cases

We explored how consumers could either get chat support, perform an exchange or return and noted edge cases not directly related to our design hypothesis.

Insights:

Although edge cases were not part of our user testing, we had to consider those situations as part of having a robust system.

All Situations Accounted For

User Flows

This was a critical step to guide us in ideation. Without having a user flow the team would be creating screens in the 
dark without context of how they work together.

Insights:

During this step the team disagreed what the user flows would be. Initially, the flow below accounted for a scenario where all the personas would interact but it was later changed to show the most common scenario.

Initial User Flows

User Journey

User Journeys provided a comprehensive view of the personas’ experiences, aligning our design choices with the 
user actions and the impact of each step on their mindset.

Wireframes

To get all ideas out there and allow for quick iteration.

Insights:

We explored wireframes for the consumer performing a return or exchange that got accepted by our system.

PROTOTYPE

Style Guide

To ensure design consistency, efficiency, and streamline the creation of high-fidelity models.

Insights:

Although these styles weren’t from material library, we used other design principles from Google to ensure they meet Android specs.

Figma Prototype

To test our ideas with real users and to create a more realistic experience.

Insights:

We explored a scenario of an exchange and return demonstrating 
the product’s primary functionality and benefits to the consumer persona 
under optimal conditions.

Prototype Version 1 (Before User Testing)

Interaction Design

To make aspects of the user journey more enjoyable and aid in user comprehension as they move through their journey.

Insights:

We implemented interaction design throughout the prototype. 
Below are a couple key examples: A door opening animation, a photo verifying animation, and chat bubbles appearing in SMS chat.

Mid to High Fidelity Designs

The move from mid to high fidelity represented experiences that felt true to life.

TEST & REFINE

Referenced Survey Output from Google Forms

We analyzed survey results to select participants matching our consumer demographics and relevant return process experiences and business goals.

Column Headings:

• Interview: Yes/No

• Timestamp

• Age Range

• Positive/Negative Online Return Experiences

• Marital Status

• Household Income

• Returns/Exchanges with Amazon/Others

• Retailers in the Past Year

• Important Factors in Online Return Process

• Comfort Level with Online Shopping and Returns (1-5 Scale)

• Influence of Incentives on Return/Exchange Decisions

• Impact of Retailer's Return Policy on Purchase Decisions

Test 1: Recruiting

We invited participants to join the study, offering a Starbucks gift card as compensation. Scheduling with Calendly allowed participants to choose a convenient time and date.

Test 1: Discussion Guide

The discussion guide emphasized tasks aligned with established Business Metrics and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to rigorously test our design hypothesis.

Usability Test Testing Tasks and Questions

Test 1: Usability Test

We performed this test to check that participants 
could complete each task successfully.

Insights:

Several participants scheduled for tests were from Africa, using American names. Challenges arose with internet speed, computer access, language barriers, and reliability in showing up to scheduled tests.

To address this, we recruited a few family members who still aligned with the consumer persona profile, resulting in 5 users for testing.

Usability Test Testing Tasks and Questions

Test 1: Team Debrief

We shared our learnings through discussions, gaining roughly 60% of the insights from these conversations. Transcripts were consulted for further details in subsequent phases.

Insights:

Some of the main feedback...

• Confusion about if Doorstep was a native app or web experience

• Some people did not read the camera permissions

• The driver tip % alone did not make sense

• The email had too much white space and scrolling

• Phrasing questions for the second test needed to be adjusted to reduce bias

Test 1: Transcripts with Dovetail

Our researchers, already familiar with Dovetail, found it straightforward to transcribe videos using the platform. Despite its range of features, transcription was our primary requirement.

Insights:

The transcript did not accurately capture some of the words in the interview but it was easy to jump to specific topics within the interview which provided quick notes for clarification.

Test 1: Insights with Google Sheets

We organized and reviewed observations in a spreadsheet to quickly identify critical issues through voting. These were assigned to team members for refinement before the next test cycle.

Insights:

We learned that team voting on immediate issues reduced bias and encouraged explanations for why each was considered a high priority.

Test 1: Refinement

We prioritized refining the top usability concerns to enhance the user experience for the second round of usability testing.

Test 2: Usability Test

We performed this test to ensure participants could complete each task successfully.

Insights:

Based on our initial test observations, we adjusted our approach by scheduling additional participants, allowing up to 15 minutes for user arrival, sending reminder emails on test days, checking users' internet speeds, confirming they were using a computer, and refining our script for objectivity. These adjustments led to smoother testing.

Test 2: Team Debrief

We shared our learnings through discussions, gaining roughly 60% of the insights from these conversations. Transcripts were consulted for further details in subsequent phases.

Insights:

In this debrief, with only one researcher and an observer present, detailed discussion of findings after each test became even more crucial. Moreover, language barriers further underscored the importance of these thorough discussions.

Test 2: Transcripts with Dovetail

We continued to use Dovetail to transcribe videos.

Insights:

Due to the language barrier, we encountered numerous questions, leading to extensive discussions and detailed note clarification to ensure mutual understanding.

Test 2: Insights with Google Sheets

We continued to use Google Sheets to identify and prioritize features to implement.

Insights:

We learned that asynchronous voting is not as effective as discussing over a call.

Test 2: Refinement

We prioritized refining the top usability concerns to enhance the user experience for the second round of usability testing.

RETRO

Research Question Results

Answering these questions at the end helped us know if our product was meeting user needs and would work as designed.

• Will having a free doorstep pickup option persuade consumers to exchange items that they would have previously returned?

  • Yes. Under certain conditions the additional incentive made consumers happy about exchanging items.

Design Hypothesis Results

Answering the design hypothesis helped us know if our assumptions were correct.

4/5 Consumers preferred the exchange option because of the convenience (under the condition that they didn’t have concerns about the product quality).

KPI (Key Performance Indicator) Results

We setup KPIs at the beginning to be able to measure the success of the product.

What We Learned

Below are 30 second clips from our seven team members that highlight key personal learnings while creating Doorstep.

Insights:

The project was completed in less than 3 months. However, we experienced operational and communication issues that created bottlenecks and delays. Fortunately, we regrouped and reallocated resources to get critical tasks completed and removed deliverables that caused scope creep.

Next Steps: Business UI

The Business UI would help us understand how our product was meeting the needs and solving pain points for our key users.

Insights:

Due to the updated deadlines we set, we did not test our business UI design but if we were to continue working, this would be our next usability test.

Next Steps: Product Commercial

To showcase the value of our product a commercial would put our product in the context of the users and make our product vision come to life.

Insights:

Similarly due to time constraints we did not pursue this deliverable. However, having storyboard descriptions of each scene put us in a position to be able to create a product commercial that we could feature on product release.

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