Giftstart
Summary
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Giftstart involved the creation of a brand identity from scratch, including voice, and color palette.
Responsibilities
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Led UI brand design initiatives, crafting a comprehensive design system that supported a consistent and scalable user experience across all touchpoints.
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Integrated insights from user research to address specific audience needs, ensuring that each design element contributed to building trust and aligning with the brand’s goals.
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Applied UX/UI best practices throughout the design workflow, refining solutions to address both user pain points and client objectives effectively.
Introduction
Giftstart, a specialized baby registry service offering subscriptions, services, and cash funds, represented a pivotal project for my previous agency as our first full-scale brand initiative. This project involved building a cohesive brand identity from the ground up, including voice, color palette, and a long-lasting design system that empowered the CEO to manage and scale the brand independently. Through close collaboration with the CEO, interviews with expectant parents, market research, and adherence to best practices, we crafted a user-centered experience that brought the client’s vision to life and made it tangible for users.
Managing Multiple Pain Points
Throughout the project, several key deliverables required simultaneous attention.
The client, being a mother herself, provided valuable initial insights into her customer base. However, to gain a comprehensive understanding of the target audience, we needed to conduct further research. This deeper exploration was essential to ensure that our design decisions were well-informed and aligned with the needs of the end users.
Establishing Brand Guidelines
One of the primary deliverables was the creation of a fully developed set of brand guidelines. For the MVP, the client’s main objective was to present something tangible to her stakeholders to secure their backing. Her specific request was to ensure that the branding was gender-neutral, aligning with her vision, and appealing to a broader audience.
Creating a Flexible Design System
At the start of the project, the client lacked access to the stores where their products were being sold, which necessitated the development of a versatile design system. This system needed to accommodate a wide range of products, regardless of variations in titles or other attributes. Additionally, we designed a product page capable of supporting multiple options for adding items to the cart simultaneously.
The Process
To thoroughly understand the client’s audience, we conducted comprehensive research. This included a competitor analysis, which provided us with a strong foundation for identifying key focus areas. To further refine our approach, we performed a SWOT analysis to gain a deeper understanding of what the MVP should encompass. During the wireframe development phase, we engaged users in usability testing, which provided valuable insights into the design's effectiveness. Particularly noteworthy were the privacy considerations and user flow within each registry. We needed to design a solution that was client-facing, user-facing, and ensured privacy. Additionally, we incorporated a feature to notify users when an item on the registry was purchased. It was through rigorous user testing that we were able to fine-tune this aspect of the design successfully.
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Establishing a Visual Identity
To set the foundation for the site’s visual identity, I began by compiling mood boards to explore potential design directions. This process allowed us to refine our focus and present five distinct color palettes to the CEO. After securing approval on the chosen palette, we curated three typography options, and the CEO entrusted us with the creative freedom to select the most fitting choice. With the approved colour palette and typography in place, we developed a comprehensive style guide. This guide included primary, secondary, and tertiary colour definitions, as well as detailed heading styles optimized for both desktop and mobile platforms. The mood board guided our decisions for the types of visual assets used on the websites. This meticulous approach ensured a cohesive and visually appealing user experience across all devices.
The style guide allowed us to create a comprehensive design system. Originally this project was sold as a headless build. However, after learning more about what the client needed we had to pivot to using Tailwind. Having the design system made it that much easier for the developers to apply the changes.
Final Product
Giftstart’s success proved to be transformative, expanding Arctic Leaf’s reach to a previously untapped demographic seeking distinct brand identities. The objective was to create a design system that empowered the CEO to autonomously manage the site post-engagement. A notable achievement was the innovative UX/UI design for the gift registry section, which significantly enhanced user experience on the live platform. The commitment to best practices for e-commerce design, allowed the company to gain an award for Innovative Design at the Netty Awards.
Key Takeaways
Starting with just a logo, I recognized that this project would be a significant undertaking. One of the key insights I gained was the critical importance of communication. I learned how to strategically facilitate meetings to maximize productivity and keep the client aligned with essential business objectives. Through our frequent interactions, I became more confident in presenting my designs and explaining my thought process. Additionally, I developed greater adaptability, particularly when we transitioned from a fully headless build to incorporating Tailwind components. This project not only honed my ability to communicate effectively but also strengthened my adaptability—skills I have continued to refine and develop.
