OVERVIEW
Timeline
Role
Research - 1 week
Design & Testing - 3 weeks
Product designer partnered with 2 other designers on this project. I participated in research and design, as well as advising on best design practices.
Tools
Team
Figma
Miro
3 UX/UI Designers
2 Developers
PROBLEM
Millennials need a trustworthy, credible platform that makes them comfortable enough to buy an engagement ring online.
We needed to educate the user on Engager’s unique business model, guide the user through a questionnaire, direct the user to pay a deposit, facilitate communication between customer and jeweler, and allow the user to ultimately purchase their ring.
RESEARCH & INSIGHT
The competition offered a shallow customization experience, only allowing users to select factory made bands.
Competitive and comparative analysis to identify branding opportunities and UX patterns
To familiarize ourselves with the domain, we conducted a competitive analysis on other companies offering customized engagement rings.
Because of Engager's unique business model—which included questionnaire, customization, and deposit flows—we also researched websites outside of our domain that relied on similar design patterns.
Unlike our competitors, Engager Rings was not an e-commerce experience. It was a product experience, and the look and feel of the website should reflect the delicate craftsmanship of the product and the time and care put into designing it.
IDEATION
User Flow
These diagrams served as instrumental guides; we made wireframes only for key screens.
We created two user flow diagrams to articulate and refine the user journey.
When the initial design is complete, users receive an email directing them to their dashboard. They can purchase the ring as is or pay a deposit to further customize it with a designer.
In order to begin collaboration with a jewelry design team, users must first complete a questionnaire that provides the jeweler with enough information to create an initial ring design. Users are then prompted to create an account to access their dashboard.
Building a Design System
This look, inspired by luxury brands, incorporates negative space, bold photography, and a minimal color palette to let the products shine.
We created three distinct visual concepts for Engager Rings and conducted desirability testing, collecting data on emotional response and product-reaction words. We then presented the test results to our client, who elected to move forward with the style shown.
Testing revealed that these elements created an elegant, refined feel—one that mirrored the product. We set out applying this style to our wireframes and building out our first high-fidelity prototype.
TESTING
Users required a better mental model of the customization process & deposit flow.
Users had trouble navigating the dashboard, specifically purchasing the finalized ring.
In our first round of hi-fidelity testing, our design direction received tremendous validation.
When asked to describe the look and feel of the interface, users chose adjectives closely related to those we preselected: elegant, luxurious, and minimal.
Our synthesized feedback from testing
FINAL DESIGN
Onboarding
In addition to a “learn more” section and several success screens leveraged to further educate users, we included an onboarding flow to set expectations and ensure multiple avenues for user education.
Dashboard
When building the final dashboard, we focused on providing clear labeling and enhancing discoverability, allowing for intuitive access to key features like viewing current and previous ring designs and talking to Engager’s design team.
Questionnaire
The questionnaire compiles basic user requirements (like ring size) as well as specific asks (like incorporating nature into the design). Automating this step rather than using a jeweler also cuts costs for our client.
