CASE STUDY
KIT LENDER
Timeline
Aug. 2022 - Sept. 2022
Role
UX/UI Designer
Tools
REDESIGNING THE WAY USERS RENT OUTDOOR GEAR
Outdoor recreational activities have surged in the past couple years as people are discovering the benefits of spending time outdoors. Over 9.1 million people went camping last year while one-third of those individuals said that COVID-19 was the motivation behind the experimentation. For new campers, it can be an exciting new adventure but at the same time a hefty financial investment. Due to the expensive gear that is needed, KIT LENDER is a great alternative for beginner campers. Renting gear can provide families or individuals top-grade packages without paying retail for each individual item.
DEFINING THE ISSUE
Through secondary research, it was made clear that currently we are in the process of a generational shift. Due to the large percentage of new campers being millennials and families with small children, many parents struggle with preparations for a few nights away from home with young children. Individuals and lower income families find it difficult to pay for all the gear necessary to have a safe and productive trip.
MAJORITY OF CAMPERS ARE NOW MILLENNIAL FAMILIES
PROJECT GOALS
Through this project, the goal is to design an app for Kit Lender (existing platform) to allow customers to rent gear through their mobile devices. Creating a beginner friendly seam-less experience that will boost customer confidence and develop trust with the company so users will be able to enjoy the experiences of renting gear as a beginner outdoor enthusiast.
DESIGN A MOBILE APP FOR KITLENDER
DESIGN PROCESS
When strategizing my design process, it was important to remember certain points that ultimately guided the way research and design was conducted.
1. There is a shift in generations where a majority of campers are new millennial families
2. Rental gear apps are almost non existent in the market
3. Used gear automatically creates a wall and boundary for most people because of the possibility of the unknown and hassle
EXAMINING THE MARKET - WHAT CAN WE DO BETTER?
Key Takeaways
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Not a single competitor offers a mobile option to rent recreational gear
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Customizing and choosing packages to rent are often complicated and hard to find what you are looking for with minimal experience
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Language used to describe products and systems can be too advanced for beginners
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INTERVIEWS - UNDERSTANDING OUR USERS
An interview was conducted with 5 participants recruited from a screening process. For this study I was interested in evaluating user behaviors and pain points of potential users. I wanted a better understanding of the processes that people go through when renting equipment and gear by evaluating the users major concerns. Through the process I wanted to accumulate data on specific situations where people were disappointed hinting in ways this app I am developing could solve these problems. Identifying challenges faced during the rental process and the actual camping experiences were two main goals throughout this process.
Key Takeaways - Observations and Insights
OB: Participants find it inconvenient to rent items in person
IN: Participants are now more comfortable using other means to buy or rent items either through a mobile device or through the web
OB: Camping takes a lot of work
IN: Participants want an easier way with the least of amount of work to participate in recreational activities
OB: Equipment can be very expensive
IN: There needs to be another alternative for financially supporting the experience that puts less stress on the initial investment of going camping
OB: They wouldn't mind having high quality equipment to make their experience better and more comfortable
IN: Comfort is very important to have a positive experience
PERSONAS
BLUEPRINT FOR DESIGN
Lack of hierarchy and organization frustrates beginner users
By carefully structuring the information based on the needs and pain points of users will increase app usage and promote a higher user experience. Especially with complicated information and product language, simplifying how the products are laid out while prioritizing the main needs and components is crucial.
Sitemap
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Userflow
INITIAL SKETCHES, WIREFRAMES, WIREFLOWS
By mapping out the most important screens prevents lost red routes to ensure a seamless experience through out the application.
HIGH FIDELITY PROTOTYPES
Design Features
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App will be catered towards beginners and novice outdoor enthusiasts allowing for more opportunities to more adventures. Simplified navigation, verbiage, and categories will provide users a stress-free experience.
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By simplifying the features and verbiage, users will be able to navigate effortlessly throughout the app to search and reserve what they need.
REGISTRATION FLOW
INPUTING DATES TO VIEW AVAILABLE GEAR
PICK AND CHOOSE ITEMS AND CUSTOMIZE SIZING
USER FRIENDLY SORTING AND FILTERING OF PRODUCTS
CUSTOMER CARE - EASY ACCESS TO HELP/FAQ
HAND HOLDING CHECKOUT
USABILITY TESTING
Introduction
Kit Lender is an existing outdoor gear and apparel rental service allowing customers to receive equipment KITS or individual items through the mail. Renting gear can provide families or individuals top-grade packages without paying retail for each individual item. Test will be conducted through a moderated usability test with 5 selected participants. Each session will last between 20-30 min through a guided discussion either remotely or in-person. The test will include a short introduction, questions, and guided casual conversation to see the physical responses and stress points of the participants while navigating the app.
Findings
Issue #1
User’s found the search engine for available gear confusing and forced. Searching for available gear by using travel dates and filters to review gear that is available during the time of the user’s trip should be simplified and more accessible by the users.
Summary:
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Almost all participants didn’t even realize what that search bar was for on the homepage
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Most participants skipped it entirely and wanted to search for specific products rather than add in their information
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The search bar was overall confusing and overwhelming for ⅘ participants
Recommendations:
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Change the verbiage on the search bar to be more specific
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Add a little description so user’s understand the purpose of the reservation date search bar
Issue #2
The customization button caused a lot of confusion for first time user’s when first encountered. The concept itself is new and most participants didn’t understand the purpose of the customization factor in the first place. Having it bold and fixed on the screen was too noticeable by the participants.
Summary:
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Most participants paused and had to process the screen before even exploring it
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Most people have never had to customize their reservation or package before reserving so this concept is new for the average person making it a difficult feature and element of the app
Recommendations:
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Make sure there are instructional information easily accessible to make it easier for users to understand the process as quickly as possible
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Remove the fixed feature at the bottom of the screen and add it directly onto the screen for less stress
FINAL DESIGN
User's found it tedious and unnecessary to have to input their address , date , and party through 3 different screens
Having the customization at the bottom of the screen was distracting and user's found it almost aggressive
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Drop down menus for users to pick and choose their items in a KIT was confusing and difficult to understand. Participants wanted a visual representation of items to choose from.
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Design Elements
