UX Design for IKEA

Mariyah Arif
DES300 Design Project (Design Management Major)

INTRODUCTION & RESEARCH

IKEA BUSINESS AND CONCEPT
Business Idea: At IKEA our vision is to create a better everyday life for the many people. Our business idea supports this vision by o ering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to a ord them. We can't do it alone: Our business idea is based on a partnership with the customer. First we do our part, which starts with our designers working with manufacturers to nd smart ways to make furniture using existing production processes. Then our buyers look all over the world for good suppliers with the most suitable raw materials. Next, we buy in bulk, on a global scale, so that we can get the best deals, and you can get the lowest price. Then you do your part: Using the IKEA catalog and visiting the store, you choose your furniture and pick it up at the self-serve warehouse. Because most items are at-packed you can get them home easily, and assemble them yourself. This means we don't charge you for things you can easily do on your own. So together, we save money for a better everyday life.

SIX DIMENSIONS OF EXPERIENCE

1. Signi cance: IKEA has a strong signi cance factor since many of its loyal consumers feel that they choose it for its value, performance and style. 2. Breadth: IKEA has a wide range of products, from furniture to food. It is well known for its brand that is re ected very strongly throughout its products and services. Its core fundamentals are re ected through its prices and simplicity of its products. 3. Intensity: Consumers are very engaged with the atmosphere of IKEA. They feel like the signage, banners and boards engages them. Customers are seen to use the furniture, some relax on the chairs or beds, some are forced to touch, feel and experience the tactile qualities of the products. 4. Duration (Time): One of the main marketing strategies of IKEA is to initiate impulse buying. After being given a map at the entrance, it cleverly engulfs its customers into a maze-like showroom so that they are forced to walk through the whole warehouse that in turn triggers impulse buying and to ensure maximum time spent in IKEA until one nally goes to the cashiers. Some customers enjoy this while others, perhaps more older or aged people do not like the idea and would rather pick what they came to buy and head straight out. 5. Triggers:

SPIDER-DIAGRAM

BREAKDOWNS
Observation 1: Customers like M.I. experience some di culty in assistance and service like not getting needed help quickly or no sta available in near sight to help with heavy furniture. Observation 2:
BARCODE

PROMOTIONS

WEBSITE

FOOD PRODUCTS

PROMOTIONS, NEW PRODUCTS AND EVEN THE LEAST KNOWN PRODUCTS BECOME EASY TO FIND

ONE SOURCE OF INFORMATION THAT LINKS TO ONLINE INFORMATION AS WELL. SIMPLE WAY OF GATHERING INFORMATION

Customers do notice mistakes. It is good to be precise and provide accurate information to all customers.
SCANNER

PRODUCTS

Observation 3:
TECHNOLOGY THAT INTEGRATES AND SOLVES ALL OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED PROBLEMS
PRODUCT INFO

3D SOFTWARE

Customers do not have to turn back or look for a trolley to keep something in when they decide to buy something without a plan. Observation 4:

FAQ

DIGITAL HELPER, AIDS THE SHOPPER WITHOUT IMMEDIATE NEED OF STAFF

PRODUCTS

DIGITAL NAVIGATOR TO HELP WITH WAYFINDING

PRODUCT LOCATOR

First time customers and customers who are not familiar with IKEA, nd it hard to search for something speci c. They have to go through the whole layout and ask for help, grab maps to nd their way around. This might lead to frustration since they lose valuable time and energy. Observation 5:

SEARCH

REFUND/ EXCHANGE

MAPS

SERVICES SHORTCUTS

6
CHOOSE FURNITURE WRITE DOWN YOUR CHOICE PICK PRODUCTS YOURSELF TAKE YOUR PRODUCTS HOME YOURSELF ASSEMBLE YOURSELF

It is noticed that IKEA customers like the location of IKEA and the mall, specially Hyper Panda that is right across IKEA. Customers come for their window shopping or groceries and mostly check out whats new in IKEA. Some also go for its cafe downstairs and not to shop. One of the most important visuals are the arrows on the oors and a clear road that keeps one going straight as if on a journey. There are clear signs and visual banners that help the customer to see where to go. However, some short cuts of IKEA are too narrow to be noticable. As one approaches the end of the showroom, you start to hear the clicks and clings of the utensils and plates of the restaurant accompanied by aromas of Swedish food. 6. Interaction: Signs and banners provide a very interactive environment without the need of sta . However, some people prefer having few more sta assisting them. But generally, an IKEA customer is always interacting with the envrionment, furniture and signage.

Customers like A.S. have a di erent experience at IKEA than those who are visiting for the rst time. Customers tend to know where they have to go quick and get the item that they want e ciently.

PARTICIPANT OBSERVATIONS

CHOOSING A GOOD CABINET

CHECKING FOR STORAGE

CHECKING FOR QUALITY

LOOKING AT SIGNAGE TO FIND LOCATION

GETTING OFF ROAD TO GET TO THE NEXT SECTION QUICK

CONFUSION

ENTERING FROM EXIT

FROM EXIT TOWARDS THE FABRICS SECTION

TAKING A SHORTCUT

DOMINANT CUSTOMER EXPERIENCES & FINDINGS

Customer Service needs improvement: Trolleys need a place to be parked infront of the restaurant. Some people need assistance to nd their way around or for advise on tags and IKEA process. Assistance needed in the self-serve area, like for older customers or women who cant carry heavy furniture from the self-service aisles. Tiring experience for some, since they are forced to walk through: Considerations are needed to make way nding easier atleast for diabled or old people. Customization and self-assembly area needs more awareness: People need to be more informed about the 3D software and tools that can enhance their customization ideas and to boost creativity in the region. Self-assembly process should be encouraged through some other means that are more meaningful and educational.

Low price Simplicty Style Unique Feeing of maze, losing ones way Overwhelming Strong interaction/symbols Empowernment Tiring Noisy Confusion - codes, rst timers Sense of time Meaningful

THE DOOR OF THIS CABINET WOULD NOT CLOSE

LOOKING FOR ASSISTANCE

JOTTING DOWN THE DETAILS

FINALLY AFTER BEING GUIDED BY A REACHING THE KITCENWARE SECTION ASSISTANT, SHE GOES DOWN

ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE AGAIN, THE WOMAN IS LEADING HER TO BAKING AREA

REACHING HIS GOAL

GRABBING A MEAL BEFORE EXIT

TAKING A SHORTCUT

AND ANOTHER SHORTCUT

PAINTING ON THE WAY TO EXIT BUT NO TROLLEY TO CARRY IT

GOAL ACCOMPLISHED 30 MINUTES LATER

WAY FINDING

TIME CONSUMPTION INFORMATION OVERLOAD

FINAL PICK UP POINT. FURNITURE IS TOO HEAVY AND SO NEEDS ASSISTANCE.

THE WRONG LABELING - ENG. VS. ARA

THE CORRECT ONE

AWARENESS

UX Design for IKEA

Mariyah Arif
DES300 Design Project (Design Management Major)

PERSONAS, JOURNIES, BEFORE SCENARIOS

YASMEEN
the frequent shopper I believe that IKEA is a unique experience. I would love to come here more prepared though, so I can save more time shopping around IKEA for things that I do not really need and focus on the ones I do... Age: Marital Status: Children: City: Occupation: Hobbies: 35 Married 3 Sharjah House-wife Baking I am not a frequent shopper at IKEA but I love its simple products. Im really bad with nding my way around here though! [laughs] Age: Marital Status: Children: City: Occupation: Hobbies: 22 Single None Dubai Student Sur ng net, reading and crafts

ANNA
Grab n Go Runner

YOUSEF
the rst timer This is my rst visit to IKEA. Ive never spent this amount of time in any other furniture showroom. Im dreading the self-assemble part when I take home my new wall-mounted cabinet. Age: Marital Status: Children: City: Occupation: Hobbies: 46 Married 2 Abu Dhabi Senior Internal Auditor Stamp Collection

Yasmeen is a busy housewife and comes to IKEA only if she wants to refurnish her apartment or on some weekends to spend some time with her family, looking around what is new at IKEA. She is familiar with IKEA because she often comes here if shes in the mall or in HyperPanda. She also comes to IKEA for food at its famous restaurant.

GOALS: She wants to have a look around IKEA for whats new and grab things that she thinks she might need while she is there.

Anna is a hard-working student at one of the local universities in Dubai. She comes to IKEA only if she really wants something and that is occasionally. She feels she is not used to how IKEA works and has not really bought furniture from here. She prefers to buy storage boxes, kitchen utensils for her dorm rooms.

GOALS: She is a quick shopper and comes to IKEA to grab the product and leave with it in minimum amount of time.

Yousef is a very busy auditor working in a government organization. He has only been to IKEA once and had an overwhelming experience. Yousef wanted to look for a suitable furniture for his living room but eventually it took him hours to navigate around IKEA to nally purchase what he had selected. He feels that he might need assistance with assembly because he does not have the time to put up wall shelves around his living room.

GOALS: Want assembly help and more information on how to work around IKEA without wasting time.

PERSONA JOURNEY:
Frequent Shopper

PERSONA JOURNEY:
Grab n Go runner

PERSONA JOURNEY:
First Timer

Frequent shopper knows the way around IKEA. Follows the space to the product.

Stops on the way to speci c product to look at a furniture piece.

Needs assistance with details of the piece. Confusion with labels. Misprint of prices on tags.

Continues her journey to the product she came to buy.

Finds product. Continues for checkout.

Follows IKEAs trail looking for furniture for new home.

Looks for bed. Familiar with the tags. Notes down on the shopping list the aisle and furniture code for self-pick up warehouse. Calls sta for assistance with further questions and sizes available.

Reaches kitchen installments. Gets interested in a kitchen planner and wants to get more help on how to install the whole kitchen in her new home.

Picks up trolley for self-service. At self pick up, she realizes furniture is too heavy and needs assistance.

She realizes she cannot carry one of the pieces today and might need to book it so she can come back the next day to pick it up. She feels the delivery charges for Sharjah are a bit too much.

Anna checks out her furniture, grabbing a snack on her way out.

Inside Mirdi Mall, nds it di cult to locate IKEA. No cues lead to the entrance of IKEA.

Follows escalator and IKEA linear sense of direction throughout the store.

After walking through various zones, Yousef comes to the TV cabinet area. He nds what he likes and unsure of what to do next, he looks for a sta for assistance.

Follows the IKEA trail until he reaches the wall hangings section. Want to pick up a big painting but realized he does not have a trolley to carry it. Unable to nd a trolley, he decides to leave the product.

Reaches self-pick up area and nds that he might need help of a sta member to help him with heavy packages.

Labels indicates the price, where the product is and the aisle numbers. of self-pick up area. However, Yousef feels it is better to ask a sta just for accuracy since it is his rst IKEA experience.

Grabs one of IKEAs broucher, map, pencil.

Gets information from website about products needed before shopping.

The 3D software server is low and unfortunately Anna could not see the new tool put to test. She manually plans her kitchen ideas on paper with the sta .

Browsing IKEA catalog. After comparison with various options and other stores, likes a TV cabinet in IKEA.

Gets information from sta and moved forward.

Cannot nd sta closeby.

Looks for a sta that can help her with the details and information of the product.

Sta introduces a new 3D kitchen planner that can help Anna visualize how her kitchen can look like.

Sta assists Anna and helps her pick up the packages and furniture.

Sta suggests to talk to the manager. Manager cannot book the furniture and unfortunately Anna would just have to come the next day to get the rest of the furniture.

Asks someone for direction to IKEA within the mall.

Sta is busy on phone, Yousef procedes to read the tags and labels of the product.

Sta assists Yousef in providing additional details of the product and gives tips on self-assembly. He also writes down further helpful information on the IKEA broucher.

After sta assistance, leave for checkout counter.

Space

Signage / Maps

Sta / Personel

Journey Outside IKEA

Journey Inside IKEA

SCENARIO 1:

SCENARIO 2:

SCENARIO 3:

I love this table for dining! But Ill come back and buy it later.

Browsing through IKEA website is so exhausting! I cant nd the table that I saw at IKEA earlier!

Ill look it up for you maam. It will be in stock Im sure. Do you remember any other product information?

It was a plain white dining table that was square in shape right here when I came a few weeks ago...

The table cloth should be in the fabrics department...I just have to keep going straight... I have a meeting in a hour and a half! I better quickly nd the table cloth my wife asked to grab from IKEA...

Its not here! I wasted so much time looking for it. Would have been better just to ask sta for help!

This sofa here is pretty good. Comfortable, a ordable and big!

That was a long route to the self-service aisle and I cant locate the sofa. How do I buy it?

Sir some items cannot be assembled in at packs and you will have to order a delivery for the sofa you want to purchase.

I wish I had this information before so I wouldnt waste time. Delivery will take time and I wanted to take this home tonight!

Because of IKEAs showroom layout, customers are forced to look at things that perhaps they dont intend to buy as yet. These customers either come in later to buy the products they like because of time constraints or buy it anyhow.

IKEAs website is a bit di cult to navigate through because of alot of information on the pages.

Customers might not nd the product if it is out of stock or replaced with a newer product. They might have to go looking for the product at the store and ask for sta s assistance.

Cutomers who are always on the go and in no time, nd it hard in IKEA to navigate through. They feel once they enter IKEA, there is no way out!

Some customers dont nd the IKEA map broucher helpful. Many dont even notice or pick it up from the information stand-alone displays.

Customers are reliant on sta members for help. There arent many sta available on spot if you need them. You usually have to go around looking for a sta to guide you.

Some customers are not aware of how IKEA works, mainly the rst time visitors. Once they like a product, they need assistance to nd out how to purchase the furniture.

They nd it di cult to navigate around and look for shortcuts to go to self-service aisle to pick their products.

Some people forget to note down the aisle number and product details and hence have to go all the way back to get the information. Other times, customers do not get a clear sense of the information around IKEA.

UX Design for IKEA

Mariyah Arif
DES300 Design Project (Design Management Major)

PROTOTYPES UX DESIGN

Personal Gallery Sign In Help

Catalog Home

Place it in your room

Shopping List

IKEA Map You Are Close To...

Scan Product

SCENARIO 1:
Printing it out will make it so much easier and faster for me to shop at IKEA. Now I can be more organized while shopping. That was fast! I can easily locate things now and review my shopping list.

SCENARIO 2:
Ive added items that I want to buy and saved them in shopping list!

SCENARIO 3:

Logging in my IKEA account on desktop! All my browed contents on mobile are now easily seen on my computer.

Heres a shortcut that I can take to get to my wall cabinet faster. I dont like this cabinet as it is, Ill add a complementary side table that goes with it to my shopping list.

I scanned the barcode of the chair that I really liked. Lets see where it is on the IKEA map.

That was very easy to locate! Got the right chair, color and size in a matter of 15 minutes.

Facilitating an engaging and interactive web app, IKEA customers can log in to their IKEA app through IKEA website and organize their shopping experience at IKEA. Here, Inaya comparing and reviewing products on the new IKEA app. She can then create a shopping list straight away and her journey through IKEA. She also has the total price of all the products on the list.

Inaya can now print her personal IKEA journey and shopping list that she can carry to IKEA for an organzied and e cient way of shopping.

She can now manage her shopping list and reach her products in less time. Inaya is now fully in control of how to manage her IKEA experience and make it more personal.

Issa uses the mobile IKEA app because he is always on the go. Like the IKEA web app, the IKEA mobile app shares similar features. After logging in, Issa can browse through products easily. He can view what products are better and read reviews, share ideas and brainstorm for di erent options. Issa then saves his favourite list of products.

When Issa is ready to buy his favourite IKEA products, he can simply open his list and see the total price of the products in his list, where to nd them and see complementary goods.

After log in, Issa can view his shopping journey and nd the shortest routes to his products, also locating any complementary goods he might be interested in.

The IKEA app will help rst timers to locate their furniture at packs in the self pick up aisles more e ciently and e ectively.

Along with locating products and goods, the built-in GPS and map utility, will help locate nearest shortcuts and routes to the self service warehouse.

Once in the self-service aisle, the app displays the aisle number, the furniture code, color and price to tell exactly where to proceed and pick furniture from.