Keller Strings
Keller Strings
This New Orleans violin shop needed their website to reflect their in-store experience: warm, elegant, and instructive. A complete redesign of their website was key to make this happen!
This New Orleans violin shop needed their website to reflect their in-store experience: warm, elegant, and instructive. A complete redesign of their website was key to make this happen!
Full redesign of responsive e-commerce site
Full redesign of responsive e-commerce site
Full redesign of responsive e-commerce site
ROLE: UX DESIGNER / CONTRACT ROLE / MAR - APR ‘21
ROLE: UX DESIGNER / CONTRACT ROLE / MAR - APR ‘21
ROLE: UX DESIGNER / CONTRACT ROLE / MAR - APR ‘21
background.
background.
Keller Strings relocated to a new part of town, and they felt like their website needed an upgrade as well! It was created in 2013, and it was looking a bit… outdated.
Keller Strings relocated to a new part of town, and they felt like their website needed an upgrade as well! It was created in 2013, and it was looking a bit… outdated.
objective.
objective.
Designs for a responsive, e-commerce website that provides basic shop information and streamlines the existing shopping experience. New, elegant & modern branding that reflects their existing logo.
RESEARCH
RESEARCH
RESEARCH
All strung out
All strung out
First up, research. My goals were to find out the current perception of the website. What do users like & dislike about the existing site, & why? I also wanted to pinpoint how users currently shop for instruments, and how they feel about the process.
What was my method of discovery, and what did I uncover?
First up, research. My goals were to find out the current perception of the website. What do users like & dislike about the existing site, & why? I also wanted to pinpoint how users currently shop for instruments, and how they feel about the process.
What was my method of discovery, and what did I uncover?
competitive analysis.
What: In-depth look at competing companies' websites. Assess their strengths & weaknesses to identify areas of opportunity in the industry.
Who: Well-known, established, national string dealers who rent or sell string instruments. Plus one local competitor.
user interviews.
What: Talk to people 1 on 1 to learn about their experiences shopping for instruments.
Who: 8 participants ranging in age. Keller Strings' target audience: professional musicians, adult hobbyists, and "string moms." 2 were not existing customers of Keller strings.
they said things like
“I didn’t realize violins are like cars, they really vary. I didn’t realize it was such a personal purchase”
they said things like
“I didn’t realize violins are like cars, they really vary. I didn’t realize it was such a personal purchase”
they said things like
“I didn’t realize violins are like cars, they really vary. I didn’t realize it was such a personal purchase”
they said things like
“I didn’t realize violins are like cars, they really vary. I didn’t realize it was such a personal purchase”
they said things like
“I didn’t realize violins are like cars, they really vary. I didn’t realize it was such a personal purchase”
So, what did all this tell me?
So, what did all this tell me?
So, what did all this tell me?
Keller Strings’ existing customers appreciate having a violin specialist nearby, and rave about the excellent customer service. They love the warmth of the shop, the resource center and string community the shop provides.
Although they do have a large customer base of professional musicians, the majority of Keller Strings’ customers are novice players or parents of beginner students. When they come in to the shop for an instrument, they generally feel overwhelmed and are unsure where to begin. They know they want something of quality, but they are worried about overpaying.
They rely on the owners, John & Paula, to guide them in the right direction, and count on them for their wealth of knowledge in the subject.
Keller Strings’ existing customers appreciate having a violin specialist nearby, and rave about the excellent customer service. They love the warmth of the shop, the resource center and string community the shop provides.
Although they do have a large customer base of professional musicians, the majority of Keller Strings’ customers are novice players or parents of beginner students. When they come in to the shop for an instrument, they generally feel overwhelmed and are unsure where to begin. They know they want something of quality, but they are worried about overpaying.
They rely on the owners, John & Paula, to guide them in the right direction, and count on them for their wealth of knowledge in the subject.
My goal was clear:
How can we recreate that warmth and guidance on the website?
My goal was clear:
How can we recreate that warmth and guidance on the website?
DEFINE
DEFINE
DEFINE
Stringing it all together
Stringing it all together
Now it’s time to take all this information and make some sense out of it! I implemented a number of design exercises, such as creating personas & empathy maps. However, organizing the results of a card sorting test and mapping out user flows had the most impact on my first set of wireframes.
Now it’s time to take all this information and make some sense out of it! I implemented a number of design exercises, such as creating personas & empathy maps. However, organizing the results of a card sorting test and mapping out user flows had the most impact on my first set of wireframes.
Card Sorting
User Flows
Wireframes
card sorting.
During the user interviews, I uncovered some mild confusion about where to find things on the existing website. To increase sales, I needed to ensure the navigation was more clear to their customers.
So, I conducted a card sorting test, where participants are given “cards” and asked to categorize them. This shows me where users expect to see certain pages in the website’s navigation.
The test results guided me to create this sitemap.
Card Sorting
User Flows
Wireframes
card sorting.
During the user interviews, I uncovered some mild confusion about where to find things on the existing website. To increase sales, I needed to ensure the navigation was more clear to their customers.
So, I conducted a card sorting test, where participants are given “cards” and asked to categorize them. This shows me where users expect to see certain pages in the website’s navigation.
The results guided me to create this sitemap.
Card Sorting
User Flows
Wireframes
card sorting.
During the user interviews, I uncovered some mild confusion about where to find things on the existing website. To increase sales, I needed to ensure the navigation was more clear to their customers.
So, I conducted a card sorting test, where participants are given “cards” and asked to categorize them. This shows me where users expect to see certain pages in the website’s navigation.
The test results guided me to create this sitemap.
Card Sorting
User Flows
Wireframes
card sorting.
During the user interviews, I uncovered some mild confusion about where to find things on the existing website. To increase sales, I needed to ensure the navigation was more clear to their customers.
So, I conducted a card sorting test, where participants are given “cards” and asked to categorize them. This shows me where users expect to see certain pages in the website’s navigation.
The test results guided me to create this sitemap.
Card Sorting
User Flows
Wireframes
card sorting.
During the user interviews, I uncovered some mild confusion about where to find things on the existing website. To increase sales, I needed to ensure the navigation was more clear to their customers.
So, I conducted a card sorting test, where participants are given “cards” and asked to categorize them. This shows me where users expect to see certain pages in the website’s navigation.
The test results guided me to create this sitemap.
TEST
TEST
TEST
Fine tuning
Fine tuning
Let’s see how this resonates. To make sure this website really sings, it needs to be as fit as a fiddle. So, I put it to the test, user testing that is.
I walked through a handful of tasks with participants that included things like exploring the homepage, shopping for a violin, favoriting an item, and scheduling an appointment.
The testing uncovered a handful of sticking points, so I resolved them in the final iteration:
Let’s see how this resonates. To make sure this website really sings, it needs to be as fit as a fiddle. So, I put it to the test, user testing that is.
I walked through a handful of tasks with participants that included things like exploring the homepage, shopping for a violin, favoriting an item, and scheduling an appointment.
The testing uncovered a handful of sticking points, so I resolved them in the final iteration:
DESIGN
DESIGN
DESIGN
Tying up loose ends
Tying up loose ends
For the final touches, I applied the new branding to the wireframes, and fully designed each screen. The branding needed to accentuate the existing logo and highlight Keller Strings’ elegance, warmth, and expertise.
I have to admit, it’s quite a glow-up. Check it out:
For the final touches, I applied the new branding to the wireframes, and fully designed each screen. The branding needed to accentuate the existing logo and highlight Keller Strings’ elegance, warmth, and expertise.
I have to admit, it’s quite a glow-up. Check it out:
What am I taking away from this project?
What am I taking away from this project?
What am I taking away from this project?
challenge.
perk.
lesson.
Keller Strings hired me as their website manager about 6 months after I graduated college. I worked on their website for over 5 years adding products and news announcements to the page, constantly trying to manipulate the Wordpress theme to look decent.
Obviously I had some personal motivation to redo the site, but primarily my heart is filled to the brim knowing that I was able to give them a redesign as a small token of a gratitude. John & Paula, the owners of Keller Strings, are some of the sweetest people on the earth, and I can never thank them enough for all the kindness, guidance, & generosity they’ve shown me over the years.
perk.
Keller Strings hired me as their website manager about 6 months after I graduated college. I worked on their website for over 5 years adding products and news announcements to the page, constantly trying to manipulate the Wordpress theme to look decent.
Obviously I had some personal motivation to redo the site, but primarily my heart is filled to the brim knowing that I was able to give them a redesign as a small token of a gratitude. John & Paula, the owners of Keller Strings, are some of the sweetest people on the earth, and I can never thank them enough for all the kindness, guidance, & generosity they’ve shown me over the years.
challenge.
perk.
lesson.
Keller Strings hired me as their website manager about 6 months after I graduated college. I worked on their website for over 5 years adding products and news announcements to the page, constantly trying to manipulate the Wordpress theme to look decent.
Obviously I had some personal motivation to redo the site, but primarily my heart is filled to the brim knowing that I was able to give them a redesign as a small token of a gratitude. John & Paula, the owners of Keller Strings, are some of the sweetest people on the earth, and I can never thank them enough for all the kindness, guidance, & generosity they’ve shown me over the years.
Time to refresh your
out-of-date website? Need a brand and website for your new business? Let's talk!
Time to refresh your
out-of-date website? Need a brand and website for your new business? Let's talk!
Time to refresh your
out-of-date website? Need a brand and website for your new business? Let's talk!