One of the UK's premier automotive innovators introduces its cutting-edge configurator, designed to empower their customers.
Land Rover came seeking assistance with the transition and a solution to improve their configurator. The objective was to improve the user interface and experience following negative feedback from customers.
In order to gain a better understanding of the pain points associated with the current product, I personally had to engage with the configurator. Upon my initial interaction with the product, I identified several UX issues, including problematic navigation that could potentially hinder users while configuring their vehicle. It became apparent that the configurator was not as innovative as its competitors, which was also a concern raised by the client.
User research
I conducted user testing to evaluate how users interact with the configurator and to identify any issues or problems. The testing involved 10 participants, some of whom were familiar with the product while others were not.
I created six tasks for users to complete while screen recording their interactions. After analysing the data, key findings were discovered. Issues such as users had difficulty changing selected options once they had reached the end of the configurator journey. Another issue was users were surprised by the final value of the vehicle because pricing information was not available throughout the journey.
100%
Surprised by the final value
70%
Found configuring vehicles stressful
60%
Struggled to change selected options
Land Rover has opted to reduce their options to simplify their business operations. The new architecture aims to facilitate customers in navigating the configurator and locating the options that appeal to them.
Problem:
Balancing simplicity with comprehensive choice was a significant challenge. Reducing the number of available options risked making users feel that their choices were overly limited, potentially impacting their satisfaction.
Potential solution:
One approach to address this challenge could be to incorporate extensive educational content within the configurator. This could include comparison tools, detailed explanations of features and options, and high-quality images and videos. By providing clear and comprehensive information, users would be able to make informed decisions confidently. This strategy could ensure that the configurator remains user-friendly and maintains the premium feel of the brand, thereby enhancing overall customer satisfaction despite the streamlined selection process.
User flow
By analysing users actions, I could pinpoint areas of frustration and devise solutions. I created multiple user flows, including one that shows the users journey through the entire configuration process, as well as one that shows how users would return to a previously saved configuration.
Price:
One key pain point identified by the user research was that the price was only available at the end of the journey. To address this issue, the price has been fully integrated and can now be viewed by the user at any stage of their journey.
Interactive elements:
A 3D rendering of the vehicle is now accessible for users to visualise their car. Additionally, users can explore the off-road capabilities of the vehicle by viewing it in various environments and lighting conditions.
Saving a vehicle:
Users now have the option to save a vehicle allowing them to return to it at a later stage without the need for a full re-configuration.
User testing
Following the transformation of wireframes into an interactive prototype, a second round of user testing was conducted to validate the design solutions. Participants from the initial user research were re-engaged to ensure continuity in feedback and to gauge the effectiveness of the design in addressing previously identified pain points. The results were highly positive, with users expressing that the proposed solutions not only met but exceeded their expectations, confirming that the design decisions made were on the right track.
Conclusion
The redesign successfully resolved several key challenges, earning strong approval. They appreciated the new approach, recognising its potential to elevate the user experience, enhance functionality, and align more closely with their brand identity. As a result, Land Rover has committed to advancing the project, excited to see the continued collaboration and impact of these improvements on their product line and user engagement.
