(this is a work in progress)

Deep dive into product page UI elements

The inventory and analysis of relevant competitor UX can provide significant insight and fast track feature development. By examing competitor sites, we get an inventory of essential UI elements in the purchase process. We also gain a ton of insight to information hierarchy, precedence, grid structure, and visual flow. A comparison between desktop and mobile also exposes grid structure and visual design choices of balance and feature focus priority. Beyond concept layout, we can also dissect the pages for CSS and breakpoint solves of these high profile eCommerce stores. Here I lead with the desktop version to see what UI elements may hide or reflow in the mobile experience.

 

Dissecting and analyzing the navigation and information structure of comparables

In creating the navigation of a web store we must consider many things. A thorough analysis of comparable navigation structures helps one to get an understanding of what is being done by successful stores. You can also garner the differences between small and large inventory stores as well as specialty brand shops and generic retailers.

Once you have dissected the competition you are then faced with a few significant considerations in the creation of your own navigation.  Two main considerations would be the data structure that you will be ultimately pulling from and how closely this relates to what the customer is familiar with seeing in their shopping experience. How can you then make your website or application easy to use, intuitive, and even unique. Once you have simplified and minified the presentation of the data structure, usually with the goals of making it easy to digest and allowing the user to quickly access the desired outcome. Then how much (if any) personality do you want to weave into the experience. Do you want to keep it generic or do you want to weave in your brand’s voice. If so, how loud will your voice be? What is your brand stamp?

 

Finding a Unique Path

The information hierarchy, navigational structure, and category groups all speak to the unique brand voice. What’s important to your brand? Your brand identity is imprinted even the most subtle details and word nuance.

What are your brand goals? The information hierarchy blueprint of the brand identity in many respects.