BRICK & PIXEL Designing for the Future of Retail by Sarah Anne White BRICK & PIXEL Designing for the Future of Retail SarahPresented Anne White Aby Project to The Graduate Faculty California College of the Arts A Project Presented to The Graduate Faculty In Partial FulďŹ llment California College theDegree Arts of the Requirements forofthe Master of Fine Arts in Design of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Fine Arts in Design Approved by
Approved by
Chair of CCA Graduate Design - Leslie Carol Roberts
Thesis Writing Advisor - Barry Katz
Thesis Advisor - Paul Montgomery
Secondary Thesis Advisor - Eva Papadimitriou
Tertiary Thesis Advisor - Jennifer Bove
BRICK
and
SURELY THERE’S A BETTER WAY
ALMOST A YEAR AGO, I FOUND MYSELF ROAMING WALGREENS IN SEARCH OF HOUSEHOLD CLEANING ITEMS AND A BOTTLE OF NAIL POLISH (TO HIDE THE USUAL STATE OF DISTRESS MY HANDS TEND TO BE IN AS A DESIGNER) – WHEN I WAS RUDELY ASSAULTED BY A STRANGE NOISE. I SPRINTED DOWN THE AISLE IN BEWILDERMENT – WHAT WAS THIS AURAL ASSAULT? AS THE INITIAL SHOCK WORE OFF, I FOUND THE SOURCE:
A small, ugly black box with a fuzzy, low-quality screen shouting about the latest razor or shampoo or something (the fact that I can’t even remember says more than the box ever could) was activated by my motion, as I moved past it. “Smart technology?” No. Carnival baker made manifest as technology. Who did Walgreens think they were, allowing this little abomination to interrupt my Saturday afternoon with unsettling, non-relevant information? I cannot speak to the reasoning behind Walgreens inclusion of these little in-aisle, endless commercial tele-boxes. What I can say is that they should be taken out. I have a love/hate relationship with Walgreens. It’s one of those places I frequent out of necessity. It’s there for me when I need it (and frequently acts as my emergency ATM.) I can usually find what I’m looking for within a few minutes yet I never leave feeling satisfied. The experience is always a little bit uncomfortable and, on more than one occasion, I’ve had to stand in a 15-person line that awkwardly wraps down one of the 10’ tall aisles leaving me stuck staring at visually atrocious greeting cards for longer than the graphic designer in me can handle while
a lone cashier stands behind the long counter intended to staff three-four. Don’t get me wrong - Walgreens is actually looking at ways to execute their brand ideology around convenience more, well, conveniently. I’m a huge fan of their mobile app, which allows me to easily refill my prescriptions on the go. But that’s pretty much the only useful part. Picking it up in stores - still requires me to navigate to the rear corner of the space and then wait in line to pay for it. It makes me think - is this really helping to bridge the online presence with their brick & mortar? Is it actually integrated into the Walgreens experience? My gut reaction, which is the same for most in-store technology applications that I’ve come across in my research, is a resounding NO. The in-store tech experience with almost every brand I can think of consists of mostly dysfunctional machinery that does little to inspire loyalty or create a connection between shoppers and a particular brand or identity, let alone the actual products or services they are purchasing. Surely there’s a better way.
Brick and mortar has the potential to embrace a dynamic mix of...
LIGHT COLOR MATERIAL TECHNOLOGY SOUND MOTION TIME
YET THE OBJECTS AND EXPERIENCES WE COLLECT OFTEN FALL SHORT IN PROVIDING ANY TRUE EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT OR ENJOYABLE SENSORY EXPERIENCE. On the other side of things, many have jumped on the social media bandwagon. Effective use of social media takes continuous effort to succeed in the realm – as such, I argue brands should be heading toward creating social experiences that bridge their online presence with the in-store experience. Shopping is, after all, an inherently social adventure. Sure, we can now go online to replenish our sock collection and favorite t-shirts and purchase that pair of shoes we tried on already at the store....
but we still need the physical, palpable, perceptible manifestation that is Brick & Mortar. We still crave something to do with our friends on Sundays after brunch and a place we can take our little sister or brother for that important bonding experience in helping them pick out the outfit for their first date. We need to be able to try on that perfect, little, black dress before we buy it and wear it to our 50th-wedding anniversary.
As an experience designer and, perhaps more importantly, an invested and active consumer of
5
goods & services, I am investigating...
a
HOW MIGHT WE DESIGN INTERACTIONS THAT BRIDGE BRICK & MORTAR AND ECOMMERCE IN A WAY THAT
EMOTIONALLY SUPPORTS SHOPPERS AS AUTHORS OF THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE?
WHAT IF VISUALIZING YOUR SIZE WAS AS EASY AS APPROACHING THE RACK? Before we dive into the details as to how I arrived here, I’d like to begin by asking you to imagine a different shopping experience.
WHAT IF SAVING A PURCHASE FOR LATER WAS AS EASY AS SWIPING YOUR PHONE ACROSS THE TAG? WHAT IF HANG TAGS COULD LITERALLY TRANSFORM IN YOUR HANDS, REVEALING INFORMATION AS YOU MOVE THROUGH SPACE OR SUPPLEMENTING YOUR PURCHASE? WHAT IF YOU WERE ABLE TO GET A BETTER FEEL FOR THE TRUE DURABILITY OR LIFE SPAN OF MATERIAL BEFORE PURCHASING? WHAT IF THE SELF - PORTRAITS YOU TAKE IN THE DRESSING ROOM TO SEND YOUR FRIENDS COULD BE LAYERED WITH DATA THAT YOU HAD CONTROL OVER? WHAT IF NUMERICAL SIZE WAS REMOVED FROM THE EQUATION AND YOU JUST “KNEW” WHICH ONE WOULD FIT? WHAT IF PURCHASING AN ITEM ALSO MEANT LEARNING HOW TO CARE FOR IT? WHAT IF THIS TECHNOLOGY COULD ACTUALLY MAKE TIME FOR YOU, BY TAKING LESS TIME?
BRICK
and
PIXEL
WITH THE RISE OF PERSONAL/MOBILE TECHNOLOGY, TODAY’S RETAIL EXPERIENCE HANGS PRECARIOUSLY BETWEEN BRICK AND PIXEL. Many are avoiding shopping altogether and opting simply to surf on their shiny screens. This is no solution, however, for our mobile devices are devoid of that dynamic mix as well. Why have most brands chosen to continue with the worst marketing tactics instead of realizing that they don’t need to tell people what to think or do anymore and direct their efforts at finding ways to be truly useful in their lives? Why aren’t we kicking and screaming and insisting on a better, more emotionally engaging experience of instore shopping? There’s absolutely no excuse for why these questions don’t have solutions yet. The technology is there. Brands are desperate to differentiate. People are starting to exhaust themselves with the constant push of screen based interfaces. The retail industry is overdue for new approaches that actually solve problems rather than existing as mere gimmicks.
I began my investigation into this world by examining pertinent, recent and historical trends to see where opportunities might exist. I explored the blogosphere, social media, experiential marketing, trend-spotting, technological innovation, cultural strategy, and retail ethics. As a designer though, I have always believed that understanding your customers needs/wants on a meta level is paramount to having a firm grasp on the competition and technological potential so I also investigated concepts such as motivation, perception and emotion in an effort to better understand both individual and group behavior. Two formative pieces to my exploration were uncovered. (If you’re not a psych nerd such as myself, feel free to skip on over to page... It’s about to get heavy.)
BLOGOSPHERE & SOCIAL MEDIA
EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING
BRICK AND MORTAR DDI publ. VMSD publ.
MKG
Gensler
Tech Blogs
Weiden+Kennedy
Mommy Blogs Fashion Blogs FastCompany Forbes Amy Lanigan VP of client strategy / Fluid
Johnny Vulkan of Anomaly
Benjamin Palmer of Barbarian Group
Intel Don Bradford VP of Social Product eBay
E/M/T COMMERCE
Rachel Shechtman A Start Up Store
SapientNitro Digital Commerce Strategists
Nielson measurement and information Kingshuk Das of Jump Associates
Marian Salzman
David Gensler of Keystone Design Union
TREND SPOTTING
Frog
Jaron Lanier author of You Are Not A Gadget
Piers Fawkes PSFK Dan Ariely author of Predictably Irrational
Amos Tversky cognitive/ mathematical psychologist
Daniel Kahneman psychology of judgment and behavioral economics
TECH
Roo Rogers + Rachel Botsman Collaborative Consumption
s
Journal of Consumer Culture Journal of Consumer Research
Adam Arvidsson author of Brands: A Critical Perspective
PSYCH
CULTURAL STRATEGY
Flow Theory
RETAIL ETHICS
Technology Acceptance Model
The Co-Op Group UK based
Greening Retail Program Marks & Spencer UK based UNKNOWN
Lisa Gansky author of The Mesh
Holt, Douglas B., and Douglas Cameron authors of Cultural Strategy
Philip van Allen The New Ecology of Things Lab
GOV + HEALTHCARE
KOR Group LA real estate investment, development and management firm
Flow suggests that our goal should be to create interactions that focus the shopper’s attention, rather than allowing it to dissipate or wander. The next theory helped me to understand two challenges that I might come up against in doing so. The term “flow” refers to being carried along in a current [x] and is most often linked with positive, energized, and aligned emotions and the ability to harness them for focused motivation.
FLOW THEORY STATES THREE CONDITIONS TO ACHIEVE A “FLOW STATE”: 1. One must be involved in an activity with a clear set of goals and progress. This adds direction and structure to the task at hand 2. The task must have clear and immediate feedback. This helps the person negotiate any changing demands and allows him or her to adjust his or her performance to maintain the flow state 3. One must have a good balance between the perceived challenges of the task at hand and his or her own perceived skills.
NAKAMURA [X] AND CSÍKSZENTMIHÁLYI [X] IDENTIFY THE FOLLOWING SIX FACTORS AS ENCOMPASSING AN EXPERIENCE OF FLOW. 1. intense and focused concentration on the present moment 2. merging of action and awareness 3. a loss of reflective selfconsciousness
This theory really resonated with me in that it speaks to introducing spontaneous joy while performing a task. Applied to the retail experience, it implies bringing shoppers into the moment rather than leaving them to search through the store while trying to multitask. Wouldn’t it be amazing if, rather than feeling overwhelmed with the tedious act of shopping for a new pair of jeans, we were able to feel moments of “spontaneous joy”? I vote yes.
4. a sense of personal control or agency over the situation or activity 5. a distortion of temporal experience, one’s subjective experience of time is altered 6. experience of the activity as intrinsically rewarding, also referred to as autotelic experience
THE FLOW THEORY
TAM is an information systems theory, defined by Fred Davis[x]. As its name implies, TAM seeks to explain how people come to accept and use a given technology. This model suggests that when people are presented with a new type of technology, a number of
THIS MODEL SUGGESTS THAT WHEN PEOPLE ARE PRESENTED WITH A NEW TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY, A NUMBER OF FACTORS INFLUENCE THEIR DECISION ABOUT HOW AND WHEN THEY WILL USE IT. TWO RELEVANT FACTORS ARE:
factors influence their decision about how and when they will use it. Currently in the world of retail, the experience usually hits one or neither, but rarely both. Unconsciously, our attitudes and intentions form around trying to learn something new before even thinking about using it for the intended purpose.
PERCEIVED USEFULNESS (PU) “the degree to which a person believes that using a particular system would enhance his or her performance”. PERCEIVED EASE-OF-USE (PEOU) “the degree to which a person believes that using a particular system would be free from effort”
TECH ACCEPTANCE MODEL
EQUIPPED WITH A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF FLOW AND THE TECH ACCEPTANCE MODEL, HOW MIGHT WE DESIGN FOR THIS? CLARITY OF GOALS, IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK AND, THE ABILITY TO BALANCE OPPORTUNITY AND CAPACITY FOR JOYFUL INTERACTION INSTANTLY MADE IT ONTO THE LIST OF DESIGN PRINCIPLES.
Since the intention is to propose the potential future for retail technology, independent of a particular brand, exploration of the digital, physical and psychological realms led to an attitudinal (rather than demographic) profile of the modern shopper, whom I refer to as the new “Brand Champion”. The Brand Champion is [x] “a customer who feels compelled (through loyalty, passion or incentive) to spread a status-yielding story to their social circles, thus broadening the larger relationship and conversation.” We are sophisticated (based on personal knowledge), prepared to trade personal data for a better experience, have instant access to expertise, take advantage of technology, want to be offered the perfect match, and Why and How are often more important than What. (I’m fortunate enough that I actually fall into this description so I will take the liberty to inclusively describe it as such from here on out.) We want to be able to name our own price, decide what is sold, sell on the brand’s behalf or help others decide what to buy and be rewarded: all things that aren’t easily done in brick & mortar.
• WHAT CAN IT DO FOR MY LIFESTYLE? HOW LONG WILL IT LAST? • WHAT MATERIALS ARE USED? METHODS OF PRODUCTION? PACKAGING? • HOW DOES THE PRICE COMPARE WITH THE OVERALL LONG TERM VALUE?
want to know before becoming one for any given brand -
You might notice that these questions steer away from the features and benefits and snuggle up closely with a certain type of cultural ideology. We’ve come to crave a unique balance between curation and choice, exclusivity and accessibility, automation and authenticity.
• HOW WILL THIS AFFECT MY IDENTITY?
In looking forward to how we might design for this, it seems that a successful endeavor will deliver a balance of two things: information and options.
• WHAT RESOURCES DOES IT TAKE TO PRODUCE THIS PRODUCT?
Information might answer the questions previously outlined for the brand champion and options, not being limited to merely products available for purchase, might include - methods of connecting outside the store, methods of payment, options for social media, or options for how to fix/reuse.
Key questions that potential Brand Champions might
• WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO CARE FOR AND MAINTAIN?
THE NEW BRAND CHAMPION • SOPHISTICATION BASED ON PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE • PREPARED TO TRADE DATA FOR A BETTER EXPERIENCE • INSTANT ACCESS TO EXPERTISE • TAKES ADVANTAGE OF TECHNOLOGY • WANTS TO BE OFFERED A PERFECT MATCH • WHY & HOW OFTEN PARAMOUNT TO THE WHAT
h THE
MODERN SHOPPER
CONNECTION WHILE OUR PERSONAL COMPUTATION ABILITIES INCREASE AND MORE AND MORE OF US CAN BE FOUND CARRYING AROUND A SLEEK, LITTLE DEVICE IN OUR POCKETS, WE HAVE LESS AND LESS PATIENCE FOR DISCONNECTED EXPERIENCES. I’m fascinated by how we might celebrate and support these new brand champions as collaborators in such a way that encourages our sustained generosity and engagement not only toward the branded objects we collect or consume but toward our fellow citizens as well? How can we be empowered to share, promote, or affect something about the physical experience that lengthens and strengthens the relationship?* To recap, in order to move closer to creating a more natural and authentic experience we need to look more closely at the
emotional conditions that are affecting us in this space [x]: - these include pleasure, confidence, status, responsibility, effectiveness, and individuality - and balance the clarity of goals, immediate feedback and the ability to balance opportunity and capacity for joyful interaction in expressing information and options. Having translated my theoretical framework into a set of concrete design principles, I felt ready to turn to a program of primary research.
A divergent thinker by nature, i approached my research from two different angles, anthropological and participatory. In the first, I investigated patterns of social interaction and observed codes of conduct around the shopping experience as well as interactions with technology. In addition to spending entirely too much time at the local mall and countless hours combing through the web/mobile presence of more retailers than one would care to see, I compiled a list of new technologies (and new methods) and the brands implementing them for personal exploration during this process. Finally, i studied the business models behind the top ten retail giants of 2012.
AS A DESIGNER, I AM DRAWN TO SPACES THAT CHANGE MINDS, MOTIVATE BEHAVIOR AND LEAVE A LASTING IMPRESSION. I’M INSPIRED BY HUMAN INSIGHT, AND FASCINATED BY THE CONSUMER JUST AS MUCH AS THE MAKER. AS A STRATEGIST, I STRIVE TO CREATE EMOTIONALLY SENSITIVE PLATFORMS FOR ENGAGEMENT. WITH A MIDWESTERN SENSE OF COMMITMENT AND GRIT, I OFTEN FIND MYSELF MOVING FREELY THROUGH DISCIPLINES IN SEARCH OF A HOLISTIC EXPERIENCE. Moving into the participatory approach, these same methods were applied, along with brave curiosity, to a series of probes and generative tools to better understand the opportunity areas. What better prompt for telling a story than to simply be asked for one? Stories were requested through a series of smart and flexible scenarios that cross pollinated the realms of 2D, 3D and IxD.
* I’d like to firmly note that my interest in this area is as a consumer and advocate for them. Any benefit towards the operational side for brands is seen as secondary to the importance of creating a better set of interactions for the shopper.
PROBES
T-SHIRTS + TWITTER : This was my first attempt at creating a tool to merge online with offline. I was interested in instigating a face to face interaction: one that could embody a digital platform within a physical presence. This was an exploration into bridging the physical and digital to create a long-term community for repeat participation. The campaign was meant to spark conversation and act as a means of crowd-sourcing pain points for innovation while supporting the consumer as collaborator. The prompt for the twitter campaign (@LetsStartHere) originated from an advisors comment outside class that he felt like the car he wanted, didn’t exist, but wasn’t sure who he could tell that to. I learned alot around the nuanced language of “the ask” and complexity in conveying a clear goal in such a short “sound byte” of a moment.
I ADORE... PROJECT : This project was nspired by the street artwork of social artist Candy Chang who places prompts in public spaces in order to spark introspection in an effort to improve our communities and ourselves. In collaboration with an extremely sharp colleague of mine, Lisa Woods, the project centered around an interest in shared personal value, public participation and appropriateness of location for introspection. Extremely well received by the audience, my key takeaway was the ease with which participation happened compared to my earlier Twitter probe. By providing something tangible that allowed for immediate feedback as well as the serendipitous affordance for editing the entries of others to create new meaning, I had struck gold.
LETS START HERE CHALLENGE (A Helpful Failure) : In order to arrive here, a behavior-based photo safari (essentially Iphone-equipped “spying” on shoppers) of social cues was conducted at stores around San Francisco. What was proposed, was an online, participatory challenge (complete with a monetary award, chosen at random from those that participated) that sought to elicit stories centered around three main areas of interest: 1. the “Wrapping” (what the thing which we purchase is clothed in and comes with) 2. the importance/connection of visual vs. physical (for example: how do you feel about using a regular vending machine vs. a digital one that hides everything behind a screen?) 3. appropriateness of location for technology (for example: is it reasonable to ask you to stand in the middle of the store or on a busy sidewalk to try out a new technology?) In comparison to the other probes, this one experienced an underwhelming level of participation. After digging deeper into why participants had avoided participation, I concluded that lack of instant gratification and the number of barriers existing between the “ask” and moment of participation was too high.
SIMPLE SOCIAL (interactive sketch installation) : This was an experiment in evaluating the nuances of our typical fast-paced social media outlets in analog form. I was interested in at how visitors could add, move, share, and react as well as what they considered “appropriate content” within a public space. There was also an interest in how physical public compared/contrasted with the idea of a “digital public”. A Simple Social Shop brought the Pinterest phenomenon into the 3-dimensional environment to explore the physicality of browsing and selecting while publicly sharing. In order to source images to “pin”, a holiday catalog drive was held to collect and reuse the underutilized wealth of printed material distributed each holiday season. This was a method of turning a digital social channel model into a low fidelity, physical prototype. While there was a flurry of participation with the physical aspect of the probe, similar to the “I Adore...” project, the digital side (in which I asked participants to share their contributions via social media) was almost non-existant.
investigations could (or
k
I soon realized that my
perhaps should) just as easily exist in slow-tech or low-tech solutions as fast ones.
Quick prototyping allowed me
to gain more perspectives and reach micro-conclusions that helped propel me forward through each experiment,
paying careful attention to the type of energy each method inspired. I became increasingly
fascinated with how I might
make space for my audience and often asked them to communicate with more of their body as opposed to simply tapping a screen.
“COULD I RESTORE THE POWER OF TOUCH?”, ACTIVATING THE FINGERS FOR SOMETHING OTHER THAN A MAGIC SCREEN, WHILE STILL MAINTAINING AN IMMEDIATE YET SIMPLE TACTILE OR VISCERAL RESPONSE? For several weeks my studies converged on the hangtag as an underutilized artifact of the retail experience. I was captivated by what that appeared to be an artifact left over from the transition to mass market. No longer were the people making the clothes the same ones selling them to you. We needed a vessel with which to convey a snapshot of information: price, size, sku, brand history, care instructions, etc. This, too, was transforming though. As an object that is quickly discarded and rarely read these days, I kept digging deeper into how this static component might adapt to an ever increasingly interactive environment. Could I activate the hangtag, replacing something that exists, rather than introducing a new component to the in-store environment? Four main areas for investigation were chosen: size (could the tag help you to better understand size/fit), repair (could the tag empower you to repair your purchase?), charity (could the tag be an activation point for a charitable cause?) and cross-selling (for example, could a tag be
made of laundry detergent for use during it’s first wash?) Everything from flexible OLEDs that transform based on orientation to analog versions that equip the shopper with new tools to thermochromic pigment that reveals different levels of information based on a change in temperature were investigated. In solving for this particular artifact, it needed to be both useful and delightful whether we experienced it once or twenty times. Should the technology remain within the confines of the retail environment or extend out into the customer’s daily life. After all, how many of us actually hang on to all of those extra buttons that are occasionally included or the “thank you” coupons that we often get at the checkout? Converging on this singular item, possibly the tiniest portion of my area of interest and one that seemed to not exist in the world of online/mobile shopping, also helped me think about impactful activation points without getting burdened with the overwhelming inner workings of a physical environment.
EXPLORING SELECTIVE REVEAL
THROUGH BENDING (TOP), SWIPING (RIGHT) AND TILTING (BELOW).
ESTABLISHING IDEOLOGIES
Returning to the established design principles, several more can be added to the growing list:
LOOK MORE CLOSELY AT THE EMOTIONAL CONDITIONS ENSURE CLARITY OF GOALS IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK BALANCE OPPORTUNITY AND CAPACITY FOR JOYFUL INTERACTION IN EXPRESSING INFORMATION AND OPTIONS BE RESPECTFUL OF THE NUANCED SOCIAL INTERACTIONS THAT NATURALLY TAKE PLACE, DO NOT FORCE MAKE THE CONTRIBUTION VISIBLE SO THAT IT BECOMES THE INTRINSIC REWARD EMBRACE SELECTIVE REVEAL/ PROGRESSIVE DISCLOSURE EMBRACE THE PHYSICALITY THAT BRICK & MORTAR ALLOWS FOR
NO MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCE CAN BE CREATED WITHOUT FIRST BEING ABLE TO SOLVE A STICKY PROBLEM
SOMETIMES, SOLVING FOR ONE TINY PROBLEM CAN OPEN UP A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITY. SUCH WAS MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE HANG TAG AS THIS SOLUTION SPARKED THE IDEA OF BEING ABLE TO EASILY VISUALIZE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECES OF INFORMATION: SIZE During an initial photo safari, one of the behaviors Ioften witnessed was the frustrating act of picking through a disorganized rack of clothing to find one’s own size. Even more frightening, the experience of trying to find the correct size jeans in an overwhelming stack that seemed to rise from floor to ceiling. Informal interviews confirmed that this is an enormous pain
point: respondents reported “feeling like they had to just give up” or “needing to leave the store” or “avoiding it altogether and just ordering online” (of course those who simply ordered online without trying on the jeans often encountered an entirely new set of problems with fit once they arrived). How might we turn this experience into something enjoyable?
VISUALIZING SIZE : There has to be a better way, a simpler way, to help move us from our initial desire
to the actual offering in-store. What would be the ultimate simplification of this process? I believe three key elements need to be present:
CONNECTION - actually connecting your individual measurements to the correct size IDENTIFICATION - an easier way to identify what size from what brand will fit best VISUALIZATION - an easier method of selecting this “best fit” instore... More quickly, easily, simply Reflecting on the theory of Flow, I found myself asking, “How might I inspire a focused attention and awareness that is easily merged with action? Is there a way to diminish self-consciousness around size? Can an interaction be developed that returns a sense of control to the user? Might the timeframe that this experience typically calls for, change? Could all of these things point to an experience that was intrinsically rewarding for the customer?” A prototype was created to test out one idea around simplification of size through visualization: “What if figuring out what size to try on was as simple as approaching the rack?” While observing participants interacting with the set-up (a clothing rack with several LED equipped “smart” hangers and a motion sensor), they were questioned around the idea of simplification through connection and identification: “What if you had an app on your phone that instantly told you what size you would fit into per brand based on your precise measurements?” “What if this seamlessly linked/activated this in-store visualization?” Feedback was unanimously positive. There wasn’t a single respondent who wouldn’t appreciate having that type of individualized, delightful interaction take place.
MOSAIC OF SELF : While investigating the “flow” around size and fit for customers in-store, the interesting phenomenon of “selfies.” was stumbled upon.
SELFIE: (1) A STRANGE PHENOMENON IN WHICH THE PHOTOGRAPHER IS ALSO THE SUBJECT OF THE PHOTOGRAPH, IN A SUBVERSIVE TWIST ON THE TRADITIONAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE PHOTOGRAPH. (2)A PICTURE TAKEN OF YOURSELF THAT IS PLANNED TO BE UPLOADED TO FACEBOOK, MYSPACE OR ANY OTHER SORT OF SOCIAL NETWORKING WEBSITE. In plain language - it’s people taking photos of themselves for social validation. In most retail environments, this is a behavior that either goes unnoticed or makes store employees shake in their boots for some reason. But what if, rather than being frowned upon, this habit was actually embraced? What if affordances were created for it so that one might take the “best selfie possible”? Would this encourage patrons to be generous with their self-generated content? Reflecting on my list of principles, I felt that this pulled me in a direction where I could easily satisfy many of them. There was a joyful, social interaction already taking place, one that necessitated the immediate feedback and physicality of a “place” to emerge. In collaboration with Lisa Woods once again, exploring crowdsourced data and projection mapping, I brainstormed how this habit might become a platform for brands to support their champions and allow for individual authorship of the experience. As we continued to explore this opportunity, I explored where a visual “cue” might live, what types of uses it might be put through, and the opposition it might need to resist. In short, I stopped fighting forces and began to use them. We also created a public mockup of how we might harness the power of the “selfies”. Utilizing a simple projector and mirror, we invited passersby to dress up in a variety of entertaining disguises and photograph themselves in the mirror that we provided. We then discussed the behavior and questioned them more deeply on their willingness to share this type of experience, their comfort or control issues and whether or not our proposed idea seemed like something they might use.
From both the “smart” hanger and “selfie” prototypes, a cluster of insights emerged that suggested areas for further investigation:
CAN I CURATE/PROVIDE DEGREES OF SATISFACTION WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS? WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SIZES ARE NOT OUT? CAN YOU “COLOR MATCH” OR STYLE MATCH? WHAT HAPPENS AT “THE EMBRACE”? (DOES IT TELL YOU MORE WHEN YOU LIFT IT OFF THE RACK OR PICK IT UP?) IS THERE A WAY TO ASK YOUR SIZE MORE SENSITIVELY? IT STILL NEEDS TO BE PRECISE THOUGH... HOW DO WE DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN CUSTOMER - COLOR OR INITIALS IN A BEAUTIFUL WAY WILL SHARING MY SELFIE BE JUST AS EASY AS THE METHODS I ALREADY USE? HOW CAN I CONTROL WHO SEES IT? CAN I USE THIS APP EVEN IF I DON’T SHARE SOMETHING EVERY TIME? WHAT ARE THE ACTIVATION POINTS THRESHOLD, DRESSING ROOM, SHELF LEVEL, CHECK OUT?
NOW THE BIG QUESTION IS HOW DO WE GET THERE? How do we string together these opportunities and experiences into a new model? I’ve already identified a sticky problem to explore that has potential to resonate widely (size) and the questions that I proposed earlier in “Identifying the problem” all point to how a brand might move you to “yes” more efficiently and naturally.
CAN RETAIL TECHNOLOGY MAKE TIME FOR YOU BY TAKING LESS?
THE WORLD DOESN’T NEED MORE “STUFF” – IT NEEDS OUR “STUFF” TO DO MORE, WHILE TAKING LESS OF OUR TIME. THERE’S AN ENORMOUS VALUE IN ENHANCING EXISTING STRUCTURES - FOR INSTANCE, ENRICH THE HANGER, HANG TAG OR DRESSING ROOM... ...rather than creating a new component. This insight connects the original ideas around the “perceived ease of use” and “perceived usefulness” that will allow for easy adoption. Johnny Vulkan, of NY agency Anomoly, defines it as, “Brands being genuinely useful to their customers, employees, suppliers and the people they touch.” and Julie Bornstein, Senior Vice-President (Digital)
for Sephora, says it best - “When technology is used not just as a gimmick, but to actually help solve a problem, like cutting a line or getting access to reviews, it creates an elevated experience for the consumer.” Drawing on the list of principles, solving for the functional pain point of size will put customers at ease and more receptive to delightful experiences that might follow.
LET’S MAP IT
Within this journey we need first to rebalance the amount of cognitive pressure that is put on us as shoppers in finding the correct size and making it through the steps that follow. It’s important that the appropriate emotional conditions be created for a shopper to be fully present for the moments of spontaneous joy. If, say, we reduce the “ask” at the shelf level, we might be able to ask more of a shopper in the dressing room. To help us comprehend this change in journey, I’ve identified areas to amplify and where quiet moments should be established.
discover
purchase
NEGATIVE
POSITIVE
trying on
ENTRY
EXIT
^
c
EXISTING
The existing Brick & Mortar experience might begin with a little excitement over the prospect of finding something special (sometimes it simply begins in the negative) but quickly dips down as the shopper becomes overwhelmed with options. It balances out for a moment while moving to the dressing room but then usually returns to the negative with waiting in line for a room and trying on ill-fitting garments.
POTENTIAL
NEGATIVE
POSITIVE
A+ s
ENTRY
EXIT
^
c
POSITIVE
A+ s
NEGATIVE
emotions
searching
ENTRY
^
EXIT
c
Begin with establishing a “minimally desired product� [x] and once it has been proven viable, working with both customer and brand to build a deeper, more meaningful experience around it. This product should be simple, with just enough features to resonate with shoppers.
introducing
FITWELL
FITWELL IS A PLATFORM THAT HELPS SHOPPERS VISUALIZE THEIR PERFECT FIT. Figuring out what size to try on is as simple as approaching the rack. Environmental visual cues linked to the app, delight and guide the shopper, allowing for fitwell to remain quietly active. The selective reveal of features is tied to location and movement, reducing the mental effort and time it takes to find the perfect fit. Furthering a sense of control for the shopper, Fitwell enables them to capture, save and share their experience. Fitwell is a tool that is just as useful in-store as it is online.
introducing
FITWELL
FITWELL IS A MOBILE APP TIED TO INPUTS FROM BOTH YOU AND THE STORES THAT YOU FREQUENT. SIMPLY ENTER YOUR MEASUREMENTS ONCE, AND REGARDLESS OF WHAT STORE YOU ENTER OR GARMENT YOU PICK UP, IT WILL RECOMMEND WHAT SIZE TO TRY ON. By cross referencing the customer and brand inputs, it provides you with a much more accurate representation of fit. This database could grow as individual customers refine their input, and might allow for us to call brands out according to whether they are being true to size or not. This new experience will assist in navigating the complex space from multiple levels (social, location aware, mobile) and balance of needs between individual and public with information and options.
There could be pop up measurement events that allow for stores to tailor the experience even further. Charitable causes could be tied in with bringing used clothing, perhaps as “payment” for getting measured for your Fitwell profile. Taking advantage of in-store location technology, RFID or NFC capabilities and the fact that most people don’t leave home without their smartphones, this type of tool actually encourages us to shop in store.
YOU + BRANDS
introducing
FITWELL
BORROWING FROM THE THEME OF “SELECTIVE REVEAL” OR “PROGRESSIVE DISCLOSURE,” WE MIGHT TIE LOCATION AND MOVEMENT TO CERTAIN FUNCTIONS TO HELP BALANCE THE COGNITIVE LOAD, AND HELP FOCUS ATTENTION ON THE PRESENT MOMENT. The objective is to reintroduce pleasure in subtle ways that don’t distract from the clothing, to reunite the process and the product. The earlier explorations around visualizing size with light through the “smart” hangers provided the connection point from digital to physical. With the application tuned to the customer’s individual measurements, she could walk into a store while having her phone tucked into her bag or pocket and still be able to experience the delightful moment when the particular item that has been selected for her glows gently in her presence.
Returning to the intent of actually expanding the conversation in order to strengthen the customer relationship, the “selfies” phenomenon presents another intriguing opportunity for turning the negative emotions that typically accompanies shopping to positive ones. In the dressing room, customers can take photos of themselves trying on their items and have the opportunity to “digitally clip” these photos to the data for each item simply by bumping their NFC capable phone to the price tag or hanger (RFID enabled).
YOU
(input)
BRANDS
REFERENCE
VISUALIZE SIZE
CAPTURE/ SHARE
USER SCENARIOS
5 s o SARAH WAS ON HER LUNCH BREAK AND DECIDED TO SWING BY MADEWELL AT THE MALL TO SEE IF THEY HAD ANYTHING ON SALE. AS SHE CROSSES THE THRESHOLD, SHE IS ALERTED BY HER PHONE, LETTING HER KNOW HER FITWELL APP WAS ACTIVATED. Sarah heads to the back of the store towards the sale rack. Once she’s standing in front of it, a handful of options for her to try on begin to glow gently in her presence. She quickly selects two pairs of jeans and heads to the dressing room. Both fit perfectly but only one of the washes is flattering. She wants to get her friends opinion so she snaps a photo of herself in the mirror using her smartphone. Just then, she gets a phone call to head back to the office early. In a hurry, Sarah really likes the pair of jeans but isn’t able to commit to purchasing it just yet so she swipes the hang-tag of the pair she liked to her phone, digitally clipping the self-portrait she took to the item’s information. Later on in the day, sarah reflects on the photo of the jeans from earlier and decides that she wants them to wear on her date that evening. She clicks “buy” and stops by Madewell after work to pick up her purchase. After picking up her purchase, Sarah shares the experience on her social network.
SCENARIOS JORDAN stumbled across a Fitwell fitting
event on a Saturday afternoon with his fiance, Jane. They were greeted by friendly faces who offered to provide a custom sizing and told them about the new Fitwell app. Both Jordan and his fiance agreed to participate and soon had the app downloaded on their smartphones with their individual size profiles stored. As they continued with their lazy Saturday, they pass Jane’s favorite store. They stopped in to let Jane look around. While he is waiting for Jane to finish up he spots the lingerie section and heads over, wanting to select something special to surprise her with. He pulls out his phone and activates Jane’s profile on his new Fitwell app. Almost as if by magic, the hangers of several pieces in front of him start glowing gently. As he moves around the lingerie section, the glowing hangers follow, allowing him to quickly and easily find one that he likes for his fiance without having to call over for help. Jordan quickly purchases the items at the counter and meets his fiance upfront to surprise her with his gift!
BECCA enters Forever 21, searching for
something to wear for her birthday party that weekend. Upon entering, she sees a new installation, showing a photo mosaic of fellow shoppers’ self portraits in Forever21 apparel. The installation tells her that there’s a new app to help her visualize her perfect fit and that she can simply tap her NFC capable phone to any of the photos to start downloading. Once in the fitting room with a few options, she finds a patterned top she feels fits her well and snaps a photo of it using the new app. She’s then able to tap the hangtag to her phone and asked whether or not she would like to share, save or purchase. She selects “share” and upon exiting, sees her self-portrait added to the mosaic at the front of the store. Becca, once at home, takes her own measurements and inputs them into the app so that she is ready for her next shopping trip.
ROB recently attended a Fitwell charity event
where he was able to receive a free sizing in exchange for donating his old clothes. He has set up the app with his measurements but his visit to Banana Republic is the first time he’s actually used it. Once inside the store, he pulls out his phone to activate the app and the rack of button-down shirts beside him springs to life with several items beckoning with a gentle glow. He places his phone in his pocket and moves around the men’s section - the glowing visualization of the perfect size quietly following him. He stops in front of a pile of his favorite jeans but, curiously, nothing lights up. Immediately he is alerted by his phone and notices that his perfect size is not available in-store. He really likes this cut and knows his girlfriend does too so he selects “buy” on the app and orders them to be sent to his apartment.
AMANDA is on vacation visiting her sister
in NYC. They decide to take an afternoon to go shopping. Her sister told her about the Fitwell app and helped her take her measurements earlier that day. Out shopping, Amanda is absolutely delighted at the ease of finding items in her size and they take turns showing each other their finds in the dressing room and snapping photos of their outfits. Amanda quickly collects a large amount of items that she would like to buy at the first store they visit but realizes that, at this rate, she won’t have room in her luggage by the end of the afternoon. Her sister reminds her that she can purchase them through Fitwell. Amanda pulls out her phone and swipes each hangtag from the items she would like to purchase and “saves” them to the app. Later on at dinner, she enters her home address and credit card info and purchases her favorite finds from the day.
DON’T FIGHT THE FORCES USE THEM - Buckminster Fuller
FOUR HUNDRED YEARS AGO SHAKESPEARE OBSERVED THAT “ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE,” BUT TODAY WE ARE OBSERVING THAT “ALL THE WORLD’S A SCREEN.” EVERY FACET OF LIFE IS YIELDING TO THE DIGITAL AND THE MOBILE, AND THE FUTURE OF RETAIL SHOPPING IS NO EXCEPTION. TO THE CONTRARY, BUSINESSES THAT TRY TO FIGHT THE OVERWHELMING FORCES OF CHANGE ARE DESTINED TO LOSE OUT TO THOSE THAT FIND INNOVATIVE* WAYS TO USE THEM. While beginning with an app, the intent is to simply use it as the catalyst or book-end for the broader experience of navigating the contested territory between in-store and online shopping. As soon as we become stuck in our phones, the public space that we are trying to activate becomes private. Seek ways to embrace the public space rather than escape it by introducing technology that aids, rather than automates. Rather than immediately defaulting to solely screen based interactions (down with the
little shouty black boxes!), work with the components of physical space—light, sound, motion— that engage both the senses and the spirit. Create technology that is sensitive both to our physiological and our psychological needs. Find ways for brick & mortar and e-commerce to complement one another and coexist in a way that better supports us as human beings. Turn the essential question of “How might we create a retail experience that emotionally supports shoppers as authors of their own experience?” into a philosophy that values the customer as the ultimate value creator.
view additional process www.sawdesignprocess.tumblr.com
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personal intent:
TO CREATE HOLISTIC, ENGAGING EXPERIENCES THROUGH A SMART AND FLEXIBLE CROSS POLLINATION OF 2D, 3D/ENVIRONMENT, AND IXD.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Arvidsson, A. (2005), Brands: A Critical Perspective,” Journal of Consumer Culture, 5(2), 235258 [Google Scholar]. Berger, Warren. Glimmer: How Design Can Transform Your Life, and Maybe Even the World. New York: Penguin, 2009. Print. Davis, Fred D., Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease Of Use, And User Accep, MIS Quarterly 13, 3; ABI/INFORM Global, Sep 1989. Print. Frankel, Alex. Punching In: The Unauthorized Adventures of a Front-line Employee. New York: Collins/HarperCollins, 2007. Print. Fry, Tony. Design Futuring: Sustainability, Ethics, and New Practice. Oxford: Berg, 2009. Print. Gansky, Lisa. The Mesh: Why the Future of Business Is Sharing. New York, NY: Portfolio Penguin, 2010. Print. Holt, Douglas B., and Douglas Cameron. Cultural Strategy: Using Innovative Ideologies to Build Breakthrough Brands. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2010. Print. Laurel, Brenda. Design Research: Methods and Perspectives. Cambridge, MA: MIT, 2003. Print. Lukić, Branko, and Barry Kātz. Nonobject. Cambridge, MA: MIT, 2011. Print. Moggridge, Bill. Designing Interactions. Cambridge, MA: MIT, 2007. Print. Sterling, Bruce. Shaping Things. Cambridge, MA: MIT, 2005. Print. Van, Rossum-Willems Marlous., and Sarah Schultz. Powershop 2: New Retail Design. Amsterdam: Frame, 2009. Print. WipperFurth, Alex. Brand Hijack: Marketing without Marketing. New York, NY; The Penguin Group, 2005. Print
DIGITAL “Social Commerce Today.” Social Commerce Today. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. http://socialcommercetoday.com/more-on-the-psychology-of-social-shopping-on-beingpredictably-irrational/ “Retail.” Fast Company. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. http://www.fastcompany.com/most-innovative-companies/2012/industry/retail Salzman, Marian. “Marian Salzman Blog.” Marian Salzman. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Sept. 2012. http://mariansalzman.com/ “What’s The Future Of The Sharing Economy?” Co.Exist. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. http://www.fastcoexist.com/1681009/whats-the-future-of-the-sharing-economy “Sephora Doubles Down On Tech.” TechCrunch RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. http://techcrunch.com/2012/04/08/sephora-doubles-down-on-tech-in-store-ipads-revampedwebsite-pinterest-tie-in/ “Kate Spade Reinvents Retail As A Lean Startup.” Co.Design. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2013.
WEBSITES FOR CURATED OFFERINGS The Trunk Club (curated packages, personal stylist, free returns) BeachMint (and JewelMint, StyleMint, ShoeMint, BeautyMint, IntiMint) FarFetched (unites global fashion boutiques) BlankLabel (custom mens shirts) Warby Parker (try before you buy online eye-glass retailer) Everlane (highend basics - direct) Fab - daily design inspirations and design-minded, curated sales OpenSky - endorsed by celebrities and experts UnCovet GILT
ADDITIONAL BRANDS STUDIED Sephora (Sephora Pantone + ColorIQ system, app, ipads in store) Target (offering exclusive lines of designer products) Walgreens (app to scan barcode for refill prescription)
PHYSICAL CASE-STUDYS A Start Up Store (NYC) - http://www.fastcompany.com/1802401/can-startup-store-changeretail-business A Temporary Offering (SF) - http://atemporaryoffering.com/ StorFront (NYC) - http://www.storefront.is/ Hointer (Seattle) - http://www.hointer.com/