Art of Skateboarding UX Overhaul
The website is hard to navigate and explore, many of the features such as the restoration tab and the community tab do not function as intended. This is a missed opportunity to capture and retain new users. I have personally been a member of this website as a kid and until I undertook the endeavor of revamping the AOS.com Website I did not even know how to sort by brand and this is a blatant issue that users face. Which decreases the amount of returning users. A search engine is more effective than the current user flow to navigate the website and that is how most users get to their desired destination.
A Page Stuck in the 2000s
The Art of Skateboarding page when it first hit the internet was the standard in skateboarding archives. However like all things time and innovation is forever evolving. The website is in great need of a UX update. Art of Skateboarding has vast amounts of information and pictures that make it a standout and important website for skateboarding. Their is not a comparable resource that users can use instead of Art of Skateboarding. However in its current state it is not inviting to new users.
3 UX Problem Spaces
1.Users cannot find specific skate decks in a straight forward way that they are looking for on the website so they leave the website.
3.Users have to register and create an account to see more details about any items on the site and that creates a artificial barrier that users dislike.
2.Users find it easier to use search engines to direct them to their desired skate brand or item on the website.
Experimentations and Hypothesis
I believe that users will find that the new navigation changes are more intuitive and greatly improves user experience. Users will be able to find the correct information in a shorter and more direct user flow. I used paper prototyping and figma to test my hypothesis
Paper Prototype:
What will change next?
Moving forward my goal is to improve user experience and tackle the pain points learned from user testing using feedback from what confused user to implement, develop and test a alphabetized list of skateboard companies and to improve or remove the arrows from future derivatives of development
What confused users?
However users suggested that instead of a (1,2,3,4,5) numbered list to assist in navigation of the alphabetized list of skateboard companies a (A,B,C,D,E......) Style would be more familiar with users. Also users were confused by the arrows in the paper prototype.
What worked?
Users enjoy the simplicity of the user journey and the easier and more straight forward navigation system. This paper prototype made a clear and improved user experience in testing. Users enjoyed the information section and the specifications being represented clearly and effectively
Figma Prototype
Observations
Most users did not experience any major usability issues and navigation. However some users disliked the way that the Login-Sign Up button functioned. Users stated that they preferred to click a secondary button to confirm their selections when login in or signing up instead of having to re-click the log in- sign up button on the top of the screen.
Behavioral patterns
Users displayed several behavior patterns such as not immediately clicking the login button, users wanted to click the news headlines instead of using the upper button navigation system to navigate to the board archive, users usually did not click login to complete the action of login in and requested a button to conform their actions. Users also assumed that once they clicked login that they would be logged in they disliked having to double click the login in button.
Tasks given
Please complete the task of Login In/ Sign Up, Next complete the task of finding a specific board and adding it to your cart by using the board archive navigation, Please select your desired brand, Please select your desired deck on the board archive, How would you add a deck to your cart
Design recommendations derived from User Testing
• Add interaction to the news headline.
• Create a secondary conformation action to the login in/ Sign Up screen.
• Add Product pictures, consider rearranging the board archive screen.
Problem statement
Users would like to explore the community page tab. They would like for information about general skateboard knowledge and a forum style communication system.
Target Users
Our target users are skateboarders who want to learn more and or share their knowledge and views about skateboarding lore and products. Usage of the community tab will require users to create an account the community tab will not be available to users who do not create an account, However it will be able to be viewed by visitors but they will not be able to comment or create new discussions.
My concept would be to create a usable community tab page that would include the ability for users to communicate using the website to facilitate skateboard knowledge and decorum. This community tab will function as a hub for skateboarders to share knowledge and information about skateboarding in general.
Value to users
I believe that the value to users will be that it will increase user retention, facilitate sales and grow the user base. Users have a desirer to communicate and socialize with each other. Visitors will be able to view the community tab and they will be encouraged to create a account fueling new user growth and in theory boosting site usage as a whole.
Interested? Let’s get in touch.
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