PROJECT OVERVIEW

Fuse and Sip is a local company that sells natural, versatile cocktail and mocktail kits, versatility being their value proposition. Investigating company processes to find an opportunity for a design intervention, our research-focused project culminates into the proposal of a product knowledge toolkit to improve the product development through real-time feedback during product knowledge nights, also aiming to improve how the product is being communicated

Fuse and Sip

USER RESEARCH // PRODUCT DESIGN

Timeline: 13 weeks
Role: Lead Communicator, UX Researcher
Team: Ana Lizarraga, Elina Mokhammad, Kais Neffati

Timeline: 13 weeks
Role: Lead Communicator, UX Researcher
Team: Ana Lizarraga, Elina Mokhammad,
Kais Neffati

Timeline: 13 weeks
Role: Lead Communicator, UX Researcher
Team: Ana Lizarraga, Elina Mokhammad,
Kais Neffati

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Fuse and Sip is a local women-owned company offering natural cocktail and mocktail kits focusing on versatility. Our research identified a need for a design intervention to enhance their R&D. We design a toolkit for the business to improve communication and revamp traditional product knowledge events to surface real-time feedback.

Fuse and Sip is a local women-owned company offering natural cocktail and mocktail kits focusing on versatility. Our research identified a need for a design intervention to enhance their R&D. We design a toolkit for the business to improve communication and revamp traditional product knowledge events to surface real-time feedback.

CONTENT STRATEGY

Improving product research by leveraging product knowledge nights

Traditional product knowledge nights offer retail workers an overview of products to boost interest. We redesign this experience with games, slides, and props to enhance understanding of the product. Our research revealed the product was inadequately researched by the company and misunderstood by potential customers.

Creating two card decks for two demographics

As part of the intervention, the card deck improves product knowledge through memory games and role play. We offer two versions because we discovered that more formal audiences would not be as receptive to a card-matching game.

Creating a guide to increase learnability of unfamiliar research methods

The catalogue guides any company representative of any level of experience on how to conduct the workshop from beginning to end and how to prepare the material.

RESEARCH BREAKDOWN

Our research revealed that the issue began with the product

By corresponding with the owners, we understand their goals, which include boosting sales and improving communication between retail employees and customers. Through the field study, interviews, and taste tests, of which I led half, we uncovered the following insights:

I also questioned the company's testing methods and discovered that the product was tested only with family and friends, inducing bias. Based on those findings, we decided to intervene at the stage of product research and development itself.

Understanding the customer desire to customize through the IKEA effect

Through secondary research, we found that people feel more attached to a product if they feel involved in its creation despite the additional effort (IKEA effect). In our project, we look into ways of weaving a hands-on experience into our solution.

How might we help Fuse and Sip conduct better testing methods in order to improve their product and boost sales?

TESTING THE FEASIBILITY AND DESIRABILITY OF OUR SOLUTION

The final solution includes a slide deck and a short video for the overview, two product knowledge card decks for two different types of audiences and an instruction booklet to conduct creative hands-on workshop sessions.

We tested our solution by emulating a product knowledge night with 2 separately organised 6-people workshops, allowing participants to experience the product with a variety of juices, and fruits. The participants proudly created 2 very different drinks, tailoring it to their taste buds. Overall the experience was very engaging.

REFLECTION

Be compassionate

Be compassionate

Since the company wanted a marketing solution, they were less eager to receive a design solution. As lead communicator, this lack of exciting made it hard to communicate that we found their product not to be as appealing as they expected.

I navigated this situation with tact, focusing on constructive feedback to foster a positive environment. The team devised an actionable solution that addressed the company goals for a business toolkit and their need for better research, leading to a positive reception.

Since the company wanted a marketing solution, they were less eager to receive a design solution. As lead communicator, this lack of exciting made it hard to communicate that we found their product not to be as appealing as they expected.

I navigated this situation with tact, focusing on constructive feedback to foster a positive environment. The team devised an actionable solution that addressed the company goals for a business toolkit and their need for better research, leading to a positive reception.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Being Compassionate

Since the company wanted a marketing solution, they were less eager to receive a design solution. As lead communicator, this lack of exciting made it hard to communicate that we found their product not to be as appealing as they expected.

I navigated this situation with tact, focusing on constructive feedback to foster a positive environment. The team devised an actionable solution that addressed the company goals for a business toolkit and their need for better research, leading to a positive reception.