Intel

ROLE

Lead Designer, Motion Design, Researcher

Intel developed the Retail Sensor Platform and partnered with BlueMetal to build a white-label app that would enable businesses to know the exact location and counts of their entire inventory across all locations. This competency, referred to as 'real-time inventory accuracy', unlocks new ways of anticipating and reacting to customer needs, building shopper loyalty, and elevating the in-store experience. 

I led the strategy and design of this project over 4 months, which included ideation, field research, and interaction design, The platform and app was showcased at the National Retail Federation's "Big Show" in January 2018. 

This project is a memorable one as I was able to apply some new motion design skills I had been working om, which I used as the foundation of a video prototype.  As I witnessed the buzz the video created within Intel, it inspired me to further pursue those skills, an effort that continues today. Check it out right below.

Shoppers expect service to be superb, immediate, and completely aligned whether they're on the site, in the store, or on the app. 

Meanwhile, many traditional retailers are still unable to meet these expectations because they lack a foundational competency required to do so: real-time inventory accuracy. 

Intel had been experiencing challenges bringing their new Retail Sensor Platform (RSP) to market, and we suspected it was because they needed a compelling visual story of how it could both enable operational excellence and deliver value to the shopper. We set out to tell that story.

The above  illustration by Intel that shows how the Retail Sensor Platform employs the use of RFID chips on the tags for every piece of merchandise, and sensors that are positioned strategically overhead to create zones. Pings whenever an item enters or leaves a zone enable the retailer to gain a real-time picture of its inventory throughout all of their stores, and distribution nodes.

We started with the two main user groups we wanted to focus on: Store Managers & Shoppers. We focused on exploring the questions of Who are they, What do they do, What do they need, and What makes them successful?

Field Research

To immerse ourselves in the problem space, we visited a number of tech-forward stores including Nike, Hammermade, and Sephora, acting as though we were ordinary shoppers.  You can see a video summary of my experience in the Nike stores here.

From our lean field research, a few key themes appeared.

• The promise of convenience by being able to summon help by tapping a button on a digital display consistently fell short of expectations. 
  
  
• The level of product knowledge posessed by the employees made a significant impact on the quality of the experience, especially when engaging across multiple channels. I was impressed to receive an email from the Hammermade manager weeks later notifying me of some new arrivals that matched my preferences.
  
  
• It was disappointing that the the in-store digital touchpoints were nothing more than a mirror of their e-commerce site.  Overall, it felt like there was a barrier between the in-store displays and everything else surrounding me. 

Journey Mapping

I mapped a broad sales cycle from the shopper's perspective next to a day in the life of a store manager. This helped us determine it was important to focus on operational capabilities that have  an immediate impact on customer satisfaction. Those capabilities included finding misplaced items, fitting room assistance, inventory availability, and product exploration.

Detailed Design

home - iteration 2 - working on the management center

home - iteration 3 - the management center takes shape, other features de-prioritized

product details

inventory dashboard

Shopper

During our field research as shoppers, we experienced a divide between the exploration of in-store merchandise and the digital interfaces within the surrounding environment.  With the RSP, we could bridge the divide by focusing on:

1. Product discovery & value communication
2. Getting them the size they need
3. Getting employee help  
   

We envisioned shoppers bringing up their items to a kiosk on the floor or in the fitting room. They would immediately be able to know the available sizes, colors, and complimentary pieces, as well as info on the production process, heritage of the brand, or corporate social responsibility.

Shopper Kiosk - Default state prompting user action

Shopper Kiosk - Items the shopper brings to kiosk are displayed in 'Your Items'

Shopper Kiosk - Product Details - In instances where a size was not replenished in advance through predictive analytics, the platform uses its knowledge of inventory across all locations to tell the user the next best thing, the exact timeframe they can have their hands on it. Deeper product discovery is supported through the use of video. 

Visual Design

I provided support to a talented designer as she created a visual identity for the app. The challenge with it being a white-label app was to be visually appealing, but also not get in the way of a retailer envisioning how the appearance could be customized to their brand standards.

Motion Design

Results & Reflection