4
Rounds of usability testing across lo-fi and hi-fi
Designing a unified e-commerce platform for gamers, developers, and everyday consumers.To help them discover, compare, and purchase software and gaming equipment. Eliminating the need to navigate multiple platforms and retail locations.
Mobile App
Responsive Website
E-Commerce
End-to-End UX
My role
Lead UX Designer
Duration
Apr 2025 – Feb 2026
Tools
Figma
Platforms
Users waste hours jumping between platforms just to buy one product
Gamers, developers, and everyday consumers face significant friction when searching for and purchasing digital products, software, and gaming equipment. Users visit between 3–8 different sites and apps before making a single purchase decision. They spend 30 minutes to several hours just finding the right product at the right price.
The Programers platform was designed to consolidate discovery, comparison, and purchase into one seamless experience eliminating platform-hopping for good.
3–8
Different sites visited before a single purchase made
4
Distinct user types served across both platforms
2
Platforms designed - iOS app and responsive website
Understanding the user before touching the design
A foundational research survey was conducted with 7 participants across the US, Europe, and Asia. A competitive audit of 4 key competitors was also completed to identify market gaps and opportunities.
1
Information overload
Users bombarded with options visiting 3–8 platforms and spending hours comparing prices before purchasing.
2
Pricing transparency
Hidden fees and shipping costs only revealed at checkout. Users consistently felt deceived by the final total.
3
Inconsistent cross-platform experience
Different navigation, checkout flows, and mobile experiences across platforms frustrated on-the-go shoppers.
"I don't like having to shop around on so many different sites. I just want to find everything I need in one place."
— Survey participant, foundational research
Competitive audit
GameStop
Direct competitor
Physical stores + online platform, broad gaming inventory
No software design tools, limited accessibility options
PlayStation
Direct competitor
Strong brand, digital purchases, game upgrades online
Difficult signup, limited to PlayStation ecosystem only
Best Buy
Indirect competitor
Wide product range, physical locations, computer services
Too broad; unfocused for tech/gaming users
Adobe
Direct competitor
Instant digital download, large software library
Expensive subscriptions, complex bundle selection
Four personas, two platforms, one unified experience
Four personas were developed across the app and website to ensure the design served every user type. From the time-pressed professional to the budget-conscious student gamer.
Journey Map
Each user interacts differently with the product. Things they do, how they feel, and their frustrations while they embark on their journey tells us the real story. This is Marcus's story.
From research to architecture
Information overload and poor information architecture were identified as core frustrations not just checkout issues. The sitemap was designed so navigation felt invisible; users should find what they need without noticing they're navigating at all.
1
Sitemap & information architecture
Navigation structured across home, new releases, coming soon, search, map, profile, favorites, and shopping sart with accessibility settings built in from the start.
2
Paper wireframes - multiple iterations
Several iterations created for desktop, tablet, and mobile. Most valuable features from each combined into the final homepage design.
3
Digital wireframes - 3 breakpoints
Search front and center, coming soon items on homescreen, checkout offering delivery and pickup with integrated navigation and rideshare options.
Four rounds of testing across app and website
Both platforms went through two rounds of unmoderated remote usability testing, lo-fi and hi-fi. Participants were located all across the United States. All sessions were 15–20 minutes.
App — Round 1 (lo-fi) · 5 participants
App · Lo-fi
Navigation icon confusion
Users couldn't understand the function of the navigation based on icons alone.
App · Lo-fi
No homepage access from within app
Users couldn't return to homepage once they had navigated away.
App · Lo-fi
Too many menu options
Menu felt overwhelming and users saw no need for so many options.
App · Lo-fi
Too many confirmation pages
Excessive confirmation screens during checkout frustrated users.
App — Round 2 (hi-fi) · 5 participants
App · Hi-fi
Information overload
4/5 participants found excessive content made it difficult to complete primary actions.
App · Hi-fi
Navigation generally intuitive
5/5 participants found overall navigation easy to complete tasks despite minor friction.
App · Hi-fi
Button visibility concerns
4/5 participants had issues with button placement, size, or visibility.
Positive finding
Favorites purchase flow praised
"It was easy to complete a purchase from my favorites list."
— Participant D
Website — Round 1 (lo-fi) · 8 participants
Website · Lo-fi
Filter animation disorienting
Filter transition caused visual discomfort and inconsistency.
Website · Lo-fi
Shipping vs pickup selection
Functional and interaction problems with the shipping/pickup selector.
Website · Lo-fi
Checkout flow confusion
Participants unsure whether they had progressed forward or looped back.
Website · Lo-fi
Content hierarchy & scrolling
Important buttons required more scrolling than expected. Key actions buried below the fold.
Website — Round 2 (hi-fi) · 2 participants
Website · Hi-fi
Clearer density reduction near primary CTAs needed to speed up decision making.
Website · Hi-fi
Button placement refinement
Primary buttons needed to sit above the fold with adequate size and color contrast.
Design system
A design system was established before building hi-fi screens to ensure visual consistency across the app and website.
Bringing Programers to life
All usability findings were addressed before final visual polish. Key changes included consolidating menu options, adding a home icon to the bottom nav bar, improving button sizing, and integrating rideshare navigation into the pickup flow.
1
Menu options consolidated
Redundant menu items merged and only the most pertinent options kept to reduce cognitive load.
2
Home icon added to bottom nav bar
Users can now access the homepage from anywhere within the app; a direct fix from Round 1 findings.
3
Button sizing & placement improved
Buy now button placed directly below product image. Increased size for discoverability without distraction.
4
Integrated navigation & rideshare
Pickup flow includes store search, car/transit/walk route navigation, and rideshare options. This is a key differentiator from competitors.
App hi-fi screens
Website hi-fi screens — responsive
Mobile App
Programers app prototype
Tap through the full iOS app; home, product detail, cart & checkout
View app prototype →
Responsive Website
Programers website prototype
Click through the full website desktop version
View website prototype →
Accessibility considerations
Speech to text
Users can speak to the search bar and navigation bar reducing friction for all users
Visual hierarchy
Clear typographic hierarchy helps users distinguish sections and scan efficiently
High contrast mode
Included for users with visual sensitivity or who shop in different lighting conditions
What was delivered
Programers went from a blank brief to two fully tested hi-fi prototypes. One iOS app and one responsive website across 4 rounds of usability testing with 4 distinct personas.
2
Platforms designed and delivered end-to-end
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Usability issues identified and resolved across both platforms
What I'd do differently
When I started the Programers app I skipped foundational research entirely, I didn't know better at the time. It wasn't until I began designing the website that I conducted proper user research. Looking back, starting with research on both platforms would have grounded every design decision in real user needs from the start.
Key takeaway
Not every user buys the same way. The usability studies showed that delivery preferences, pickup options, and pricing all shape how each persona completes a purchase differently. Designing across four personas made that impossible to ignore. A great product experience has to work for the user in front of it, not just the average user.