CASE STUDY:
A one-of-a-kind for the long-nail queens.
In the specialty goods consumer product space, Tippy Type stands out as one-of-a-kind. Their high-quality silicone keyboard cover is designed to accommodate long nails, improving typing speed, accuracy, and comfort. Earlier this year, the company launched its debut product targeted at modern, on-the-go users. Despite glowing product reviews, there were still questions about whether the website platform was fully delivering for its users. Tippy Type reached out to our UX Design team to dive deeper into these questions and uncover opportunities to enhance the overall user experience. Our team consisted of five UX Designers, and I contributed as a researcher, writer, and designer.
Tippytype.co launched in May 2024 with a
mobile-first approach.
Although reviews had been exceptional, conversion and lead capture posed business challenges five months after launch. Our goal was to determine whether users understood Tippy Type's meaning and value, were able to identify the right product to purchase, were familiar with the return policy, and could easily request additional information if needed.
We began by conducting a heuristic analysis of the desktop site, which revealed several user experience design violations.
Research Artifact: Heuristic Evaluation
To better understand these findings, we planned and conducted usability tests involving primary users and secondary users. With the heuristic evaluation in hand, we synthesized our findings into research goals, incorporated client-specific tasks, and crafted scenarios that provided context for the study participants. From there, we developed a script for the moderator to read to each participant. I served as moderator for two of the six usability tests and guided the team through the script-writing process.
Research Artifact: Usability Test Moderator Script
We conducted empirical think-aloud usability tests remotely via Zoom with six participants: three primary users and three secondary users. Each session lasted approximately 30 minutes, during which our team observed task completion rates. We recorded video, took notes, and captured screenshots of significant moments while participants verbalized their thoughts and feelings during their session.
Research Artifact: Participant Findings
“The font hierarchy is terrible so I’m never sure where to look. It’s a lot all at once.”
“There are lots of words here [on the PDP page]… I don’t read a lot.”
“Too much information [on the PDP page].”
“There’s a lot of emoji usage that is not really helping me parse the data or understand any of it, it’s just clunking up the space.”
Research Artifact: Usability Test Screen Shots
Our researchers then analyzed and categorized the data into three key findings.
While our research identified several areas for improvement, we also recognized the website’s strengths. For example, the use of chatbots and sign-up forms is effective in capturing leads on a website. However, potential customers may hesitate to engage with these tools due to existing perceptions of the brand. Based on our findings, we recommended three strategies to improve perception to enhance conversion and lead capture.
We presented our findings and design recommendations to the client in a Usability Findings Report, where I contributed as a content writer and visual designer. The report aimed to provide key stakeholders with practical recommendations to deliver business value, enhance website quality, and improve user experiences on desktop, ultimately helping the business grow by increasing conversion and lead capture rates.
Research Artifact: Usability Findings Report
