OVERVIEW
Since 2006, Redbubble has given independent artists a meaningful way to sell their creations through a print-on-demand business model. As an active Redbubble artist, I was inspired to redesign the current workflow meet user needs such as efficiency and community on the digital platform. I gained valuable practice from applying user-centered design methods in this deep dive of a real problem.
ROLE
TIMELINE
Redbubble is the go-to online art marketplace for independent artists who want to sell their art on real products—without the hassle of handling shipping. It's provided me with a way for me to share cute animal illustrations with sticker/animal lovers around the world for five years and counting.
Print-on-demand marketplace
Selling as @Littlemandyart
After publishing more than 100 designs, I questioned how the company could possibly streamline their repetitive creation process to take less time. I conducted background research on Redbubble's business goals, confirming the need to provide users with rapid content creation in the first place. I also conducted user research revealing universal pain points in the content creation workflow.
I dissected the existing creation workflow into two separate workflows for uploading a design and managing existing designs. Then, I prototyped the experiences using a mobile-first approach. This redesign yielded a 40% decrease in interruption rate for publishing a work and a 1:1 collaboration opportunity with a product manager at Redbubble.
To start, I did a deep dive into Redbubble's 2022 Annual Report. I learned more about their core business model: artists produce content (UGC) to drive a cycle that mutually benefits stakeholders including artists, customers, and the company.
The RB Group Flywheel benefits users who have mobility impairments, large fingers, low vision, only one hand free, or may be exposed to shaking on public transportation
I also found data illustrating Redbubble's leading position in the print-on-demand retail industry and a user preference for mobile vs. desktop.
Once it was clear that Redbubble and I shared similar visions of supporting rapid deliver value through an improved artist content creation experience, I recruited 5 Redbubble Artists for user interviews. In these virtual task-based interviews, I sought to understand each artist's pain points in the use case of uploading and managing designs.
Overview of interview
Recruitment + Data Analysis
Recruiting a range of beginner to high-earning artists via Instagram, chatting with @AndrewAPicture, organizing interview data in Google Spreadsheets
Using qualitative coding, I translated the artists' expressed needs into actionable insights.
(Tool) Thematic analysis using Dovetail, (Source) Diagram from userinterviews.com
After speaking with Redbubblers with follower counts ranging from 3 (beginner) to 7000+ (experienced), I crafted user personas to empathize with their needs.
Primary: Newly onboarded artist in need of smooth onboarding
Secondary: Earning artist in need of incentives to stay a content creator
Redbubble runs the risk of losing its position as a leading print-on-demand marketplace for artists (809K) and customers (8.3M) if it does not rapidly deliver value to them on their top-used devices.
Design a more seamless Portfolio Manager workflow to enhance the mobile creator experience and drive increased UGC (user-generated content) on the platform.
Guided by Redbubble's strategy and user insights, I brainstormed and narrowed down design solutions with high potential for impact on Creator Acquisition, UGC, and Creator-Customer Engagement.
PRIMARY SOLUTION
'Product Manager' Tool
+ Simplify a complex creation process
- Disrupt current experience
Mobile App Creator Interface
+ Reach app store user base
- High-effort & cost for business
FEATURE EXPLORATION
Creator Analytics Dashboard
+ Motivate creator performance
- Reveal too much internal info
FEATURE EXPLORATION
Customer Following Feed
+ Promote discovery of content
- Risk of overly-curated feed
In Redbubble's existing user flow, creators had no way to 'Edit existing work' without bypassing unnecessary steps of 'Add new work.'
I reduced the number of steps in the 'Edit existing works' user journey with the goal of increasing portfolio engagement. With mass selection tools, the creator can quickly refresh their shop with new product options like Pet Blankets they're released.
These are the mid-fidelity screens for the user flows above—the current screens mainly illustrate the low discoverability of tools identified in User Interviews. In the redesign, I championed discoverability by adding a Products tab enabling mass-edits across designs.
Current — Low discoverability
Redesign — Higher discoverability from clear navigation
Redesign — Higher discoverability from clear navigation
Could a new group of Redbubble artists complete the tasks?
To validate my designs, I gathered a new group of 4 Redbubble artists and 1 non-Redbubble artist to see if they could complete the original interview tasks with the new workflow.
Task 1 — Add new work
Task 2 — Edit existing works
Results showed increased intuitiveness yet low accessibility on mobile.
💡 40% decrease in task interruption rate for publishing a work
💡 4x increase in discovery rate of the Product Manager tool
💡 Multiple tries to aim, suggesting need for larger target sizes
Benefits users who have mobility impairments, large fingers, low vision, only one hand free, or may be exposed to shaking on public transportation
Increased min. target size to 44 x 44 px (Apple Human Interface Guidelines)
Ensured that buttons fell within the Natural Thumb Zone
Changed "Save work" to "Publish work" to signify that content will go online
I maintained design consistency with Redbubble's visual language by borrowing from Redbubble.design to create this design system, specifically for mobile use.
Target sizes of at least the 44 px (Apple Human Interface Guidelines)
When I finished with my product design case study, I shared it with my Artist Relationship Manager at Redbubble, Jen. Their Artist Experience team recognized the potential of my ideas and invited me to a call with one of their Product Designers. We discussed real opportunities and constraints of my proposed mobile web Portfolio Manager.
1.1 — WORKFLOW
Products Manager.
Manage availability at a glance.
1.2 — WORKFLOW
Seamless content creation. Customize on mobile web.
A use case that was previously unmet on Redbubble: feasibly uploading from a mobile device. Encourages beginner and experienced creators alike to upload UGC to the platform from the convenience of their smartphones.
2.1 — FEATURE EXPLORATION
Analytics dashboard.
Track and drive performance.
A tangible reward system that bridges the gap between user discovery and artist services, reinforcing the company 'flywheel' effect in which improvements to one side generates value to stakeholders at large.
2.2 — FEATURE EXPLORATION
Following feed. Digest content in a familiar way.
A one-column timeline maps attention onto one work at a time. Quick-add-to-cart buttons enable the customers to shop with less interruption while viewing one product after another.
Work towards shipping the product
If joining Redbubble as a UX designer was an option, I would have been eager to work with more senior Redbubble designers, PMs, and developers to come up with a feasible version of my solution to be turned into a reality for customers.
Learned best practices for mobile design in Figma
I used 4pt spacing, 16pt margins, and larger target sizes that satisfied Fitt's Law to design trustworthy-looking user interface. The Redbubble Artist Experience team trusted it.
Applied product thinking
I pushed myself to learn how to brainstorm user-centered solutions for specific business problems. I looked at how users, technology, and business goals intersect to deliver products that benefit customers while generating a positive return on investment.