A NEW WAY OF experiencing and DISCOVERING fragrances
How our team helped PUIG rethink fragrance discovery through technology and interactivity as part of the master's thesis
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the main challenges
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COVID happened during the project
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Combining an accessible physical and digital space
high level goals
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Redesign the sensorial experience for the AirParfum installation.
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Generate data on trial and customer feedback
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Boost purchase conversion
setting the scene
After a successful Proof of Concept stage of the AirParfum technology, Puig wanted to use the momentum to expand this technology's footprint even further.
However, in one of its key locations: Sephora el Triangle in Barcelona, the company noticed that people were not attracted to the existing AirParfum installation. As the final project for my master's in UX, together with a class colleague, we were tasked by Puig in collaboration with the Barcelona Technology School with proposing a redesign of the experience through a UX-centered perspective for the digital and physical spaces.
My role
Research
Together with my colleague we planned and executed user interviews, mapped the current experience and industry research
design
Designed the flows, visual direction and final UI designs of the experience
Keep scrolling for a sneak peek of the project OR click HERE to skip to the case study
THE CASE STUDY
Part 1
HOW IT ALL STARTED:
an alliance between tradition and innovation
This led to the creation of the AirParfum experience, aimed at revolutionizing the way people test perfume helping them discover and choose the right one.
the airparfum
This technology allows for purified air to be infused with aromas, unlocking all of the accents and nuances of the fragrance without any further distortions.
the benefits
1. Try as many fragrances
The technology allows one to try as many fragrances without overwhelming the nose.
2. a library of fragrances
Can host a wide variety of different fragrances at once.
3. Transportable and versatile
The technology can be adapted to many kinds of needs and spaces so it can be used in all sorts of scenarios.
how to use it
Interact with the screen
Get close to the smell exit
Try fragrance as many times as you want
to browse through the options available and choose one to try.
to experience the fragrance.
as the AirParfum technology doesn't saturate the nose as traditional testing methods do.
Part 2
understanding perfume
From people's perspectives on perfumes, the current AirParfum experience and different phygital experiences, there were a lot of things we had to understand before designing any screens or modelling 3D spaces, we had to understand several things.
The approach went from first-hand interactions with the AirParfum experiences and their existing users and support staff to user interviews, surveys and desk research.
I have compiled some of this research into the next 3 sections.
1. THE
CURRENT
EXPERIENCE
Understanding how and why users interact with the existing AirParfum experience
Service safari & journey map
2. WHAT
PERFUME IS
FOR PEOPLE
Gathering qual and quant data about customers' habits and relations with perfume
User interviews and online surveys
3. MARKET
ANALYSIS
Learning and getting inspiration from the fragrance ecosystem. What has been done and how.
Benchmarking & trends analysis
TRUST US, THIS
PERFUME WILL MAKE YOU BE LIKE THEM
TRUST US, THIS
PERFUME WILL HELP YOU
EXPRESS WHO YOU ARE
Part 3
reframing the goals
Throughout the research, the team realized it was necessary to reframe the initial objectives as they were initially too centred on the business and not on the user.
initial goals
new goals
Help user express their
identity
Help users discover fragrances
Increase perfume trial
boost purchase conversion
Deliver an experience that users want to use
Increase awareness of the experiece
Collect data to enhance the UX
Deliver an experience that users want to share
Part 3
DEFINING THE WHAT
After understanding the current AirParfum experience, the fragrance market and our users and their relation with perfume, it was time for the team to start defining what the new AirParfum experience could be.
user stories
To help us visualize a solution that was user-centric, the team identified the core parts that made up the installation to see with what and why would our users interact with.
PHYSICAL DEVICE
As a perfume shopper, I want to
Be able to identify the installation so that I can try it if I want to
Feel attracted to the installation so that I want to use it
Not feel overwhelmed sensory-wise so that I can enjoy the experience
digital interactions
As a perfume shopper, I want:
Interact with an engaging experience so that I feel interested in it until the end
Understand it easily so that I don't feel frustrated
Be able to ask for help when
I feel stuck so that I can achieve my goals
perfume recommendations
As a perfume shopper, I want:
Feel listened so that I can fully trust the suggestions
Have enough options so that I can try and see for myself
Receive accurate and relevant information so that I can make the right choice
buying perfume
As a perfume shopper, I want:
Be able to buy right there so that I don't need to stand in line
Receive a free sample so that I can try it and be completely sure about it
Be able to ask for help when
I feel stuck so that I can achieve my goals
task flows
Before giving the prototype a "face", it was important to know the flows users would follow when achieving different tasks.
user task 1
complete the olfactory profile quiz
user task 2
experience the 4 recommendations
user task 3
select "liked" perfumes from the recommendations
journey wireframes
mid-fi designs
hi-fi designs
homescreen
Users get to experience the 6 fragrance families one by one and choose which one they like or not. According to the user's selections, the device suggests perfumes that suit them the best.
the olfactory profile
The Effusion experience creates a unique olfactory profile for each user according to their fragrance preferences to suggest the most adequate perfumes.
personalised suggestions
4 perfumes get suggested according to the olfactory profile. Users can try the perfumes, find out more information about them and preselect which ones they like the most before being able to purchase them, or receiving a free sample.
the physical space
