REI
AI Feature
Research
UX / UI
Feature Design
AI
Role:
Sole Product Designer
Timeline:
4 weeks, Dec 2024
Tools:
Figma, Miro
Overview
background
Wilderness backpacking is when you camp out in nature, carrying everything you need with you in a backpack. Before each trip, you must prepare for the unique conditions to fully enjoy and be safe on your trip.
User Problem
Wilderness backpackers who are still learning, are not sure what they need to pack and / or purchase to prepare for trips to new or unfamiliar places.
Business Values
REI is “a consumer co-operative that exists to inspire, educate, and outfit people for a lifetime of outdoor adventure and stewardship...”
Solution
Wilderness Backpacking Planner
An AI feature that generates personalized packing lists for users based on their unique trip details and needs. This feature helps guide users through all the steps needed to prepare in one fun, easy to navigate and digest experience.
Animated Homepage Banner
Guided AI Prompt Generator
Personalized Checklist & Shopping
Export to Phone Modal
Research revealed my primary users were beginner to intermediate backpackers who are still learning want guidance on how to prepare for backpacking trips.
Research Insights
Reddit’s many backpacking communities showed that people want help planning what to pack for their specific trips
Want:
“to populate a list based on what I need for that trip.
I’m making checklists in my notes app, but it’s a lot of work and I am time poor.”
Problem:
“My beef with lighterpack is having to enter everything I own. The data entry is painstaking.”
The most popular, simple and widely used solutions, still lead to pain points for many backpackers.
Competitive Analysis
LighterPack: users have to upload all the products & specifications (like weight) themselves one by one
Pack Wizard: lots of improvements like a database of products and shared packing lists but is non visual and can feel intimidating
Hypothesis
Backpackers want an easy way to determine what to pack and purchase for their trips based on factors such as price, weight, weather, location and duration of the trip.
Interviews
Interviews with backpackers of all levels validated my hypothesis and clarified that my target users were beginner to intermediate backpackers.
PErsonas
Synthesis
Affinity mapping revealed themes such as the factors most important to backpackers when preparing for a trip.
Factors by Highest Priority:
Pack Weight
Weather
Hike Details
Essentials
Number of People
Available Amenities
Key INsights
Beginner & Intermediate backpackers want advice and guidance from those with more experience on what to pack and buy
Backpackers want a simple packing checklist (on their phone)
Everyone had the same pattern for finding equipment:
Research
Compare
Purchase
Auditing the existing website revealed that REI’s website already has a lot of info that backpackers want and need to prepare for their trips but no one knows about it AND it’s difficult to navigate...
Website Audit
To my surprise, it was filled with incredible expert advice, detailed articles and resources to help prepare, but no one knows about it (including me) because it is known for it’s retail and in person classes.
Resources
Example: Printable checklists! However, they felt deeply tucked away within LONG articles, or you would have to search juuust right.
Business Problem
The expert advice section is hard to discover, navigate and has an overwhelming amount of information and at times very technical, making it unapproachable.
Example: Here is a single article on "How to Choose Sleeping Pads"
(It was so long, I had to cut it in half!)
How might we guide backpackers who are still learning to prepare for their unique trips and needs?
Design GoalS
To design a feature that bridges the gap between backpackers needs for advice + guidance and REI’s existing resources to help beginner backpackers prepare for their trips in a fun and non-intimidating way.
Make it easy to discover and navigate, so people know the resource exists and do not have a difficult time finding the information they need.
User FlowS
Designed user flows with user goals in mind
Goal 1: To know what to pack for their specific trip from a experienced source, available on their phone
Goal 2: To modify their list to reflect their personal needs
Goal 3: To have help shopping for products that fit their needs and priorities
Lo-Fi Wireframe
Backpackers Want
Quick & Easy process
Customized
Packing list
Shopping list
Expert advice
Share their list
Export checklist to phone
Save their lists
Copy & modify lists
Explored Solution
Use AI to leverage the strengths of REI’s existing resources to create custom checklists for backpackers
Guide people in planning, learning and shopping all within one feature
Why: Only requires a few screens, would be feasible to develop and would accomplish most user goals.
IDEAS
Many, many rounds of usability testing and iteration lead to a solution that backpackers were truly excited about.
Usability TestING
5 Beginner - Intermediate Backpackers
4 Rounds of testing, each with a different set of participants
Interactive prototypes at Mid-fi and Hi-fi stages
Do they understand the feature from the homepage? How do they feel about it being generated by AI?
“Feels like too much information to process at once”
“It’s fine it’s made by AI. It’s just a starting point and I would check it over anyways.”
ITERATION
Used an animated polaroid to break up information into small chunks as well as capture attention with photos and movement
NEXT
Iteration
Challenge: Designing the list to be clear in functionality but not overwhelming
Initial Design
Based on the research of what people wanted to know, see and do to be prepared for their trip
I designed an interactive packing and shopping list using products from REI
Why Not
Looked too serious and intimidating.
The opposite of the experience I was trying to create for users!
Design Goal
I wanted it to feel fun and approachable, to solve for problem of feeling intimidated by the process of preparing for backpacking
NEXT
Outcomes: Backpackers loved the thoughtful designs that help them prepare in different and creative ways.
Surprising & Delightful!
Trip Details
Factors participants shared as most important to know before a trip
Synced with All Trails
Pop up trail map
NEXT
Prototype
*Note: Not everything is interactive...
*Hint: Shop for a backpack & export your list!
Reflection
Main Takeaways:
Having people tell stories during interviews leads to deeper understanding and insights
Creating design that align with user expectations is what leads to intuitive solutions
How important it is test early, often and to iterate little by little
Next steps:
Include the ability to name, save, edit, favorite and share lists
Incorporate REI’s circular economy of rental, used, and outlet gear
Expand to different types of outdoor adventure such as camping, hiking, rock climbing, biking, and travel.
