Thirsty Fossil Tea House
Created the brand and UX/UI experience for Thirsty Fossil.
User Interviews
Three individuals were interviewed regarding their habits of buying tea online. The interviews aimed to gain insight into their decision-making process, preferences, and pain points when buying tea online.
The findings revealed that the participants had varying preferences for the type of tea they purchased and the online platforms they used to buy it. Most had a particular type of tea they would solely source. Example: “I often just buy green tea”.
The participants also reported that the quality of the tea and the reviews from other customers were significant factors in their purchasing decision. They also valued a user-friendly website, and good customer service.
Overall, the interviews shed light on the diverse habits and preferences of tea drinkers when buying tea online and the challenges they face in finding the right product. This information can be useful for online tea retailers looking to improve the customer experience and meet the needs of their target audience.
Affinity Map
An affinity map was created to better understand the habits and preferences of individuals when buying tea online. The findings from the map showed that people rely heavily on reviews and photos when making purchasing decisions.
People value the opinions of others and use reviews to make informed decisions about the quality and taste of the tea. Photos also play a significant role in the buying process, allowing customers to see the product and make an informed decision about the type of tea they want to purchase.
Additionally, the map revealed that people often venture off to other websites to read about tea, gathering more information about different blends, flavors, and types of tea. This highlights the importance of providing comprehensive product information and descriptions on the website to meet the needs of customers and help them make informed decisions.
These findings can be used to improve the customer experience for online tea retailers. By focusing on providing high-quality photos and detailed product information, along with incorporating customer reviews, we can improve the experience of buying tea online.
Contextual Inquiry
A contextual inquiry activity was conducted with three users who shopped for tea online. The aim of the activity was to understand the user behavior and decision-making process when shopping for tea online.
The findings of the contextual inquiry showed that users heavily relied on aesthetics when shopping for tea online. They were drawn to the visual appearance of the tea, packaging, and tea-wear and were more likely to purchase products that looked appealing to them.
Additionally, the findings showed that users were reluctant to venture into categories of tea that they were unfamiliar with, such as Sheng Puerh. They preferred to stick to tea categories that they were already familiar with, such as green tea or black tea.
The results of the contextual inquiry indicated a need for online tea shops to provide clear and detailed information about each tea, including its flavor profile, preparation, and origin. This can help users make informed decisions and expand their knowledge of different tea categories, including less familiar teas such as Sheng Puerh.
Competitive Analysis
A competitive and comparative analysis was conducted for online tea websites to understand the market landscape and identify opportunities for improvement. The analysis aimed to assess the strengths and weaknesses of existing websites and to identify best practices and areas for innovation.
The analysis evaluated a variety of factors, including website design, user profiles, product offerings, pricing, customer reviews, and brand reputation. This information was compared to create a comprehensive overview of the online tea market and to identify opportunities for differentiation and improvement.
The findings of the analysis showed that there was significant variation in the offerings and user experiences of online tea websites. Some websites had an engaging and easy-to-use design (Mei Leaf), while others were cluttered and difficult to navigate (Yunnan Sourcing).
The analysis also identified best practices, such as the use of high-quality photos and detailed product information, the integration of customer reviews, and the use of attractive and user-friendly design.
The insights from the competitive and comparative analysis can be used to inform the design and development of new online tea websites, ensuring that they offer a differentiated and high-quality user experience that meets the needs of customers and stands out in a crowded market.
Card Sort
A card sort was conducted to understand the information architecture used within online tea shops and to identify any confusion or challenges that users may face when trying to find the tea they want. The findings showed that the nomenclature used in online tea shops was too confusing for users.
The open card sort revealed that users struggled to recall the different tea categories and the terminology used to describe tea blends, flavors, and types. This led to only 1 out of five participated confidently able to sort more then half of the 30 cards with tea names on them.
The results of the card sort indicated a need for online tea shops to simplify and clarify their nomenclature, making it easier for users to find the tea they want. This could be achieved by using clear and concise language, providing detailed descriptions of each tea, and incorporating high-quality photos to help users visualize the product. Further testing should be conducted to see if users would be interested in sorting tea by flavor profile- zero websites currently support this feature.
By addressing the confusion around nomenclature, online tea shops can improve the user experience and make it easier for customers to find and purchase the tea they want. This, in turn, can lead to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Problem Statement
Online tea shoppers have great difficulty finding tea they are looking for, developing trust in the online vendor, and exploring tea categories they are unfamiliar with. This is a problem because the online tea vendor may lose a customer if they do not teach the user about tea, showcase the quality of the leaf and liquor, and encourage users to explore other categories of tea.
How might we…
How might we develop a content strategy that promotes scalable, high quality photos of tea to elicit trust out of the user?
How might we create a navigation system based on flavor, not categories of tea so that users will explore more types of tea.
How might we build out an easily accessible blog to educate the user about tea and retain their attention on our site?
Brand Development
The Thirsty Fossil is a brand that was developed with a unique aesthetic in mind. It aims to balance masculine and feminine elements, creating a look and feel that appeals to a broad audience.
The brand is designed to evoke an authentic and trustworthy feeling, which is essential for building a loyal customer base. This authenticity is achieved through the use of natural materials, such as the texture and likeness of a puerh wrapper, which gives the brand a distinctive and recognizable look.
The Thirsty Fossil brand is designed to appeal to customers who value balance, authenticity, and a sense of connection with the products they use. By combining these elements with a visually appealing and distinctive aesthetic, the Thirsty Fossil brand is poised to stand out in a crowded marketplace and establish itself as a trusted and beloved brand.
Content Strategy + Information Architecture
A content strategy was developed for the Thirsty Fossil with the goal of clearly depicting the tea leaf and liquor, providing social validation of the quality of the tea, and helping users find tea by flavor.
To achieve this, the content strategy focused on incorporating high-quality images and videos that showcase the tea leaves and liquor, providing detailed information about the flavor, origin, and preparation of each tea, and incorporating customer reviews and ratings to provide social validation of the quality of the tea.
Additionally, the website was designed to help users find tea by flavor, by implementing a robust and intuitive navigation system that allows users to easily filter and search for tea based on their desired flavor profile. This was achieved by incorporating clear and concise language, providing detailed flavor descriptions, and incorporating visual aids such as flavor wheel to help users quickly find and compare different teas.
On the production and management side, a simple method for creating photos and content was developed. This would allow then business to scale and document tea independently.
By clearly depicting the tea and liquor, providing social validation of quality, and helping users find tea by flavor, the tea website is able to provide a high-quality and engaging user experience that meets the needs of customers and sets it apart from other online tea retailers.
Prototype
