KIKI MASON

Challenge Statement:

The rebranding of the Kiki Mason brand aims to transform its digital presence into a bold, inclusive, and user-focused experience that reflects its unique identity. By addressing usability challenges, optimizing design aesthetics, and aligning with the brand’s core values, this project seeks to enhance engagement, increase conversions, and expand its appeal to a diverse audience. Through a modern, intuitive website, redesign, content and SEO and alignment, and improved navigation, Kiki Mason will establish itself as a leading destination for unapologetic, edgy, and inclusive fashion.

Proposal Statement:

How might we reimagine the Kiki Mason brand to overcome usability challenges, attract a more diverse audience, and create a seamless, engaging digital experience while staying true to the brand’s bold and unapologetic identity?

Boost Conversions: Optimize product pages, content, and the checkout process to increase sales and reduce cart abandonment rates.

Enhance Usability: Redesign the website to improve navigation, streaming the user journey, and make it easier for customers to find and purchase products.

Key Objectives:

Improve Visual Coherence: Align all design elements, including color palette, typography and imagery, to create a cohesive and modern look that reflects the brand’s personality.

Broaden Audience Appeal: Develop a design and branding strategy that speaks to a diverse audience while maintaining Kiki Mason’s bold and inclusive identity.

Drive Organic Traffic: Implement SEO strategies to increase visibility and attract new customers through organic search,

Increase Mobile Accessibility: Ensure the website is fully responsive for mobile users, providing a seamless experience across devices.

Incorporate User Feedback: Use insights from customer surveys and usability testing to inform design and functionality descisions.

Showcasing Brand Identity: Highlight Kiki Mason’s edgy and inclusive personality through storytelling, bold visuals, and engaging content.

Research Goals:

Understand User Pain Points:

Goal: Identity the challenges users face when navigating and engaging with the current Kiki Mason website.

  • Key Questions:

  • What barriers do users encounter while browsing or shopping?

  • Which features (e.g., navigation, product pages, filters) cause the most frustration?

  • What prevents users from completing a purchase (e.g., slow checkout, unclear product information)?

  • Methods:

  • Usability testing sessions.

  • Open-minded surveys asking users about their experiences.

  • What values resonate most with Kiki Mason’s audience (e.g., inclusivity, bold designs)?

  • How do users define an enjoyable shopping experience?

  • What devices do users primarily use to access the website?

Define Target Audience Needs:

Goal: Gain insights into the preferences and expectations of Kiki Mason’s target demographic, including both loyal and potential customers.

  • Key Questions:

  • Methods:

  • User personas based on survey data and interviews.

  • Behavioral analysis (e.g., heat maps, session recordings) to see how users interact with the site.

Benchmark Competitors:

Goal: Analyze competitor websites to understand industry best practices and missed opportunities for Kiki Mason.

  • What features do competitors use to attract and retain customers?

  • How do competitors balance inclusivity with usability?

  • Are there innovative design elements or tools (e.g., AR try-ons, virtual styling) that Kiki Mason could adopt?

  • Key Questions:

  • Methods:

  • competitor benchmarking with a focus on usability, visual design, and functionality.

  • SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats).

Elevate the Brand Experience:

Goal: Assess whether the current website reflects Kiki Mason’s bold and inclusive brand identity.

  • Focus groups with target users to evaluate the emotional connection to the brand.

  • A/B testing of different visual and tonal elements.

  • Does the website’s tone, imagery, and layout align with the brand’s mission?

  • Is the brand perceived as welcoming and inclusive to a diverse audience?

  • How well does the design resonate with the LGBTQ+ community and allies?

  • Key Questions:

  • Methods:

Optimize for Mobile and Accessibility:

Goal: Understand how mobile users and users with disabilities experience the website.

  • Key Questions:

  • Are all features functional and user-friendly on mobile devices?

  • What accessibility barriers exist (e.g., font sizes, color contrast, screen reader compatibility)?

  • How can we improve the mobile checkout experience?

  • Mobile-first usability testing.

  • Accessibility audit using tools appropriate tools.

  • Methods:

Deliverables for Research Goals

User Persona: Detailed profiles of Kiki Mason’s key audience segments.

Journey Maps: Visualized paths users take on the site, highlighting pain points.

Competitive Analysis Report: A summary of insights from competitor website.

Accessibility Audit Results: Specific recommendations to improve usability for all users.

Research Synthesis: A concise document summarizing findings and their implications for the redesign.

Role: UX/UI Designer

Tools: Figma

Timeline: March 2024- October 2024

Ideatation:

The brand faced a clear challenge: how to better connect with its audience through a digital presence that reflects its bold, inclusive identity while solving usability issues. The brand had strong visual and cultural elements, but its website did not fully align with its potential, leaving room for improvement in navigation , user engagements, and conversion.

How may I align the brand’s voice with the technical requirements of a seamless user experience. Leveraging my expertise in fashion, hospitality, and UX design, I guided the ideation process to explore how to make Kiki Mason’s website not just functional but also visually engaging and emotionally resonant.

After identifying the key issues, I brainstormed solutions focused on usability, accessibility, and visual storytelling. Envisioning a website that streamlined navigation, optimized mobile performance, and embraced inclusivity through diverse visual elements. With a clear understanding of the target audience, I drafted a detailed UX roadmap and strategies for enhancing the brand’s digital ecosystem to meet both creative and business goals.

SWOT Analysis for Kiki Mason

  • Bold Brand Identity: Kiki Mason’s edgy, inclusive, and sassy personality sets it apart in the fashion industry.

  • Clear Target Audience: Strong alignment with the 20-35 age group, particularly within the LGBTQ+ community.

  • Unique Product Offerings: Eye-catching designs, fun messaging, and unique like “boujee” and ‘Kunty” appeal to the brand’s niche.

  • Established Website: Current website provides a foundation for improvements rather than starting from scratch.

Strengths (Internal Positive Factors):

  • Inconsistent User Experience: Navigation and checkout processes may not be seamless, causing friction in the customer journey.

  • Mobile Optimization Issues: The site may not deliver a flawless experience across all devices, leading to missed opportunities for mobile shoppers.

  • Accessibility Gaps: Limited features for users with disabilities could hinder inclusivity, which is critical to the brand’s ethos.

  • Visual and Brand Misalignment: Some design elements may not fully reflect the brand’s, bold and edgy identity.

Weaknesses (internal Negative Factors):

  • Growing Demand for Inclusive Brands: Increased customer interest in brands that prioritize inclusivity, diversity, and self expression.

  • Mobile-First Shopping Trends: An optimized mobile experience can capture a significant portion of traffic and conversions.

  • Improved Accessibility Standards: Enhancing accessibility can attract a broader audience and boost customers satisfaction.

  • Social Media Integration: leveraging strong visuals and user-generated content on platforms like instagram can enhance website traffic and engagement.

Opportunities (External Positive Factors):

Threats (External Negative Factors):

  • Competitive Market: High competition from other bold, edgy fashion brands targeting similar demographics.

  • Evolving User Expectations: Rapid changes in UX/UI trends require continuous updates to keep up with industry standards.

  • Technical Limitations: Delays or challenges in implementing features like AR try-ons, personalization tools, or streamlined mobile checkout.

  • Economic Uncertainty: Consumer spending habits can shift, impacting luxury or non-essential purchases like fashion items.