< BACK

FUTURE WOOD

A laptop and smartphone showcases the landingpage of Jeny-site. The heading says 'Fall favourites are here' and there is an image of three persons lauging in clothes that fit well during fall-season

MY ROLE INCLUDED:

  • UX RESEARCH
    • |
  • WORKSHOP FACILITATOR
    • |
  • UI DESIGN
    • |
  • USABILITY TESTS
    • |
  • SCRUM MASTER

How might we help customers design high-quality, sustainable wooden tables that fit their unique needs, while ensuring a smooth and intuitive shopping experience?

Problem

Many customers seeking high-quality wooden tables struggle to find products that align with their specific aesthetic, functional, and quality expectations. They often experience uncertainty about material choices, durability, and customization options. Additionally, online furniture shopping can feel impersonal, making it difficult for customers to feel confident in their purchase decisions. The lack of clear, structured guidance in the customization process can result in frustration and abandoned carts.

Solution

Future Wood provides an intuitive platform for designing custom wooden tables, balancing simplicity with flexibility. Trust-building elements like quality certifications and sustainability transparency enhance user confidence.

Research & ideation

Both qualitative and quantitative research through competitor analysis, user interviews, and usability testing to understand customer behaviors and pain points.

Key findings

  • Most users needed a structured decision-making process for confidence in their purchase, while others preferred a faster buying journey.
  • Trust indicators like certifications and sustainability details were crucial.
  • Familiar e-commerce structures improved usability and engagement.
  • Mobile accessibility and clear visual hierarchy boosted conversion rates.

Based on our research, we identified three primary customer personas:

Avatar of a man on skateboard, dressed casually with a beanie and red shirt.

The quality-driven
Prioritizes durability over time, considers material quality crucial.

Avatar of a woman in a white dress, holding a notepad.

The pragmatic
Takes personal circumstances into account. Values easy maintenance.

Avatar of a woman with white and pink hair, dressed in a black coat, red pants and white shirt holding a computer.

The design-conscious
Value material aesthetics and has a personal style

Painpoints and opportunities

  • Uncertainty about material choices - Provide clear material guides and quality certifications
  • Overwhelming customization process - Introduce a structured, step-by-step flow
  • Need for trust and credibility - Higlight sustainable sourcing, quality assurance and real customer testimonials
  • Lack of visual support - Use an interactive preview tool and high-quality product imagery

Prototyping

An iterative design process followed, where we conducted many tests and gathered feedback which refined our interface further.

Key features

  • Custom table builder that allows users to adjust dimensions, materials and finishes through an intuitive interface
  • Quality certification that displays sustainability and craftmanship
  • Visual product preview with high-quality images and interactive previews to help our users make informed decisions
  • Streamlined checkout flow to provide a frictionless, structured process with minimal cognitive load
  • Mobile first approach to ensure accessibility and ease of use across all devices

Design choices

To align with our brand values of exclusivity, clarity, and modernity, we opted for a neutral color scheme with earthy tones to reflect natural material. The structured layout and rounded UI elements invites to a intuitive shopping experience while keeping a soft and inviting feel. A high-contrast typography for enhance readability and accessibility was crucial.

Mockup landingpage of Future Wood, a large wooden table in the background and a green CTA-button with sharp edgesMockup landingpage of Future Wood, a large wooden table in the background and a green CTA-button with rounded edgesMockup landingpage of Future Wood, a large wooden table in the background and a brown CTA-button with sharp edgesMockup landingpage of Future Wood, a large wooden table in the background and a brown CTA-button with rounded edges
Visual showing a color palette with dark green, dark brown, and beige. Contrast ratios are labeled: 10.46:1 for dark green and 13.67:1 for dark brown against the beige background. On the right, there are button examples in these colors with both rounded and square corners, demonstrating visual style and accessibility contrast

After initial refinements, we conducted usability tests to validate the design. Users were asked to customize and order a dining table based on specific parameters.

Findings and adjustment

The flow was intuitive, and all participants completed the task, but several insights led to improvements:

  • Limited interactivity in the prototype required clearer expectations.
  • Lack of price visibility until checkout was a major oversight.
  • Button labels and navigation needed more clarity.
  • Quality certifications needed more prominence.
  • Checkout terminology was adjusted—“Go to Checkout” became “Proceed to Payment.”

Post-test refinements included dynamic pricing updates, enhanced product image responsiveness, and better trust signal integration throughout the journey.

Overview of customization-page for Future Wood tables. To the right there is a slider for length-ratio, underneath it there are circles for colors or wood.Overview of customization-page for Future Wood tables. The screen is slightly greyed out and to the right there is a popup that confirms an item has been put in the customer cart. Two buttons giving the user the choice of continuing shopping or proceed to checkout.

Key take aways

A structured customization process made the shopping experience intuitive and engaging. Transparency was essential - users needed clear pricing and visible trust signals to feel confident in their purchase. Mobile accessibility remained a priority, as most users accessed the site via their phones. The checkout experience played a pivotal role in conversion, and refining its clarity directly impacted user satisfaction.

Final thoughts

Going through the entire process from research to implementation reinforced the importance of an MVP approach, focusing on the essentials first and iterating based on feedback. Being able to defend design decisions with usability insights strengthened our approach, particularly in ensuring accessibility compliance. Effective team communication and structured retrospectives were key to smooth collaboration and problem-solving. Lastly, consistent documentation throughout the project ensured a strong foundation for case study presentation.