Extend Your Design Systems to Users
As product designers, our interaction and visual language is based on brand and product design systems. However, have you ever thought about creating and extending these systems for your users? A design language is not only for designer consumption, it should extend to your users. Then only it makes sense to call it a design system per se.
Only deep thinking brands understand the power of designing systems for their users. Designing easy-to-understand and consistent product identification and labelling systems is imperative for brands/products to facilitate ease of purchase across borders, build brand loyalty and garner market share.
Digital product designers should observe and take cues from the global denim brand Levi's. I think as a brand they are very clear in terms of their user/customer experience strategy by building a global identification systems for their products. As a consumer and designer, I could experience this with two brands. Levi's & Apple.
Just by knowing the fit code, one can buy a pair of jeans anywhere in the world confidently, be it a tiny retail store located in a tier 3 town in Telangana state in India or at 5th Avenue in New York or just any random online store in across the world. This user confidence stems from the consistent product identification system of Levi's across the globe. (guide shown below)
The Levis' fit codes remain the same, unlike other competing brands that lack global standards who unnecessarily complicate the purchasing experience by changing codes by season or market or whatever.
I think this is seriously confusing for the buyer to identify and relate to and very tough for the brand to gain a loyal customer base in the long run. That's my opinion. What about you? Would you stick to a brand that does not have a proper identification system? First of all, how would it classify as a brand, when there are no thoughtful and global standards in place.
Levi's fit guide with codes - Levi Strauss & Co
There are numerous benefits to build such standard systems for customers and brands. Its easier to launch and push new versions, append variants and subliminally build the brand in the customer's mind.
Easy to gift someone when you know their code, shop during vacations or business trips in minutes, saves time by curbing the need for those irksome fitment trials during purchases.
Brands can grow tremendous revenue through online shopping as there is a clear cut understanding of size and fitment for the customer. This lowers the cost of returns management, unless there are other issues apart from size and fitment. One just needs to remember a simple style code 511 and their waist size. How tough can that be?
Make it simple for your users. Don't complicate the user experience.
Most companies lack a global brand appeal as they change product codes by country or market. Totally baseless when you want to go global.
If we look at an Apple, Dyson or Bose. The product names and variants are easily identifiable across borders sans cultural and linguistic barriers. If companies want to be build a truly global brand, the experience needs to be consistent across the world for users as the world is only getting smaller with media, travel and migration being an integral aspect of today's economy and consumer lifestyles.
Mostly every Apple user and even non Apple user would know the names of the iPhone models from 2007 till date. How many remember the Samsung, Google or Xiaomi phone models and variants launched till date? Unless you're a tech pro, its impossible to identify with and remember arbitrary naming systems.
The same logic applies for digital products.
As product designers, by design we should extend our design systems, simplify and standardise our product presentation to build adoption, engagement and brand image.
Only deep thinking brands understand the power of designing systems for their users. Designing easy-to-understand and consistent product identification and labelling systems is imperative for brands/products to facilitate ease of purchase across borders, build brand loyalty and garner market share.
Digital product designers should observe and take cues from the global denim brand Levi's. I think as a brand they are very clear in terms of their user/customer experience strategy by building a global identification systems for their products. As a consumer and designer, I could experience this with two brands. Levi's & Apple.
Just by knowing the fit code, one can buy a pair of jeans anywhere in the world confidently, be it a tiny retail store located in a tier 3 town in Telangana state in India or at 5th Avenue in New York or just any random online store in across the world. This user confidence stems from the consistent product identification system of Levi's across the globe. (guide shown below)
The Levis' fit codes remain the same, unlike other competing brands that lack global standards who unnecessarily complicate the purchasing experience by changing codes by season or market or whatever.
I think this is seriously confusing for the buyer to identify and relate to and very tough for the brand to gain a loyal customer base in the long run. That's my opinion. What about you? Would you stick to a brand that does not have a proper identification system? First of all, how would it classify as a brand, when there are no thoughtful and global standards in place.
Levi's fit guide with codes - Levi Strauss & Co
There are numerous benefits to build such standard systems for customers and brands. Its easier to launch and push new versions, append variants and subliminally build the brand in the customer's mind.
Easy to gift someone when you know their code, shop during vacations or business trips in minutes, saves time by curbing the need for those irksome fitment trials during purchases.
Brands can grow tremendous revenue through online shopping as there is a clear cut understanding of size and fitment for the customer. This lowers the cost of returns management, unless there are other issues apart from size and fitment. One just needs to remember a simple style code 511 and their waist size. How tough can that be?
Make it simple for your users. Don't complicate the user experience.
While product designers build design systems to scale products, a clear-cut strategy on scalable user systems is imperative.
Most companies lack a global brand appeal as they change product codes by country or market. Totally baseless when you want to go global.
If we look at an Apple, Dyson or Bose. The product names and variants are easily identifiable across borders sans cultural and linguistic barriers. If companies want to be build a truly global brand, the experience needs to be consistent across the world for users as the world is only getting smaller with media, travel and migration being an integral aspect of today's economy and consumer lifestyles.
Mostly every Apple user and even non Apple user would know the names of the iPhone models from 2007 till date. How many remember the Samsung, Google or Xiaomi phone models and variants launched till date? Unless you're a tech pro, its impossible to identify with and remember arbitrary naming systems.
Consistency is key in design.
The same logic applies for digital products.
As product designers, by design we should extend our design systems, simplify and standardise our product presentation to build adoption, engagement and brand image.