Shedding some light on a local business in the dark.

A small business making a big change.

My role: UX and web design

I partnered with a family-owned shed and small building company named Carefree Small Buildings. They were established in 1979 in my hometown of Colchester, CT. These are the guys to go to when it comes to custom builds for small buildings.

This project consisted of modernizing their digital presence and translating hands-on craftsmanship and local trust into a clean, contemporary website experience.

When buying a shed for their home, customers want to feel more confident during the purchasing process because they feel it is similar to a large purchase like a vehicle.

With this in mind, I set forth to upgrade their web experience, clean up their user flow, and make them the brand they deserve to be.

Initial Research

Starting off, it’s important to know the source of the design. The current site has photography that can be updated and brought to a consistency, dated drop shadows, and yellow tan background that doesn’t speak for the quality of the brand.

Overall Carefree’s site has an energy that could use an upgrade for such a high quality product.

The industry

What does the competition currently look like? What competition does a shed have?
During competitive and comparative analyses. Some discoveries came up. There are other shed and small building business brands but there are also storage facilities and units for overall decluttering.

it was important to see all angles of what could take attention away from a brand like Carefree.

From C+C and SWOT analyses opportunities in design and messaging began to form.

Photography
An interactive or augmented reality like experience
Simpler navigation
Condensed and concise homepage

“I’m very local”

-Dan K, History teacher

Affinity Mapping & Persona

After over the phone conversations and emails I learned about our customer a little deeper.

Through affinity mapping, data was compiled about behaviors and needs. They are local farmers and homeowners who want reliability and quality. They don’t mind paying a little extra if it means guarantee and family owned local and dependable reliability.

They like to be a involved with the community, such as Boy Scouts or town council meetings, know the history of their towns, have an array of outdoor hobbies and are from the town they grew up in or nearby.

“I use a third of my shed for yard tools”

“I find that quality, it doesn't always go hand-in-hand with the more you spend”

Select affinity map insights

Design & Ideation

Wireframes

Customers see purchasing a small building similar to a car. With that in mind, I researched car model views on websites like Toyota and got a sense of their photography and feature display.

Wireframes were developed with a stronger emphasis on photography and showcasing Carefree’s capabilities. 3D views and color customization can give users clearer understanding of the models they are researching.

Sitemap

After conducting a card sorting exercise I began to organize Carefree’s products into various categories of Structures, Decorative, Furniture, and their current Inventory. The importance of showing off the 10-Year Warranty was revealed in the affinity mapping process and customer interviews.

Drafting and Sketches

Sketching is the quickest way to go from absolute zero to something, anything, just get ideas into a tangible reality.

Desktop Prototyping

Using Figma I developed a functional prototype that upon following the button directions can bring a viewer through the entire purchase process and see the entire aesthetic and user experience upgrade.

view prototype

Shedding some light on a local business in the dark.

A small business making a big change.

When buying a shed for their home, customers want to feel more confident during the purchasing process because they feel it is similar to a large purchase like a vehicle.

With this in mind, I set forth to upgrade their web experience, clean up their user flow, and make them the brand they deserve to be.

Initial Research

Starting off, it’s important to know the source of the design. The current site has photography that can be updated and brought to a consistency, dated drop shadows, and yellow tan background that doesn’t speak for the quality of the brand.

Overall Carefree’s site has an energy that could use an upgrade for such a high quality product.

The industry

From C+C and SWOT analyses opportunities in design and messaging began to form.

Photography

An interactive or augmented reality like experience

Simpler navigation

Condensed and concise homepage

“I’m very local”

-Dan K, History teacher

Affinity Mapping & Persona

After over the phone conversations and emails I learned about our customer a little deeper.

Through affinity mapping, data was compiled about behaviors and needs. They are local farmers and homeowners who want reliability and quality. They don’t mind paying a little extra if it means guarantee and family owned local and dependable reliability.

They like to be a involved with the community, such as Boy Scouts or town council meetings, know the history of their towns, have an array of outdoor hobbies and are from the town they grew up in or nearby.

“I use a third of my shed for yard tools”

“I find that quality, it doesn't always go hand-in-hand with the more you spend”

Select affinity map insights

Design & Ideation

Wireframes

Customers see purchasing a small building similar to a car. With that in mind, I researched car model views on websites like Toyota and got a sense of their photography and feature display.

Wireframes were developed with a stronger emphasis on photography and showcasing Carefree’s capabilities. 3D views and color customization can give users clearer understanding of the models they are researching.

Sitemap

After conducting a card sorting exercise I began to organize Carefree’s products into various categories of Structures, Decorative, Furniture, and their current Inventory. The importance of showing off the 10-Year Warranty was revealed in the affinity mapping process and customer interviews.

Drafting and Sketches

Sketching is the quickest way to go from absolute zero to something, anything, just get ideas into a tangible reality.

Desktop Prototyping

Using Figma I developed a functional prototype that upon following the button directions can bring a viewer through the entire purchase process and see the entire aesthetic and user experience upgrade.

Linkedin Creator

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