How Might We

Create an interactive in store experience, leveraging fresh technology, that helps our customers find what they need and have fun so that they leave feeling excited to return

How Might We

Create an interactive in store experience, leveraging fresh technology, that helps our customers find what they need and have fun so that they leave feeling excited to return

INTERACTIVE RETAIL ROBOT
CATEGORY

Service Design

CLIENT

Best Buy

MY ROLE & SCOPE
Design & Research Lead
Collaborated on cross-functional team
Impact across Best Buy NYC area
No prior or existing service 

ACTIVITY OVERVIEW
– Persona Sketches
– Guiding Principles
– Experience Phases
– Journey Maps
– Concept Sketches
– Interactive Prototype
– Implementation
– Live Viewing

OPPORTUNITY

Best Buy leaders wanted to create something unique for their Chelsea, Manhattan location leveraging robotics, and my agency team was identified as those to who could drive the effort strategically and with intention. Service Design was something crucial to the success to this piece. Best Buy didn’t have anything like this in any of their other locations across the nation at the time, this would be the first prototype to get into the public. The work was well kept under wraps until launch due to rumors about competition building something similar.

APPROACH

We partnered closely with both the client and another group who was helping with implementation. Our group drove all design and research initiatives. I particularly co-lead Service Design activities with another designer. We owned key deliverables inclusive of personas, experience journeys, sketches, and an interactive prototype. In partnership with a visual designer we pitched all our work to the client for approval, and with approval we then worked with their delivery teams to implement. There were a couple rounds of iteration through each deliverable. 

OUTCOME

“CHLOE” Best Buy’s happily helpful retail robot was launched successfully, available with 24/7 access and viewed by many in such a prominent location in Chelsea on 23rd and 6th. We were thrilled to get to interact with the work we created and watch her pull down various products from shelves to deliver to customers or spend her time organizing and restocking. CHLOE made the process of purchasing just as exciting as holding your new product in hand. CHLOE joined the set of eary day retail robots, It has been thrilling to watch what came after her. 

Scroll down for a detailed look at the process and assets created throughout the project including :

PERSONA SKETCHES
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
JOURNEY MAPS
INTERACTIVE
PROTOTYPE
VISUAL COMPS
PERSONA SKETCHES

I created a few persona sketches to identify who we would be designing for when it came to improving the in-store retail experience. We collaborated with our client on direction and secondary research. I also spoke directly with friends and family to flesh these out.


After speaking directly with people who go to Best Buy, I went into stores in the local area to assess the stores themselves. I learned a ton about how customers shop and how the stores work today.

Kaitlin

Tech Lifestyle

“I need a little help making my final decision.”

Tech Comfort: Medium
Life Stage: 5 years into career
In Best Buy: Once a Year
On BBY.com: 1-2 times a year

Mindset: I tend to do online research before any purchase, but can never get too much advice from a specialist.

Mike & Kim

Gadgeteer, Toy

“I love browsing cutting edge gadgetry.”

Tech Comfort: Medium
Life Stage: New Parent
In Best Buy: 4 times a year
On BBY.com: 3 times a year

Mindset: I have been shopping at Best Buy for years, I enjoy checking out their newest products. I need help entertaining Kim.

Sam

Technophile

“I know what I want and want to find it right away.”

Tech Comfort: Medium
Life Stage: Just Graduated
In Best Buy: Every 1-2 weeks
On BBY.com: Every other week

Mindset: I am up to date with tech trends. I usually shop on my own, but love talking shop with other technophiles when I find them.

Betty

Luddite

“I like having a tech expert
by my side at all times.”

Tech Comfort: Low
Life Stage: Retired
In Best Buy: Occasionally
On BBY.com: Rarely

Mindset: I keep up with technology trends as best I can. I often shop at Best Buy for gifts. I really appreciate assistance

 

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Together as a team – interaction, visual and content designers – we defined experience principles. My area of focus were the patterns of interaction. They were derived from in-store research, observation and empathy interviews. Together we defined: Patterns of Interaction, Voice and Manner, along with Visual Language.

CURRENT STATE JOURNEY MAPS

As a team we identified experience phases. I took it further to map out a typical journey for customers at large vs a typical journey for our main persona. This was helpful for the team to identify key opportunities and what the current state would look like. 

Experience Phases

Phases and Typical Journey

Current State Journey: Kaitlin
Kaitlin has recently purchased a TV and is interested in purchasing Blu Ray DVDs.

FUTURE STATE JOURNEY MAPS

Once we we aligned on what the current state journeys were I outlined the “CHLOE”, or future state, journey. It highlighted where our concept would hopefully positively impact our customer’s experience. 

“CHLOE” Enhanced Journey: Kaitlin

A “CHLOE” Experience for All

CONCEPT SKETCHES

During a co-creation session each individual on the team – visual, content, interaction designer – created their interpretation how CHLOE’s kiosk screens could come to life.

We each posted our variation up on a wall and discussed them. My version was selected as the direction we wanted to take. It was cool to see my sketches turn to an interactive prototype, visual comp and then finally live kiosk screen. 

Please note: retail robot was initially named “ABBY” before it was updated to CHLOE.

Home, Navigation, Popular Items

Category, Details, Cart, Cart Expanded

INTERACTIVE PROTOTYPE

The interactive prototype work was split between myself and another designer due to the amount of screens and states of screens needed for development. Extensive annotations were included. Our document was pretty exhaustive.

Please note: retail robot was initially named “ABBY” before it was updated to CHLOE.

Sample of Interactive Prototype, Documentation

Review all 60 states / pages in detail through annotated wireframes

VISUAL COMPS

I partnered closely with a visual design teammate through comp development. We sketched together and had extensive conversations around the best way for various interactions to come to life. It was a very collaborative effort.

Please note: retail robot was initially named “ABBY” before it was updated to CHLOE.

Natalie Kuhn

A believer that many of the world’s problems can be solved using a designer’s mindset and methodology. Hopeful that I can help to create change by starting within my local community.

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Ⓒ Natalie Kuhn 2024. All Rights Reserved.
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