The Journey: A Deep Dive into My Design Process

Phase 1: Understanding the User – Discovery & Research

My journey began with the aim of understanding gamers' struggles. Initial assumptions I held suggested users were comfortable with navigating multiple websites, with purchase decisions hinging on site navigation ease. However, comprehensive user research, primarily through usability studies I conducted, revealed a deeper truth: the purchasing journey was plagued by "Information Overload," "Weak Accessibility" in existing platforms, "Inconsistent Shopping Experiences," and "Uncertainty in the Purchasing Process" regarding product visualization and compatibility.

These insights underscored that navigation was, indeed, crucial, but it was coupled with a strong desire for clarity, larger text, less dense information, and compelling visuals. To bring our users to life, I developed detailed user personas.

Meet Chris, a 24-year-old Junior Software Engineer from Chicago. Chris, a tech-savvy PC gamer, is driven by a goal to dominate online tournaments and continually optimize his setup for peak performance. His frustrations were palpable: finding accurate benchmark comparisons, dealing with unreliable checkout processes, and lacking a single, reliable source for the latest hardware news. Chris's journey highlighted critical moments of frustration, reinforcing the need for a unified platform.

• [Visual Placeholder: User Persona - Chris]

• [Visual Placeholder: User Journey Map - Chris's Gear Hunt]