Procter & Gamble
Showcasing P&G's sustainability program.
Here's how P&G answered the call from the next generation of beauty consumers who are increasingly conscious about the impact of their choices on the environment and society.
Client: P&G
Studio: AKQA
Year: 2022
Role: UX Design Lead
Introduction
Proctor & Gamble (P&G), a global leader in consumer goods, aimed to redefine its brand experience to resonate with next-generation beauty consumers. These consumers prioritize sustainability, innovation, and responsible business practices. To meet these evolving demands, P&G partnered with AKQA to create an immersive digital experience that highlights their commitment to sustainability and responsible ingredient sourcing. This case study details the design journey, from research and ideation to final implementation and results.
My Role and Responsibilities
As the UX Lead, I was responsible for overseeing the user experience design of the project. My primary focus was on managing the 'Royal Gardens Kew' educational experience. I conducted thorough UX research, developed flow diagrams and wireframes, and collaborated with a senior user experience designer to ensure all elements of the project met our high standards. Additionally, I coordinated with 3D artists, visual designers, and sound designers to bring the experience to life.
Research
Understanding the Audience: We began by conducting extensive research to understand the target audience—next-generation beauty consumers who value sustainability and responsible business practices. This research included:
▪ Surveys and Interviews: Engaging with potential users to gather insights on their values, preferences, and expectations.
▪ Market Analysis: Examining trends in the beauty industry and identifying key factors that influence consumer choices.
▪ Competitive Analysis: Studying similar digital experiences to identify strengths and weaknesses in the market.
Insights and Key Findings
Our research revealed several key insights:
▪ Sustainability is Paramount: Consumers are increasingly choosing brands that prioritize environmental responsibility.
▪ Desire for Transparency: Users want clear and honest information about the ingredients in their products and the company’s sustainability efforts.
▪ Immersive Experiences Engage: Interactive and immersive digital experiences capture user interest and drive engagement.
Ideation and Design Process
Concept Development: With these insights in mind, we conceptualized 'The Beauty Sphere,' a captivating 3D experience that would engage users and convey P&G's sustainability principles. The narrative begins with a welcoming message set against a backdrop of clouds, guiding users through a unique building intertwined with lush greenery. This environment showcases videos highlighting P&G's sustainability initiatives, some of which are live, allowing real-time community interaction.
Experience Design
The Royal Garden Kew: My primary responsibility was designing 'The Royal Garden Kew' experience, a 3D environment resembling a tropical greenhouse. Users are invited to explore this space, collecting plant samples commonly used in P&G's products. The experience is gamified, encouraging users to navigate a maze, collect samples, and ultimately enter a central glass house. Upon completion, users receive a unique shareable artifact, commemorating their journey and P&G's pledge to plant a tree in their honor.
Flow Diagrams and Wireframes: We outlined our intentions through detailed flow diagrams and wireframes, ensuring a seamless user journey. These tools were crucial for planning the navigation and interaction patterns within the 3D environment. We also managed ancillary workflows, such as sound design and ensuring accessibility standards were met.
Cards System: The cards system was a crucial component of the experience, displaying videos and still frames along the building’s facade. Users could click and expand these cards for a more focused, full-screen view. Some cards featured live streams, enhancing real-time engagement with the community. The design and interaction patterns of the cards were meticulously crafted to ensure a seamless and immersive experience.
Garden Maze: To navigate 'The Royal Garden Kew,' users followed a linear track through a maze, collecting plant samples along the way. Audio clips provided information about P&G's sustainability programs, creating an educational journey. Detours offered micro-adventures, highlighting endangered plants that P&G actively works to protect. The experience was designed to be simple and intuitive, enabling users to easily collect samples and earn their shareable artifact.
Spacial Navigation: One of the key design challenges was figuring out how users would select a direction at each crossroad in the maze. We explored various solutions, ultimately settling on an intuitive design that allowed users to quickly and easily choose their path. The collectible plant samples were designed to be visually appealing and easy to understand, motivating users to complete the mission.
Testing and Validation
Usability Testing: We conducted usability testing with a diverse group of participants to validate our design decisions. This included:
▪ User Testing: Observing participants as they navigated the experience to identify any usability issues.
▪ Feedback Sessions: Gathering feedback from users to understand their perceptions and preferences.
▪ Iterative Improvements: Making necessary adjustments based on user feedback to enhance the overall experience.
Cross-Platform Consistency: Ensuring consistency across web and mobile platforms was essential. We tested the design in various environments to confirm that components behaved as expected, providing a seamless user experience regardless of the device used.
Final Design and Implementation
Building the System: The final design system featured a comprehensive component library, each element documented and built out in Figma. This robust system provided a foundation for future design and development work, streamlining processes and reducing the potential for inconsistencies.
Implementation: The implementation phase involved close collaboration with the engineering team to integrate the design system into the existing product infrastructure. Regular check-ins and reviews ensured that the components were implemented correctly and functioned as intended.
Outcomes and Results
The immersive digital experience we created for P&G yielded several positive outcomes:
▪ Increased Engagement: Users spent more time interacting with the experience, exploring P&G’s sustainability initiatives in a captivating way.
▪ Positive Feedback: The experience received positive feedback from users, praising its visual appeal, educational value, and ease of navigation.
▪ Brand Loyalty: By highlighting P&G’s commitment to sustainability, we helped build stronger brand loyalty among next-generation beauty consumers.
▪ Scalability: The modular design system allowed for easy updates and expansions, ensuring the experience could evolve with P&G’s needs.
Lessons Learned and Reflections
Importance of User-Centered Design: One key lesson from this project was the importance of keeping the user at the center of the design process. Understanding their values, preferences, and behaviors was crucial for creating an experience that resonated with them.
Balancing Innovation and Usability: While innovation is important, it should not come at the expense of usability. Striking the right balance between cutting-edge design and user-friendly navigation was essential for the success of this project.
Continuous Improvement: A digital experience is never truly complete. Regular updates and improvements are necessary to keep it relevant and engaging. Establishing a framework for continuous improvement was a key takeaway from this project.
Conclusion
The Beauty project for P&G was a significant undertaking that showcased the value of immersive, user-centered design. By creating a captivating digital experience that highlighted P&G’s commitment to sustainability, we were able to engage next-generation beauty consumers and build stronger brand loyalty. The lessons learned from this project will inform future design initiatives, emphasizing the importance of user-centered design, innovation, and continuous improvement. As the UX Lead, I am proud of the work our team accomplished and the positive impact it has had on P&G’s brand and users.