BEYOND SALES: DESIGNING SOLUTIONS

Amir

4 min read

Overview

VitaMed Plus is a mobile app designed to provide a seamless shopping experience for dietary supplements while offering personalized consulting services to users. The goal was to create a one-stop platform for health-conscious individuals, athletes, and nutritionists to access high-quality products, receive expert advice, and learn about their nutritional needs. This project was driven by the marketing team’s initiative to boost sales by capitalizing on the growing trend of mobile app purchases. As the Product Designer, I led the end-to-end design process, creating 43 screens to accommodate diverse user flows, designing a comprehensive UI kit and style guide, and managing the handoff to developers.

The Problem, The Solution

The Problem: The marketing team identified a business opportunity based on the increasing trend of consumers purchasing products through mobile apps rather than websites. However, the initial idea lacked a clear understanding of the target audience and their pain points. The first prototype, while visually appealing, failed to resonate with users, highlighting the need for a more user-focused approach.

The Solution: To address this, we reframed the project around the users and their needs. By conducting extensive user research, creating personas, and iterating on the design, we developed VitaMed Plus—an intuitive and user-friendly app that combines a seamless shopping experience with personalized consulting options.

Primary User Groups (Personas)

  • Health & Wellness Enthusiasts: Users looking to improve their overall health, whether through weight loss, muscle building, energy enhancement, or targeted nutritional support.

  • Athletes & Fitness Enthusiasts: Individuals who engage in regular physical activity and seek dietary supplements to optimize performance and recovery.

  • Nutritionists & Health Professionals: Experts looking for a digital platform to expand their services, including appointment scheduling, client progress tracking, and personalized meal plans.

Design Process

The project followed a user-centered design process, ensuring that the final product met the needs and expectations of its target audience. Here’s how we approached it:

1- Research & Discovery

  • Conducted user interviews to understand pain points, behaviors, and motivations.

  • Performed competitive audits to identify gaps and opportunities in the market.

  • Created user personas to represent the three primary user groups and advocate for their needs throughout the design process.

2- Define

  • Refined the app’s purpose: A one-stop platform for purchasing dietary supplements and accessing personalized nutritional advice.

  • Identified key features:

    • Curated selection of high-quality supplements organized by category and health goals.

    • In-app chat with qualified consultants for personalized recommendations.

    • Tools for nutritionists to manage clients, schedule appointments, and track progress.

3- Ideate & Prototype

  • Developed user flows to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for all user groups.

  • Created wireframes to map out the app’s structure and interactions.

  • Designed high-fidelity prototypes to test usability and gather feedback.

4- Test & Iterate

  • Conducted usability testing with target users to identify pain points and areas for improvement.

  • Iterated on the design based on feedback, ensuring the app was both intuitive and enjoyable to use.

black blue and yellow textile
Building the Blueprint

The wireframes were where the app started to take shape. I sketched out all 43 screens to map out how users would move through the app, from exploring products to chatting with consultants. It was all about making sure the flow felt natural and easy to follow. These early sketches helped me spot potential hiccups and refine the layout before diving into the visual details, so the final design was as intuitive as possible.

The Branded UI Kit

To ensure consistency, I developed a Branded UI kit covering:

  • Brand-aligned typography, colours, and icons.

  • Standardized interaction patterns.

  • A scalable UI kit for future updates.

My Role

As the Product Designer, I was responsible for:

  • Conducting user research and competitive analysis.

  • Creating 43 screens to accommodate diverse user flows, including edge cases and error states.

  • Designing user flows, wireframes, and high-fidelity prototypes.

  • Developing a UI kit and style guide to ensure design consistency and scalability.

  • Managing the handoff to developers and collaborating closely with them for seamless implementation.

  • Advocating for user needs by ensuring the design was intuitive, enjoyable, and aligned with user expectations.

Results & Impact

VitaMed Plus successfully transformed from a business-driven idea into a user-centered solution. By prioritizing user needs and iterating on the design, I created an app that not only boosts sales but also delivers real value to its users. The final product is a testament to the power of user research, iterative design, and cross-functional collaboration.

Reflection

This project reinforced the importance of putting users at the center of the design process. As the sole designer, I learned to balance business goals with user needs while managing the complexity of designing 43 screens, creating a UI kit and style guide, and ensuring a smooth handoff to developers. Moving forward, I aim to continue advocating for user-centered design in all my projects.