Designing a User Friendly Product Configurator : The creation and development of a user interface with focus on user experience and customization

This master's thesis, spanning a 20-week period, focuses on the development of a digital product configurator. The project was commissioned by Svalson Safety AB, a manufacturer of sliding windows for receptions, restaurants, and drive-thrus. The primary challenge was managing a very high degree of customer customization while simultaneously guaranteeing quality and meeting safety requirements. Utilizing the Design Thinking framework and theories such as Hicks's Law, Gestalt principles, and readability, numerous solutions were explored, with a strong emphasis on usability and user experience. The main goal of this work was to empower customers to independently find the right product and customize it to their specific needs. During the empathize phase, we conducted interviews and surveys that allowed us to identify several areas for improvement. Without a configurator, all customers currently need to call in and be guided by a salesperson to determine which sliding window model suits their requirements. This is due to insufficient information on the website, making it difficult for customers to understand the differences between models on their own. This represents a lengthy and repetitive process for sales representatives, who expressed a desire to dedicate more time to complex projects. Based on these insights, we formulated a mission statement: "The goal is to create a user-friendly digital configurator that helps Svalson Safety's Swedish and international customers select and customize sliding windows according to the end-customer's needs. The tool can also be used to facilitate conversations between the customer and the sales department. It is crucial that the tool represents Svalson and the quality they are known for." Many solutions were explored regarding how choices should be presented and in what order, as well as the interface design to ensure good usability and a positive user experience, all while aligning the interface with Svalson's brand. Ultimately, we developed a concept in Figma to enable user testing. The tests were conducted remotely via the platform Maze, with 32 participants aged 19-65 completing a set number of tasks. Following the tests, we recognized the need to improve overall clarity and make it easier for users to go back and make changes. We updated the design language to include rounded corners, revised the navigation menu, the progress bar, and the general layout, and repositioned the price display to align with the user's natural eye-tracking path. With the help of Svalson's graphic profile and an analysis of the website, the interface radiates the Svalson brand.