Rethinking Polestar's configurator for the exploring user
Client
Polestar
Role
Product Designer
Industry
Automotive
Overview
In the rapidly evolving automotive landscape, Polestar stands out as a beacon of innovation, sustainability, and design excellence. This case study highlights a redesign of the Polestar configurator, a journey that focusses on the enrichment of the process while engaging users - reflecting its commitment to innovation, sustainability, and design.
Challenge
The challenge for this project is to improve the Polestar user experience by enhancing the car configurator to better support the overall configuration process. It is important to keep in mind Polestar’s design style and guidelines. The goal is to find a more seamless way to support the user throughout the configuration process. The approach of the project is mobile first.
Key insights
Through comprehensive user research, including usability testing and observations, it became evident that Polestar’s configurator is designed as a purchasing tool. Nonetheless, a lot of its users engage with it as an exploratory platform, appreciating its blend of simplicity and visually rich interface. This discovery underscores the importance of designing with versatility in mind, allowing users to seamlessly navigate and experiment with various options. A few key insights from the research were the following;
Exploring user
The Polestar configurator is valued not just for purchasing, but also for exploration. Its simple, visually engaging interface invites users to discover and play with different options, highlighting the need for a design that supports exploration.
Need to compare
Users struggle to compare features effectively within the configurator. This insight has prompted a redesign to simplify the comparison process, ensuring a more transparent and user-friendly experience.
No sustainability info
Sustainability is a core value for the brand and its audience, yet the current configurator fails to reflect this.
Approach
Based on the insights I created a new structure for the configurator. This refined structured is designed to offer a more comprehensive experience, allowing users to delve into additional layers of exploration. It presents detailed information on various options, such as motor types and interior choices. Crucially, this structure is crafted to enrich the user experience without overwhelming those who prefer a straightforward path to purchase, ensuring it caters to both the exploring and buying users.
