Selected WorkAbout
tasha@tasharo.com
CLIENT: Ralph Lauren

How to Customize Luxury Furniture Without Losing Your Mind

MY ROLE:
Product Designer, UI/UX Designer
Tasha Ro Product Designer Case Study
Ralph Lauren isn’t just about iconic polo shirts—they also have a Home Line featuring luxurious furniture. When they wanted to bring these pieces online with a customization experience, I took on the challenge.
My goal was to design an intuitive desktop and mobile experience, making it easy for anyone to personalize high-end furniture, much like customizing sneakers—except here, it's for exclusive, timeless pieces.
User Journey Map Tasha Ro Product Designer Case Study

The Puzzle: Simplifying Complexity

Imagine you're ready to invest in a stunning, custom sofa. You’ve picked the style, but now you're faced with countless choices: upholstery types, leg finishes, seat depths, and more.

It's overwhelming, especially since custom pieces are expensive, non-returnable, and require a lot of imagination to visualize.

Discovering User Needs

To tackle this, I began with extensive user research and journey mapping. Ordering a custom sofa online involves more than just a few clicks. The journey is filled with uncertainties:

  • Expense and Delivery: Custom items are pricier, take longer to arrive, and are non-returnable.

  • Imagination Required: Users must envision how different fabrics feel, how colors match their walls, and what seat depth suits them.

  • Complex Options: Beyond upholstery and leg colors, there are intricate details like print orientation, casters, and styles.

  • Decision Fatigue: Users may not be ready to decide immediately and might need input from friends, family, or even architects.

Tasha Ro Product Designer Case Study Storyboard. Custom Sofa

Above:
Storyboard. Oftentimes user journey starts from a desire to buy a product.

Left:
Storyboard. Oftentimes user journey starts from a desire to buy a product.

Tasha Ro Product Designer Case Study Storyboard. Custom Sofa

Right:
A user is excited to get a product they really like. And they have no idea how complex and cumbersome it can get.



Above:
A user is excited to get a product they really like. And they have no idea how complex and cumbersome it can get.



Tasha Ro Product Designer Case Study Storyboard. Custom Sofa

Tired and frustrated user might end up not making a purchase at all.

But we can solve it through design.

Tasha Ro Product Designer Case Study Storyboard. Custom Sofa, Part 3

Above:
‍Storyboard. Intuitive customization experience helps a user to get the custom product with joy.

Modular System To Allow Consistency and Flexibility

The new modular system is designed to allow both consistency and flexibility, enabling customization options to feel familiar in its functionality and responsive to the content displayed.
Modular UI Design

How Might We Help Users Learn Without Learning? Visually!

Making the customization process intuitive without extensive instructions was key. I focused on visual and interactive elements. What if a 3D model could rotate based on your customizations?
Instead of generic filters, what if we showed visual differences directly? This approach helps customers see their unique creation come to life.
Tasha Ro Product Designer Case Study Custom Sofa UI Design, Desktop

3D Magic
What if a 3D model could rotate and zoom in based on what you are customizing?

Prototype: Collapsible Views
On desktop and mobile, users can collapse the pane to play with the 3D model

Prototype:
 Intuitive Navigation. A user can skip steps or go back and forth easily.

Tasha Ro Product Designer Case Study Custom Sofa UI Design, Online shopping, e-commerce, furniture

Beta:
The experience is implemented in phases. First phase allows to request a custom model.

Designing for Delight

Craftsmanship is key. I included subtle touches to elevate the experience:

  • The "Design Your Own" Icon: Featuring a muted color wheel icon, avoiding primary colors, and adding dividers between shades to reflect RL's signature palette.

  • Seamless Navigation: Once a custom piece is created, an elegant switch helps users toggle between ready-to-buy and custom options.

  • New Components: I utilized RL’s core design elements where appropriate, adding new components to the design system to enhance the user experience.

Tasha Ro Product Designer Case Study Custom Sofa UI Design, Online shopping, e-commerce, furniture, mobile

Above:
‍Here’s a glimpse of some design touches that make a difference.

Tasha Ro Product Designer Case Study Custom Sofa UI Design, Online shopping, e-commerce, furniture, modular design

Left:
The challenge was to design a single template that could support our diverse range of  products, including tables, chairs, sofas, sectionals and beds.

Above:
The challenge was to design a single template that could support our diverse range of  products, including tables, chairs, sofas, sectionals and beds.

Tasha Ro Product Designer Case Study Custom Sofa UI Design, Online shopping, e-commerce, furniture, design system

Above:
Part of my role was to create the building blocks for a comprehensive content management system that could accommodate the scope of this project and satisfy future scaling efforts.

Right:
Part of my role was to create the building blocks for a comprehensive content management system that could accommodate the scope of this project and satisfy future scaling efforts.

Designing this experience for Ralph Lauren was an exciting puzzle, blending luxury with usability.

By focusing on intuitive visuals and user-friendly navigation, we made customizing furniture online a delightful process. Attention to detail made all the difference, ensuring each piece is as unique as its owner.
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Live experience

Have a design puzzle to solve?

email:  tasha@tasharo.com