Assemblé
CASE STUDY / UX UI DESIGN / BRANDING
Assemblé is an online dance supply that is striving to close the accessibility gap in pointe shoes by providing a digital fitting service as well as a virtual assistant that helps fit the shoes once they are received. The goal of Assemble is to cut out the in-person visit to a dance shop and allow customers to try on shoes at home, fit them at home, and keep the pair that works best for them.
HERE’S HOW IT WORKS
The customer will visit the website and create an account. Then, they will be invited to take an on-boarding quiz to determine the best fits for their feet. The site will collect this data and, based on similar users’ reviews, will provide the customer with pointe shoe options that will best work for the customer. Then, the customer will choose up to five pairs to be sent to their home free of charge to try on. Whatever doesn’t work for them, they will send back and their account will be charged for what they keep.
Research started with finding an appropriate name for the company. I thought it made the most sense to keep the company grounded in the Ballet world. So, I began looking for Ballet terms that work with the concept of the company. Finally, I settled on Assemble, a dance step in which the dancer assembles their legs mid-air. It relates well to the concept of gathering multiple things to then choose one thing.
Desktop Design
Expanding the concept of assemblage into the design of the desktop site was a challenge. Figuring out how each element would interact and respond on the page took some trial and error. However, this is where the design system developed the most. As I designed the landing page, the type system, color usage, and animation rules developed along with it which were then easy to apply to the rest of the desktop website.
EXPANDING AND PROTOTYPING
Once the design system had been finalized, it became easy to format and design the rest of the desktop. It was a satisfying moment when the system created proved successful and multi-functional as well.
VIRTUAL ASSISTANT
After the user goes through purchasing their shoes, there is a virtual assistant available to help them through their at-home shoe fitting. The personal assistant takes the user through every step to ensure that they get the best fitting shoes possible. Incorporating animation along with descriptive and instructional copy, the virtual assistant is a great asset to the site and mission of the company, providing yet another resource to simplify and expedite the pointe shoe fitting process.
