Eden
Creating a sustainable retail customer experience that enhances a sense of community.
Overview
Texas retailers have a tradition of authenticity for providing honest customer experiences. They have been community leaders, stewards of for family health and wellness, and valued providers of quality and affordability. This project seeks to explore how retailers can take advantage of changes in the industry to be community champions of sustainability and environmental responsibility.
Role, Team & Duration
Designer & Project Manager
Research, Information Architecture, Interaction, Wireframes, Prototyping, Visual Design
Team Members
Stephanie Long, Brianna Soto, & Palak Modi
Aug 2018 - Dec 2018
The Problem
The retail industry has evolved throughout the years and the responsibility to address social issues has recently shifted to the brand and the organization. In this project, my team and I were challenged by HEB to think about how they might redefine customer experience and the community around one of their most challenging store locations.
Community Demographics
The neighborhood we focused on for the duration of this project was in the 78704 area code in Austin, Texas. The intersection we centered our research on were Oltorf and South Congress. Visiting the intersection helped us to gain more insights as to what the area was really like. We sourced statistics concerning the number of demographics in the area from open source data provided by the city of Austin. This neighborhood has a very distinct demographic in that it is very diverse in a number of ways:
Income
Average Income: $66,992
Median Income: $44,801
Marital Status
Never Married: 17,169
Married: 7,383
Separated: 1,288
Divorced: 3,004
Population
Total Population: 44,273
Male Population: 22,299
Female Population: 21,974
Median Age: 31.80
Education
No High School: 1,652
Some High School: 1,857
Some College: 5,606
Associate Degree: 1,692
Bachelor's Degree: 10,500
Graduate Degree: 6,578
Race
White: 126,861
Hispanic: 12, 029
Black: 1,419
American Indian: 135
Asian: 769
Pacific Islander: 9
Other: 101
Two or More Races: 794
Personas
Kay | Age 26 | Graduate Student, Cashier at Drug Store
Community Experiences
Cars drive too fast on Oltorf because of the hills
The intersection is too congested.
I wouldn’t feel safe wandering around late at night here
Mostly satisfied with the parks in the area.
Sidewalks aren’t great.
Retail Customer Experience
Thinks: All the checkout lines were pretty long
Says: Don’t like all the meal deal coupons. I bought them in the past, but the majority of the food went to waste.
Feels: Happy, I am going home to make some dinner and relax
Does: Tries to shop on Saturday mornings or Monday afternoons to avoid crowds. I spend about an hour shopping, I like to go down act aisle to see what I want.
George | Age 62 | Retired, raising grandchildren
Community Experiences
The intersection died when Pancho’s left;
never recovered.The intersection has a lot of potential.
All the neighborhoods around it are great and you can still find affordable living here.
They need an upgrade in businesses (more local) ad facilities (both strip malls east of Congress need to be razed).
Hopefully they do something interesting and useful
Retail Customer Experience
Thinks: More motorized shopping carts. I had to wait 15 minutes for one
Says: Hard to maneuver with kids in tow
Feels: Exhausted, it takes me a while to get the items I need.
Does: Strain my neck looking for aisle information. I also get my medication filled here.
Andrew | Age 21 | Undergraduate Student
Community Experiences
He doesn’t know the neighbors and community very well where he lives
Some restaurants would be nice
Wants to be social but is new to the area
Very budget conscious
Retail Customer Experience
Thinks: Gluten free products are expensive
Says: There needs to be more traffic lights to help with crossing the street
Feels: I always overspend.
Does: Collects coupons based on what I want. Takes about an hour in the store because I need to read everything
Our Concepts
Ultimately, we ended up with 3 major concepts for ideas on how we could potentially transform the retail space.
Popup Market example
Retail Truck
Since accessibility seemed to be an issue for many of our users, perhaps we bring the retail spaces to them instead of them having to travel to the retail spaces.
Downtown Market // Grand Rapids, MI
Cohabitation
A retail space that embraces the concept of co-working spaces. Think WeWork for retail.
Multiwear Bag example
Bag Redesign
Perhaps we don’t redesign the way we experience retail in store but rather the way we take it home. Redesigning the bags and packaging used could be an opportunity to change the retail experience.
Solution
Eden can make all the ‘what ifs’ a reality. Eden is multi-use building, where consumers can shop, live, and work in the same building in order to create a better neighborhood community connection.
