Sarah Carrell
Lead product designer.
iFynd is a multi-sided marketplace on a mission to harness the power of community and connection to build the first global lost-and-found network.
Redesign platform to be profitable through attracting, engaging, and retaining new users.
iFynd is a peer-to-peer global network that simply & securely solves the problem of lost and found for people and the planet through global retrieval pathways.
Users create a unique ID and apply personalized stickers to belongings. If lost, finders are prompted by stickers to log their find and identify a drop-off point, hosted by a range of secure partner locations.
The marketplace consists of 3 sides: owners, finders, and business partners. iFynd aims to be be accessible and valuable to a wide range of users including students, professionals, and families.
iFynd connects finders, belongings and owners quickly and anonymously, and rewards people for their good deeds. iFynd is a free, safe, and sustainable and gives people peace of mind.
Create centralized design system to establish and maintain consistency throughout product and all communications.
Create additional revenue streams by expanding service offerings and redesigning current customer model.
Increase signups, improve onboarding, and optimize engagement throughout user lifecycle.
When I joined the team, a minimum viable version of the site had been created but it had many gaps and issues that needed to be addressed before the platform was able to effectively meet user needs and business goals. To pinpoint the less-than-perfect areas of the site and better understand where to begin, I did an UX & UI audit and made a list of painpoints to be prioritized.
Inconsistent visual design
Poorly structured information architecture
Unnecessary complexity
Broken navigation
Not responsive to all devices
Lacking important information
Usability issues
After auditing the state of the site, it became clear we would need to redesign the majority of it. Before diving in, it was important to go back to basics and define exactly who we were designing for. After learning more about the service and vision for the future, I identified 3 types of users that will each be interacting with the platform in a distinctly different way.
Owners are users who use iFynd to prevent losing their personal belongings and/or need help finding a lost item.
Finders are users who have found a lost item and are helping to return it to it's owner. Finders may be new users or already owners.
Influencers, brands, or businesses that partner with iFynd on product collaborations, incentive programs, and integrations.
After understanding a bit more about who we were designing for, I created a sitemap in Miro to help me mentally map out what pages needed to be added/renamed, removed or combined.
To conceptualize and refine the content structure and potential layouts of each page, I created a series of sketches to reference throughout the rest of the design process.
For users to feel an emotional
For users to feel an emotional
For users to feel an emotional
For users to feel an emotional
For users to feel an emotional
For users to feel an emotional
For users to feel an emotional
For users to feel an emotional
For users to feel an emotional
For users to feel an emotional
For users to feel an emotional
For users to feel an emotional
For users to feel an emotional
For users to feel an emotional
For users to feel an emotional
Since iFynd had not yet established brand guidelines or a design system, it was crucial to create centralized resources to ensure the platform was cohesive and consistent. This included clearly defining UI and visual design elements, communication guidelines, and parameters around partnership collaborations.
After brainstorming ways to increase revenue, we decided to implement and test a subscription plan model. A free version is still offered but users are encouraged to opt into a premium subscription for additional benefits. This idea and structure was inspired by Spotify's plans model.
First, I focused on improving the site to provide more value to users. Among these improvements included ensuring a seamless user experience, consistent UI, optimizing navigation, redesigning all forms, adapting pages to be responsive to different devices, and improving content strategy.
To increase product adoption, it was important to review all communication and create a content strategy to educate potential customers about iFynd and the problem that it is solving through engaging content tailored to target users. This content and communications include banners, social posts, informative resources throughout site, university posters, incentives, and promotions.
Prior to the redesign, the onboarding process was virtually non-existent. For users to use iFynd effectively and see the value, they needed to be taught about it and setup for success from the beginning. To increase the likelihood of retaining and keeping new users engaged for a long period of time, I redesigned the onboarding journey to remove friction, provide guidance, and convey the value of the service.
Minimal, clean, consistent with brand
Only two steps to create account, less risk of drop-off
No personal info required, feels secure and easy
To successfully use iFynd, it is critical that new users setup their profile and understand how the service works. To accomplish this, I created a guided profile setup that prompts users to move through these steps in a proactive yet non-overwhelming way.
Once new users have setup their profile, it is important for them to continue learning about the product to increase long term adoption and engagement. With this in mind, I designed a series of resources including tooltips, support articles, community forums, and more.
I designed a series of in-product communications to give iFynd users a little push to increase engagement.
These interaction initiatives were designed to call users to certain actions, communicate valuable information, and to gather feedback.
Since users might leave at any time with no promise of return, it was necessary to also design ways to engage with our target audience outside of the product. These interactions included email sequences, social media communications, and a variety of branded merchandise.
After several months of iterations, I created a clickable prototype with the final designs to review and test before passing off the specs to the development team.
This redesign created a solid foundation for the future by establishing a central design system, shifting to a subscription business model, and placing product adoption at the center of every interaction.
While we made monumental progress by executing these essential initiatives, there is still plenty more work to be done before iFynd will be able to become an impactful global network. Next, iFynd will need to focus on how to make the platform scaleable especially when it comes to managing the logistics of the service. Designing an effective and efficient internal tracking system will be critical to meeting both user and business needs.
