PRODUCT DESIGN
American Girl’s Store of the Future
MJD Interactive, now Valtech, partnered with Brand Experience Firm FRCH to launch American Girl’s Store of the Future. We planned and executed the digital omni-channel guest experience for their 40,000 square foot flagship store in New York City.
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​American Girl aims to empower young girls by creating custom dolls and clothing that showcase and celebrate individuality. Building on this objective, we developed a playful doll creation commerce platform that inspires and delivers over 1.3 million doll options to capture girls’ imaginations. The in-store digital experience is essentially a “makers” area called “Create Your Own” that includes 12 digital touch screens integrated with real product options to feel and choose from while you design your dolls and clothing.
In a collective workshop atmosphere, girls can design the American Girl doll of their dreams from more than one million possible design combinations—an unprecedented level of choice. Girls can also create one-of-a-kind doll outfits and girl-sized products at the design studio in-store, which can be printed and ready to take home the same day.
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My roles:​
1. UX and Visual Design for In Store App features:
Personality (Create Your Own app)
Onboarding (Create Your Own app)
​Sign In (In store experience app)
Sign Up (In store experience app)
Beforever (In store experience app)
Wayfinding (In store experience app)
Media Gallery (In store experience app)
Salon Reservations (In store experience app)
Cafe Reservations (In store experience app)
2. Home page visual website design
1. Understand User Stories, Challenges & Needs
Through user testing design prototypes, our team learned that a blank slate didn’t encourage the creative process. They were inspired instead by seeing multiple, completed dolls and garments as starting points. We built the user interface as a carousel of dolls and garments, showing girls the wide selection at their fingertips.
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We also discovered different levels of users, from passionate users who know the AG create your own doll very well and have purchased before, to walk in users who have never intereacted with the AG brand before.
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In order to create a seamless online and instore experience, we needed to create different entry points for every level of user.
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We also needed to create a digital experience easy to use for busy moms, as well as keep in mind the children who prefer friendly, approachable, large, easy to press buttons.
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We also needed to create an experience that was accessible, as well as offer an experience that felt custom with never seen before selections and combinations such as hearing aides.
2. Imagine A Magical & Seamless Experience Online & In-Store
Like visiting Disneyland, visiting American Girl and creating your own doll is a magical experience. American Girl also comes at a high price point, and attention to detail to plan an easy, magical day for busy parents and welcoming children is imperative.
We planned and executed a digital omni-channel guest experience for their 40,000 square foot flagship store in New York City. Whether a power user signs in from their phone, or walk in user uses an in store kiosk, they are all connected to the same immersive, personalized experience.
We developed a playful doll creation commerce platform with over 1.3 million doll options. The in-store digital experience included a “makers” area called “Create Your Own” that includes 12 digital touch screens integrated with real product options to feel and choose from while you design your dolls and clothing. Girls can also create one-of-a-kind doll outfits and girl-sized products at the design studio in-store, which can be printed and ready to take home the same day.
3. Clearly Define Optimal User Experience & Features
We definied the user experience for every guest experience, from the "Create Your Own" doll, to in store reservations, to in store parties.
For the "Create Your Own" doll experience, we learned with user testing and prototypes that a blank slate didn’t encourage the creative process. They were inspired instead by seeing multiple, completed dolls and garments as starting points. We built the user interface as a carousel of dolls and garments, showing girls the wide selection at their fingertips.
4. Create Wireframes & Prototypes For Testing
Once we completed defined all the user experiences, and their features, and received final approval from the American Girl client side team, the entire agency divided and conquored. We all worked on different features of the American Girl Store Of The Future Experience. Our team consisted of: A director of engineers, a creative director, art director, ux designers, visual designers, and a team of engineers. We had daily stand ups and worked in an agile environment. We made sure our creative ideas were also approved by engineering and we worked together, quickly creating wireframes and prototypes. We tested preliminary UX designs using Optimal Workshop.
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My roles:​
1. UX and Visual Design for In Store App features:
Personality (Create Your Own app)
Onboarding (Create Your Own app)
​Sign In (In store experience app)
Sign Up (In store experience app)
Beforever (In store experience app)
Wayfinding (In store experience app)
Media Gallery (In store experience app)
Salon Reservations (In store experience app)
Cafe Reservations (In store experience app)
5. Create Hi-Fi Visual Prototypes For Testing
Once wireframes were approved by client, we created visual design using the American Girl brand guidelines, and created prototypes, and animations for client approval.
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Testing included watching parents and young girls use the app, as well as using Optimal Workshop.
7. A Successful Launch That Made History
The Create Your Own experience was praised as an "Innovative Online Tool Offers Girls an Unparalleled Level of Diversity and Choice for Their Truly Me™ Dolls."
"For years, girls have asked for even more ways to customize their American Girl dolls and other products to better reflect their individuality and style," said Katy Dickson, president of American Girl. "We're thrilled to answer that call with this unparalleled design experience. The level of choice and creativity being offered, coupled with American Girl's trademark quality and attention to detail, sets Create Your Own apart from anything else like it on the market today."
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