The series pages on the Taylor site are one of the main entry points for users/customers to learn about the different series and models of guitars. With hundreds of different options, users were often confused about the differences between guitar models, leaving them in a state of 'analysis paralysis' - thus stopping them from continuing their guitar buying journey.
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The design problem here was the sheer amount of information that had to go on these pages. There are a lot of elements and fitting them all onto a page without fatigue from information overload definitely wasn’t easy. We tried to break up large copy blocks, provide clear imagery, and present 'outs' for users to dive deeper into specific models.

The Taylor line can be extremely overwhelming. We identified the series pages as an opportunity to show off the complexities of each line of guitars, while also allowing users easy access to PDP pages. If we can help a potential customer find the right guitar fit, these pages are doing their job.

My main roles in developing these pages was UX/UI design and Art Direction. This involved working together with outside vendor partners to develop and design the new pages and modules, coordinating and directing photoshoots, and an ongoing effort to incorporate video onto these pages.

Not every project can be looked at through the same lense. There are always different roadblocks and new challenges to overcome. I’ve found that the more familiar I am with the product and the users – the easier it is to work through any bumps along the design road. There’s a flip side to this coin, the more familiar you are, the more aware you need to be of users that don’t have the same legacy knowledge you do. In the end it comes down to empathy and understanding the challenges your specific users face, not what you or the project stakeholders ‘think’.

Starting with the discovery phase I did a deep dive into competitor sites. We looked at content mixes, visual layouts, and spent a lot of time going over how our competition was presenting their lineups. We also looked at other industries to see how they were handling their ‘series’. I emulated user flows on competitor sites using our own user personas as a baseline. I love this step, putting on different hats and really trying to understand what’s helpful for someone, and what’s causing a roadblock in their journey.While in the discover phase we also worked on identifying and understanding user pains in relation to the Taylor lineup. What information did they want that wasn’t readily available? What didn’t make sense to them? What would they like to see, and how could it aid them in their journey?

In the define phase of development my role was more focused on storyboarding, and architecture. I was focused on really understanding where the user was in their journey, and providing them with the right content to continue on – as an educated user. Our research concluded that the purpose of these pages was to provide a high level summary of the series, allow for easy access to specific models (including imagery), and show a large amount of imagery.

Working together with agency partners I worked to wireframe and prototype the series page experiences. Displaying this amount of information without fatiguing the user is a tough ask. We developed a number of new modules for the site, and kept pushing towards solving for the problems identified in the ‘define’ phase.

Users needed to have easy access to specific models, understand the basics of the series, and have ample imagery to guide them on their journey. During this time we also started gathering assets for these pages. This involved organizing photo shoots for lifestyle and beauty images, coordinating video shoots, and making sure that every module had all of the required imagery to set up a smooth build process

After rounds of revisions and prototyping we launched the new series pages. We let the pages live (fixing small bugs) and came back to check the results – so far so good. The next steps will be to continue to keep these pages updated, while also considering how to optimize them. We’ll apply CRO tests and continuously audit the pages for bugs. While other projects have taken the front seat, a lot of good ideas were left for a round two design and development cycle.