Cirendipity Website

Cirendipity Website

Cirendipity Website

role

Lead designer

Lead Designer

project type

Brand Website Showcase

UX Design, Design
System, Visual Design,
Content Strategy

Timeline

12 weeks, spring 2022

12 weeks,
spring 2022

TOOLS

figma, Photoshop

figma,
Photoshop

role

Lead designer

project type

Brand Website Showcase

Timeline

12 weeks, spring 2022

TOOLS

figma, Photoshop

OVERVIEW

OVERVIEW

HIGHLIGHTS

HIGHLIGHTS

CHALLENGE

CHALLENGE

APPROACH

APPROACH

EXPLORATIONS

EXPLORATIONS

SOLUTION

SOLUTION

RESTROSPECTIVE

RESTROSPECTIVE

bACK TO WORKS

bACK TO WORKS

A Sustainable Candle Experience Showcasing Innovation and Eco-Friendliness

A Sustainable Candle Experience Showcasing Innovation and Eco-Friendliness

A Sustainable Candle Experience Showcasing Innovation and Eco-Friendliness

Cirendipity is a Vancouver-based sustainable candle startup. As part of a team of 4, I served as the lead UX designer, and led the creation of a webpage to effectively communicate their brand mission and showcase their innovative silicone refillable candles.


My role included:

  • Developing content strategy for the webpage

  • Assisting in creating a journey map

  • Guiding art direction

  • Creating wireframes, interaction design, prototype and visual design

Cirendipity is a Vancouver-based sustainable candle startup. As part of a team of 4, I served as the lead UX designer, and led the creation of a webpage to effectively communicate their brand mission and showcase their innovative silicone refillable candles.


My role included:

  • Developing content strategy for the webpage

  • Assisting in creating a journey map

  • Guiding art direction

  • Creating wireframes, interaction design, prototype and visual design

Showcasing Sustainable Candle

Showcasing Sustainable Candle

Showcasing Sustainable Candle

Hero section animation prototype

Hero section animation prototype

Hero section animation prototype

Sustainability webpage design

Sustainability webpage design

Sustainability webpage design

Key Challenge

Key Challenge

Key Challenge

Initially, we proposed an e-commerce site with a subscription plan and recommendation system, as Cirendipity lacked an online platform to sell their products. However, we soon realized that the key challenge was:


🌟 How to differentiate Cirendipity from other candle brands?


Having an e-commerce site alone was not enough to address this challenge.

Research and Insights

Research and Insights

Research and Insights

To address the challenge, we conducted a survey and participatory workshops with the two co-founders and three candle lovers.

To address the challenge, we conducted a survey and participatory workshops with the two co-founders and three candle lovers.

Survey
Survey
Survey

We conducted a design survey targeting individuals aged 18 to 35 who use candles, receiving 36 responses. The survey aimed to understand purchase behavior and recycling habits.

We conducted a design survey targeting individuals aged 18 to 35 who use candles, receiving 36 responses. The survey aimed to understand purchase behavior and recycling habits.

Key insights:

20

out of 36 respondents don’t recycle candle jars

out of 36 respondents don’t recycle candle jars

Participatory Workshop
Participatory Workshop
Participatory Workshop

We held workshops via Zoom with Cirendipity's co-founders and three candle lovers aged 20-30. The workshops included activities like brand association through colors and images, identifying sustainable keywords, role play, and idea sprints.

We held workshops via Zoom with Cirendipity's co-founders and three candle lovers aged 20-30. The workshops included activities like brand association through colors and images, identifying sustainable keywords, role play, and idea sprints.

Key insights:

💡

Cirendipity and candle lovers have different perspectives on sustainability.

Cirendipity and candle lovers have different perspectives on sustainability.

💡

Potential customers are not informed about Cirendipity’s silicone candle cups, a key factor in reducing single-use container waste.

Potential customers are not informed about Cirendipity’s silicone candle cups, a key factor in reducing single-use container waste.

Some activities we did:
Summarizing Insights into Key Problems
Summarizing Insights into Key Problems
Summarizing Insights into Key Problems

Our findings revealed that Cirendipity lacked an effective online platform to communicate their refillable silicone candle with potential customers.

This communication gap led to 3 issues:

ISSUES 1

Unclear eco-friendly brand messaging

ISSUES 2

Inconsistent customer perceptions of sustainability

ISSUES 3

Limited awareness of silicone refillable candles

Exploring Solutions

Exploring Solutions

Exploring Solutions

Defining our users
Defining our users
Defining our users

We defined our target audiences as “Sustainable Candle Lovers”.

We defined our target audiences as “Sustainable Candle Lovers”.

Sustainable Candle Lovers

18-35 years old

Behaviours

  • Regularly purchase candles for home decor
    and relaxation

  • Follow eco-friendly brands on social media and participate in online communities

Pain Points

  • Frustration with brands that use greenwashing tactics instead of genuine sustainability practices

  • Difficulty recycling candle jars due to leftover wax

Goals

  • To find high-quality candles that are hassle-free to recycle and align with their sustainable lifestyle

hMW Question
hMW Question
hMW Question

To guide us explore the solutions, we had a HMW question as:

To guide us explore the solutions, we had a HMW question as:

🌟

How might we represent Cirendipity’s sustainable brand to their sustainable candle lovers and effectively communicate about their silicone refillable candle products?

Exploration 1: Consistent Sustainable Branding Identity
Exploration 1: Consistent Sustainable Branding Identity
Exploration 1: Consistent Sustainable Branding Identity

Develop a consistent visual identity that aligns with Cirendipity's sustainable ethos and how candle lovers interpret sustainability. Examples include consistent photo styles on social media, tone of writing, packaging, and branding colors.

Develop a consistent visual identity that aligns with Cirendipity's sustainable ethos and how candle lovers interpret sustainability. Examples include consistent photo styles on social media, tone of writing, packaging, and branding colors.

Rationale
Rationale
Rationale

Bridge the gap between Cirendipity's portrayal of their sustainable brand and sustainable candle lovers' perceptions.

Bridge the gap between Cirendipity's portrayal of their sustainable brand and sustainable candle lovers' perceptions.

Examples of branding colors and writing tone on Instagram

Examples of branding colors and writing tone on Instagram

Examples of branding colors and writing tone on Instagram

Exploration 2: Interactive Silicone Candle Starter Kit
Exploration 2: Interactive Silicone Candle Starter Kit
Exploration 2: Interactive Silicone Candle Starter Kit

Develop an interactive digital starter kit to demonstrate how Cirendipity’s silicone candle cups are reusable and sustainable.

Rationale
Rationale
Rationale

Through an interactive tutorial, sustainable candle lovers will learn about the benefits of silicone candle cup and how to use it.

Low-fi wireframe of interactive starter kit

Low-fi wireframe of interactive starter kit

Low-fi wireframe of interactive starter kit

Final Decision
Final Decision
Final Decision

Taking the inspiration of the interactive candle starter kit, we decided to created a one-page website storytelling strategy to communicate Cirendipity's sustainability and how the candle jar can be refilled, rather than using the starter kit alone.

The Final Solution

The Final Solution

The Final Solution

We proposed creating a webpage that showcases Cirendipity Candles’ sustainable brand and silicone candle products through animations and infographics.

We proposed creating a webpage that showcases Cirendipity Candles’ sustainable brand and silicone candle products through animations and infographics.

Concept Storyboard
Concept Storyboard
Concept Storyboard

To better illustrate the concept, we named a candle lover Nicole to demonstrate the journey of how she discovers, uses, and experiences the webpage in the storyboard.

To better illustrate the concept, we named a candle lover Nicole to demonstrate the journey of how she discovers, uses, and experiences the webpage in the storyboard.

Click here to see the large storyboard

Click here to see the large storyboard

Click here to see the large storyboard

Benefits of the Solution

Elevated brand credibility through professional presentation of sustainable practices.

Improved customer understanding of silicone cup sustainability, particularly among eco-conscious consumers.

the Designs

The solution focused on 3 key areas:

1
1
1
Storytelling Content Strategy

I developed a three-part narrative structure (problem, solution, purchase) to engage users and drive action.

Rationale

Highlighted environmental issues, presented Cirendipity's solution, and encouraged eco-friendly purchases.

1.Hero section asking the problem

1.Hero section asking the problem

1.Hero section asking the problem

3.Showing silicone cup benefits

3.Showing silicone cup benefits

3.Showing silicone cup benefits

2.Showing many people having the same problem

2.Showing many people having the same problem

2.Showing many people having the same problem

4.Encouraging users to purchase

4.Encouraging users to purchase

4.Encouraging users to purchase

2
Immersive Website Interaction

I used parallax scrolling effects to create an engaging visual storytelling experience.

I used parallax scrolling effects to create an engaging visual storytelling experience.

Rationale

Showcased the transition from traditional candles to Cirendipity's sustainable alternatives, and created a memorable and interactive user experience.

The animation shows the empty candle jar being replaced by a silicone candle cup

The animation shows the empty candle jar being replaced by a silicone candle cup

The animation shows the empty candle jar being replaced by a silicone candle cup

3
Sustainability-Focused Visual Design

I chose the colours and typography based on workshop results to reinforce Cirendipity's eco-friendly brand identity.

I chose the colours and typography based on workshop results to reinforce Cirendipity's eco-friendly brand identity.

Rationale

Used nature-inspired palette, modern typography, and eco-friendly imagery to visually communicate sustainability.

Colors and typography

Colors and typography

Colors and typography

Final Design Prototype

Reflections and Learnings

Reflections and Learnings

Reflections and Learnings

Working with real clients was a valuable experience. The biggest lesson I learned is not to shortcut the design process.


Initially, I assumed we should create a typical e-commerce site for Cirendipity. However, this wouldn't make the brand stand out. Instead, we needed to understand the client's unique characteristics and how to communicate these to their target audience. As a designer, it's crucial to dig deep into the client's needs and audience to deliver a truly impactful solution.

Working with real clients was a valuable experience. The biggest lesson I learned is not to shortcut the design process.


Initially, I assumed we should create a typical e-commerce site for Cirendipity. However, this wouldn't make the brand stand out. Instead, we needed to understand the client's unique characteristics and how to communicate these to their target audience. As a designer, it's crucial to dig deep into the client's needs and audience to deliver a truly impactful solution.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

More works

MLB APP redesign

MLB APP redesign

MLB APP redesign

Conceptual App Redesign
Fall 2023

Conceptual App Redesign
Fall 2023

BCLC Registration Kiosk

BCLC Registration Kiosk

BCLC Registration Kiosk

Launched WINTER 2023

HOSTALKY co-op

HOSTALKY co-op

HOSTALKY co-op

4 months UX CO-OP 2021

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