Client
BraunAbility
Service
User Research
Date
Context
BraunAbility provides wheelchair-accessible vehicles (WAVs), a highly considered purchase where customers may be navigating unfamiliar products, accessibility, requirements, financing, considerations, and multiple decision makers.
For this project, I focused on how the digital experience could better support people researching and evaluating accessible vehicles
Problem
Purchasing a WAV is fundamentally different from shopping for a typical vehicle. Customers may be purchasing for themselves or someone that they care for. That decision involves both personal accessibility needs and practical purchasing considerations.
Research revealed barriers particularly around first-time buyers, who often needed more guidance before they could confidently evaluate their options.
Not only was the problem helping users find a vehicle, but also involved creating an experience that could help customers understand their options, identify their needs, and move through the purchasing journey with greater confidence.
Approach
I began by conducting user interviews and journey mapping to understand the WAV shopping experience from multiple perspectives, including customers, caregivers, and business stakeholders.
I mapped the journey from initial product discovery through evaluation and identified areas where first-time buyers experienced uncertainty or needed additional guidance.
I then translated those findings into experience requirements, feature concepts, and wireframes for key parts of the journey, including navigation, the homepage, and a buyer's guide.
Heat-map analysis was used to evaluate and refine content placement, helping determine what information deserved greater prominence within the experience.
Solution
The resulting concept centered on a more guided shopping experience, helping first-time customers move from vehicle discovery toward a better informed consideration.
Key concepts included improved navigation, a more intentional homepage experience, and a buyer's guide designed to provide context and guidance at points where customers may not yet know what questions to ask.
The experience incorporated accessibility considerations throughout the broader purchasing journey.
Impact
My work in this project required understanding the thought process of customers and caregivers who are considering WAV, and translating that research into a set of actionable product requirements and concepts for a more inclusive shopping journey.
The work provided BraunAbility with a clearer picture of where first-time customers encounter friction in their WAV journey and how the digital experience could better support them.