Snowboard Buyer’s Guide
This guide suggests a snowboard profile based on a snowboarder’s level, style, and other preferences.
Audience: Snowboarders of all levels looking to buy a new snowboard
Responsibilities: Instructional design, eLearning development, visual design, research
Tools used: Articulate Storyline, Infinite Painter, Figma, Miro
Overview
If a snowboarder chooses a snowboard that truly complements them, it can make an impressive difference in how they ride. With the ever-increasing number of snowboard profiles on the market, it can be difficult to make the right choice when purchasing a snowboard.
As an avid snowboarder, I wanted to design a tool that takes the guesswork out of selecting a proper snowboard. After interviewing ten different snowboarders of various abilities, I discovered that 60% of them were not satisfied with how their current snowboard profile suited their needs. Additionally, 70% of the snowboarders stated that they would prefer a tool to assist in selecting a snowboard rather than researching the perfect snowboard themselves.
This buyer’s guide recommends a specific snowboard profile based on a snowboarder’s ability level, unique style, and other riding preferences.
Process
I created this tool by conducting my own research and utilizing my personal knowledge of snowboarding. I wanted to make this process as user-friendly as possible, so an interactive tool in which the user only had to answer a few questions to receive a snowboard recommendation appeared to be the best solution.
After mapping out the different combinations of answers and recommendations, I created visual mockups. From there, I developed the final product in Articulate Storyline.
Recommendation Map
To map out the different combinations of answers and recommendations, I brainstormed on paper. From my own research, I first determined five common snowboard profiles that would encompass various skill levels, styles, and preferences: rocker, camber, hybrid camber, directional camber, and directional flat top.
Next, I came up with three criteria questions that would help determine a snowboard recommendation. The questions evaluated a rider’s skill level, preferred style (terrain), and the most important riding preferences. From there, I designated an ideal snowboard profile for each of the combinations.
Visual Mockups
Once I determined the evaluation questions, combinations, and snowboard recommendations, I began working on the visual design. After landing on a color palette, I sourced real-life imagery to add to the sleek, immersive design of the learning experience.
I wanted the five snowboard profile images on the results slides to be as accurate as possible, so I used Infinite Painter to draw them myself. Next, I used Figma to design several iterations of the overall layout. The layout included the opening, question, question hover, and result slides.
Development
I developed the project in Articulate Storyline while referencing my visual mockups and recommendation map. This was technically challenging as I had to set up many different variables, conditions, and triggers in order to display the appropriate snowboard profile recommendations at the end of the learning experience.
Results
I released this learning experience to the ten snowboarders I initially interviewed and assessed their reaction to the guide. Overall, they appreciated the design and accessibility of the guide. 90% of the snowboarders expressed that their result closely reflected their preferences, style, and ability. Additionally, 90% of the snowboarders expressed that they would purchase a snowboard with the same profile from their guide results. Ideally, I would check-in with the snowboarders in six to twelve months to re-evaluate adoption of the buyer’s guide and assess how the guide impacts their next snowboard purchase.
While the snowboarders appreciated the ability to restart the guide, a few wanted easier access to view all of the snowboard profiles. If I were to optimize the buyer’s guide, I would create a button that allows users to browse all of the snowboard profiles at the beginning of the experience instead of taking the quiz. I would also create a downloadable infographic or video walkthrough of the different profiles as a quick reference guide for when snowboarders are selecting a new snowboard in the future.