OVERVIEW

Project Name: EZ (Easy)

Platform: Mobile E-Commerce App

My Role: UX Designer (solo project)

Duration: 3 weeks

Tools Used: Figma(Design & FigJam) | Google Forms | Google Docs | Excel(Gantt Chart)

Type: Concept project based on real user research

I designed a foreigner-friendly mobile shopping experience in Japan, tailored to English-speaking users who face cultural, procedural, and language-related barriers. This project was created using UX principles from the Google UX Design Certificate program.

TIMELINE

THE CHALLENGE

How might we design an e-commerce experience that feels simple, accessible, and trustworthy for foreigners living in Japan—especially those who face:

  • Language barriers

  • Overwhelming information presentation

  • Frustration from unfamiliar local procedures

  • Lack of of confidence & trust

Most Japanese e-commerce platforms (like Rakuten or Mercari) are not optimized for foreign users. These platforms often overwhelm users with cluttered UIs, lack language support, and reflect design patterns unfamiliar to non-Japanese residents.

MY ROLE

  • Planned and conducted user research (surveys & insights synthesis)

  • Designed UX flows, wireframes, and UI mockups

  • Conducted iterative testing and applied improvements

  • Synthesized findings into a cohesive digital experience

This was a solo project based on real user needs, created for my UX certification and portfolio.

THE PROCESS

GOALS & SUCCESS METRICS

User Goals:

  • Shop online in English with clarity and ease

  • Navigate intuitive and familiar UI flows

  • Feel reassured by transparent processes and design

Business Goals:

  • Improve user retention and engagement among foreign nationals

  • Increase conversion rates and repeat purchases

  • Build brand trust with an underserved demographic

 Metrics:

  • Task success rate in usability testing

  • Reported ease of use

  • Self-reported trust and satisfaction ratings

Research & Discovery

I conducted open surveys using Google Forms, shared across two expat Facebook groups:

  • “Foreigners Living in Japan”

  • “For Foreigners Living in Japan”

Methodology:

  • 17 multiple-choice questions (quantitative)

  • 5 short/long-answer questions (qualitative)

  • 8 participants (English-speaking residents currently or previously Japan)

Key Findings:

  • Millennials (≈ 62.5%) and Generation Y(≈ 38%)

  • 87.5% currently live in Japan (12.5% of users have lived in Japan)

  • 62.5% face regular language barriers while shopping online & are mobile users

  • 62.5% are frustrated with  poor product descriptions (37.5% difficult navigation)

  • 75% trust product reviews but still need verification from other sources

  • Personalized recommendations were equally helpful & Intrusive.

  • Users described Japanese sites as “cluttered,” “confusing,” and “unwelcoming”

  • Many were frustrated by the lack of multilingual support, complex checkout processes, and too much dense information

FACEBOOK GROUP FINDING

“During early user research, I discovered that certain terms like “Expat” and “Immigrant” triggered strong emotional responses among participants. Some users, particularly non-Caucasian individuals, perceived these labels as biased or exclusionary— resulting in a heated debate within the original research thread.” 😓

“To foster inclusivity and avoid misunderstandings, I adopted more neutral, widely accepted terminology such as “Foreigner” and “Foreign Nationals” throughout the research process. This ensured a respectful, culturally sensitive environment and encouraged more honest and constructive feedback from a diverse audience.”

EMPATHY MAP (AGGREGATE)

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PROBLEM DEFINITION

Foreigners in Japan struggle with e-commerce platforms that are not built with them in mind—leading to frustration, cart abandonment, and distrust.

Key Pain Points:

  • Overwhelming UI with too many options

  • Lack of visual hierarchy or Western-style flows

  • Difficult account setup and checkout steps

  • Distrust in unclear delivery/payment/subscription terms

IDEATION & UX STRATEGY

Based on user pain points, I created:

  • User flows that reflect common Western e-commerce journeys (search → product → add to cart → checkout)

  • Simplified checkout process with clearer visuals, bilingual toggles, and step indicators

  • Persona development to understand long-term vs. short-term resident needs

  • The design strategy focused on clarity, familiarity, and cross-cultural accessibility—while keeping it feeling modern with a good use of whitespace.

  • Developed “How Might We” questions targeting Key painpoints like one-handed mobile search, trust signals, simplified product info, low-pressure subscription model.

USER FLOW OF EZ PLATFORM

Wireframes

  • loading screen

    Loading Screen

  • login & signup Screen

    Login Screen

  • home screen

    Home Screen

  • search screen

    Search Screen / Modal

  • listing screen

    Listing Screen

  • product description screen

    Product Description Screen

  • added to shopping cart modal

    Confirmation Modal

  • category screen

    Category Screen

  • okawari

    Okawari (refill)

  • product refill description screen

    product refill description screen

  • shopping cart screen

    Shopping Cart Screen

  • checkout screen

    Check Out Screen

  • confirmarion screen

    Confirmation Screen

Low Fidelity

  • loading screen

    Loading Screen

  • login & signup Screen

    Login Screen

  • home screen

    Home Screen

  • search screen

    Search Screen / Modal

  • listing screen

    Listing Screen

  • product description screen

    Product Description Screen

  • added to shopping cart modal

    Added to Cart Modal

  • category screen

    Category Screen

  • okawari

    Okawari (refill)

  • Okawari Description Screen

    product refill description screen

  • shopping cart screen

    Shopping Cart Screen

  • checkout screen

    Check Out Screen

  • confirmation screen

    Confirmation Screen

UI DESIGN & VISUAL DIRECTION

  • Clean layout with generous white space

  • Dark Appbar & Bottom nav to reduce brightness

  • Large, legible English and Japanese fonts

  • Bright yellow primary color for high contrast

  • Fixed bottom nav, Western cart flow

  • Friendly images to reduce anxiety

PROTOTYPING & USABILITY TESTING

Using Figma, I built a mid-to-high fidelity prototype and conducted informal usability testing with 5 English-speaking residents in Japan.

Key Results:

  • 5/5 Participants completed the checkout task successfully

  • 5/5 Reported the flow as “easy,” “clear,” and “more familiar than Rakuten”

  • 3/5 Participants Appreciated bilingual toggle and icon use

  • 5/5 Participants Fixed primary buttons, search bar, and menu at the bottom were convenient.

  • 3/5 Participants said the swipeable item lists and swipeable tab categories interfered with each other.

  • 4/5 Participants said the Cost breakdown took up too much space on the pull-down modal.

  • 5/5 Participants could not find favorite (save) or share buttons.

  • 4/5 Participants could not find vendor information in the product page

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CHANGES MADE

  • Cost Breakdown Modal

    Based on usability testing feedback, I removed the cost breakdown modal due to its large footprint and instead integrated a streamlined version at the top of the page.

  • Trust/ benefits & Favorite button

    To improve user confidence and engagement, I highlighted trust indicators and benefits using high-contrast background elements and bold text. I also added a favorite button to the top-left corner of product images for easier saving.

  • Language button & AI Summary

    100% of test users reported that they didn’t need constant access to the language switcher and preferred it placed on the main page instead. Additionally, over half of users wanted to see vendor information but were unaware it was located in the swipeable tabs. Rather than redesigning the tabs, I redesigned the summary section to include an AI-powered overview that highlights key points from the product description, vendor reviews, and product reviews—making the most relevant information accessible at a glance.

  • Swipeable list to a swipe down list

    Usability testing showed that overlapping swipe gestures between the list and category tabs confused users. To streamline the interaction and stay within timeline constraints, I opted for a familiar swipe-down list format.

High Fidelity Prototype

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