Crafting AI-Powered
Product Search Tool

Crafting AI-Powered
Product Search Tool

Crafting AI-Powered
Product Search Tool

Overview

This project focuses on creating an AI-powered product search tool that simplifies research with curated data sources, saved searches, and personalized recommendations. Accessible across devices, it empowers users to make informed purchasing decisions.

THE CHALLENGE

Consumers often struggle to find the right product due to information overload and the complexity of decision-making processes.

THE CHALLENGE

Consumers often struggle to find the right product due to information overload and the complexity of decision-making processes.

Product discovery

Product discovery

We conducted user interviews to understand behaviors and expectations, uncovering key pain points to guide the design and ideation process.


• Users struggle to sift through vast amounts of product information.

• The overwhelming number of choices leads to decision paralysis.

• Difficulty in verifying product claims and reviews.

We conducted user interviews to understand behaviors and expectations, uncovering key pain points to guide the design and ideation process.


• Users struggle to sift through vast amounts of product information.

• The overwhelming number of choices leads to decision paralysis.

• Difficulty in verifying product claims and reviews.

Key Findings Through Interviews

• Users value personalized recommendations and tailored search results.

• A clear and intuitive user interface is essential for a positive user experience.

• The ability to compare products side-by-side is a crucial feature.

• Integration with social media for sharing product recommendations and reviews can enhance user engagement.

Head-to-Head Comparison

Features

Claros

BuySmart

AI Capabilities

Advanced, conversational,

dynamic filtering

Advanced,

conversational,

dynamic filtering

Basic, primarily for summaries and search

Basic, primarily

for summaries

and search

Interface

Conversational

chat-based

Visual, streamlined

for clarity

Visual,

streamlined

for clarity

Product Comparison

Product

Comparison

Detailed, customizable

Detailed,

customizable

Quick snapshot view

Quick snapshot

view

Real-Time Updates

Real-Time

Updates

Yes

Inconsistent

User-Friendliness

User

Friendliness

Learning curve for

new users

Learning curve

for new users

Highly intuitive and

beginner-friendly

Highly intuitive

and beginner-

friendly

Unique Selling Point

Unique Selling

Point

(USP)

Personalization and

real-time adaptability

Personalization

and real-time

adaptability

Efficiency and

photo-based search

Efficiency and

photo-based

search

Product Scope

The project will focus on developing an AI-powered product search tool with the following core features:


• Tailored recommendations based on user preferences and past behaviour.

• Side-by-side comparison of products, highlighting key features and benefits.

• Curated reviews and ratings from trusted sources.

• Real-time price tracking and alerts for price drops.

Concept Evaluation Workshop

To gather unbiased feedback on our initial ideas, we held a class activity with the primary goal of identifying areas for improvement:

Key Findings

The features that stood out as particularly include:
• Displaying Trends from Social Media.

• Integrating Conversational AI.

• Price Tracking.

• Providing Review Summaries.

Recommendations

The features that stood out as particularly include:
• Push Notications for Price Alerts.

• Customizable Plug-in Settings.

• Visual Search Capabilities.

• In-depth Product Comparisons.

Mapping User Persona

Using the insights gathered, I developed three personas that provided a deeper understanding of their pain points and potential opportunities.

Bio

Tech-savvy consumer, always on the lookout for the latest gadgets. Enjoys learning about new tech trends but hates the overwhelming amount of information.

Goals

• Stay up-to-date with the latest tech trends.

• Find the best products for specific needs.

• Make informed purchasing decisions.

Pain Points

• Technical Jargon: Difficulty understanding complex technical specifications.

• Product Overload: Too many options to choose.

• Time Constraints: Limited time to research and compare products.

John David

27

Software

Engineer

"I love gadgets, but I hate spending hours researching the best ones."

Bio

A busy professional woman who values quality and style. She enjoys shopping but finds it time-consuming to research and compare products.

Goals

• Find high-quality products that meet her needs.

• Make informed purchasing decisions.

• Save time and effort in her shopping process.

Pain Points

• Information Overload: Difficulty navigating through a large number of products.

• Product Comparison: Struggling to compare features and prices across different brands.

• Time Constraints: Limited time to research and shop.

Ella Naisar

38

Marketing

Specialist

"I want to find the perfect product, but I don’t have time to sift through endless options"

User Flow

Once I finalized the aims, I structured the user flow to visualize how users would navigate through the app.

Low Fidelity Screens

I created a low-fidelity prototype to map key features and layout, validating ideas and ensuring clarity before moving to high-fidelity design.

User Testing - Task Based

We tested the low-fidelity prototype to identify strengths and areas for improvement, documenting insights in FigJam and using an affinity diagram to group themes.

Refining the Design Based on Insights

Based on user testing, we identified key areas for improvement and made the following design changes:

  1. Simplified Information

  2. Advanced Filtering & Personalization

  3. Improved Visual Design

  4. Price Alerts & Comparison

High Fidelity Prototype

Reflection

Reflection

  • Shapp leverages AI to simplify online shopping, addressing pain points like information overload and intuitive search.

  • User-centered research revealed critical features: visual search, price tracking, and tailored recommendations.

  • Usability testing highlighted strengths, like reducing cognitive overload, and areas for improvement, such as advanced filtering.

  • Future plans include deeper review integration, broader user testing, and AI-driven personalization to enhance trust and user experience.

Let's make magic happen! Feel free to contact me.