Nike Innovation
Custom sneakers platform + user testing
Challenge: Fashion is evolving to become highly personalized and immediate. Nike wanted to extend its story of iconic design and innovation. Between exclusive release sneakers and limited NIKEiD options, Nike is brining customers and designers together in a new way of collaborating with simple tech.
Strategy: To invite customers to participate in the creative process, we focused on simple solutions where technology, rapid production and collaboration fell away, behind the scenes. We first asked what makes a great design. We then tested how to guide customers to an amazing personal product. We developed two major prototypes: a collaboration tool, called 1/1 and a pop-event, called Sneakerlab 5x5.
1/1 is focused on sharing inspiration and designs that define what the shoe looks likes. By developing a story and context for each sneaker, customers immediately feel part of the footwear team at Nike.
Sneakerlab 5x5 is a simple website that shared our design tools and Nike production capabilities with Instagram influencers. By creating a marketplace, we could observe how the market capitalized on trends and contemporary culture.
Role: Embedded with Nike Innovation designers, engineers, and developers, we collaborated on creating each aspect of this platform and tools. I defined which elements of the experience to champion as 'magic moments' and understand customer reactions. Our findings shaped the software UI, customer service journey, curated designer palettes and ultimately the business viability.
Contributions
- Research / Business Analysis
- Influencer / Pop-up Event Concept
- Product Features
- User Journey / Magic Moments
- Platform Management / Development
1/1
Customization of Nike products with expert designers
Chatbot Style Session
We want to hear what inspires people to create something truly unique. We leveraged basic chatbot scripts to get basic size/style/color information from test participants. Late, we seamlessly transitioned to real conversations to capture a brief and style board that would be sent to Nike footwear designers.
Designer Sketch
Our stye bards told the story captured in chat with a hierarchy of styles and patters, quotes and inspiration. We invited real customers to a studio environment to see the results and judge their expectations. The sketches provided direction on the designer toolkit, which would eventually become a custom UI.
Live Prototype
We limited the in UI of customization platform. The MVP software focused on simple design rendering and live-editing. Collaboration was natural and easy between participant and designer, focusing on a balance of popular styles and pops of personalization.
Visualization
We turned to an AR experience to help turn the design into reality. A fitting room was fitted with cameras screens to map the new designs to the participant in realtime with 'magic mirrors'.
Rapid Build
Nike's production innovation allowed us to create each pair of shoes within a few hours. We tested for delivery methods and packaging to reach the next level of premium services.
5/5
A pop-up event for Instagram influencers showcasing Nike customizaiton
5x5 Influencers
We quickly realized that our customization platform was easy to use and produced a great product, but Nike footwear designers would be at the highest tier of this premium services. And compared to NIKEiD, we saw that elements of collaboration with the chatbot and designer greatly increased customers satisfaction, energized the experience and produced amazing sneakers.
Designers, thinkers, and makers are everywhere, so we brought our platform to Instagram influencers to see how what sneaker collections their followers craved. We invited five influencers to design five shoes.
Collections
Each designer could use any stock Nike shoe to build a collection that highlighted their interests and inspirations. Their stories were the primary connection with their followers, and each targeted their own specific audience. Personal journeys, iconic music, and bold statements gave new meaning to these sneakers.
Pop-up Event
We hosted a pop-up event online. Our unbranded e-comm site ran for five days, promoted only by the five influencers. Sneaker blogs and design magazines quickly caught wind and both lauded the products as 'custom releases'.
Success
5x5 was an instant success with over $30k in sales in five days from a website that has no brand, no Nike affiliation, and no marketing. The designers hosted over 15 1/1 personal collaboration sessions. Shoes shipped the public in the first unofficial public release of the platform.
Guided retail or 'curated shopping' is still in testing and will reach retail stores and Nike.com in the near future.
