Miid.io is an innovative start-up offering a real-time 3D and VR-based e-commerce platform that allows users to customize and purchase a wide range of products. The platform was designed to cater to the growing demand for personalized items, delivering a seamless and immersive shopping experience in the Chinese market.

By 2015, the trend of product customization had become prominent, with brands like NikeID, New Balance, and MiAdidas offering personalized clothing and accessories. However, despite these innovations, customers still faced long delivery times and limited customization options. Miid.io aimed to revolutionize the customization process by offering faster delivery and a broader selection of products, all within an interactive VR environment. My task was to develop a user-centered design strategy that could support this vision while enhancing user engagement and brand experience.

So, at the end of 2015, I was hired to give shape to an idea focused on offers from a new platform where Chinese users could customize and buy a lot of brand products and the provider would build them and deliver within days.

We conducted extensive research into user behavior within the Chinese market, focusing on:

• Competitor Analysis: Studied existing customization models (like NikeID) to understand user attitudes toward personalizing products. We identified both the strengths and weaknesses of these models to inform our design decisions.
User Scenarios:> Defined several use cases to anticipate how different user groups would interact with the platform in various environments, including in-store VR experiences and online customization via mobile and desktop.
• Personas: Created detailed personas based on research data, representing diverse user profiles such as students, professionals, and shop owners. These personas helped guide the development of features and user flows on the platform.

Due to the fact that customization options grew quickly, there was plenty of data available to us. We used this to accurately define their user base, the way these users behaved and several possible use cases for the app.

With common scenarios in place, we were able to define detailed personas using their vast data pool. The personas looked something like this:

Without a clear understanding of how easy customization of products can be, the demand is not as big. Our goal was to make sure Miid’s platform showcased how great it was to have your own unique product, how real the experience could be, and how easily it can be done.

We performed extensive user testing across three environments:

1. In-Studio Customization: Users visited our studio to customize products, interacting with a variety of options. This allowed us to observe how users engaged with the platform when given time to create products with the help of designers.
2. Retail Shop Customization: We observed customers in a store environment, noting how they customized and made purchasing decisions. This helped us understand the real-world application of the customization features.
3. VR-Based Customization: Using HTC Vive, users were able to immerse themselves in a virtual environment where they customized products. We monitored how quickly users adapted to VR and how effectively they navigated the customization process.

We created a promotional video highlighting the VR customization feature to give users a sense of what to expect. The video was a key tool in attracting attention to Miid’s innovative platform, showcasing the first-hand user experience of creating custom products in a virtual environment.

• Improved User Engagement: The platform successfully increased user engagement by making the customization process more accessible and enjoyable. User testing revealed that after interacting with the VR interface, users were more likely to complete purchases, and feedback indicated high satisfaction with the ease of use.
• Enhanced Brand Experience: Miid.io became known for its cutting-edge customization technology, differentiating itself from competitors like NikeID and Adidas by offering a faster, more immersive shopping experience.
• Platform Scalability: The flexibility of the platform allowed for the integration of additional brands and product categories, giving Miid.io a competitive edge in the rapidly growing customization market.

The company's founders are exploring the clothing industry to improve customization service on the spot, via VR technologies. Design, User Experience and technology allowed the project to go to another level for customization in Asia