UX Research for Knitting Pattern Design

I’ve launched more than 80 products on KnitDarling.com, the e-commerce site that I run. With every new launch I learn something about how to do it better next time. As I’ve learned more about UX design and research methods, I’ve been able to incorporate new techniques to improve my entire product line far beyond the platform where it’s sold. The entire customer journey from the point of discovery through to the end experience of using my product is important to the success of my brand.

For a recent product launch on KnitDarling.com, I incorporated UX testing methods to improve my customer’s experience. The product was a new mitten knitting pattern design that would be sold as a pdf:

It was a complicated knitting pattern, with multiple sizes and many options for customization, which means there were a lot of ways that the user (knitter) could get confused. I decided to do a usability test to see if the directions were clear, and easy to follow.

I recruited five testers from a popular knitting social network, Ravelry.com. I distributed a draft of the product, a questionnaire, and pictures of the first prototype sample. The test took about 2 weeks to complete, and I was in constant communication with the group of testers.

All the testers encountered a problem in one particularly complicated section. I received feedback like, “This part was confusing at first and I had to read it several times to know what to do. I don’t think there’s a better way to say it though.”

I agreed that there probably wasn’t a better way to say it, as I had put a lot of effort into writing and editing the instructions for extreme clarity. Through further inquiry with the testers, I established that the user actually wanted a way to confirm that they had followed the directions correctly. Because there were many elements, a diagram would communicate this best, so I got to work and created this technical illustration:

I released an updated version of the product with the illustration, and the testers were elated. Testing also revealed some ambiguous language in the directions that some of the testers did not understand. This was an incredibly valuable exercise because I was able to rework the product to optimize usability before release to the public. This kind of work is really important to the success of the end product. Word of mouth and positive product reviews are two major factors that can make or break a product launch in this market. The product went on to be my best-seller of the season!