Lexus Vehicle configurator
a micro case study
Tools:
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Figma
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Jira/Confluence
The following is a glimpse into the redesign of the Lexus Vehicle Configurator, an integral portion of the Lexus.com toolset.
This project took a look at the aligned legacy build tools for both Lexus & Toyota, to benchmark test and redesign around their largest pain points, launching a more usable & delightful tool within their shopping funnel.
On the Lexus side, this launch was made possible with:
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Involvement from 50+ Team One team members
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36 Sprints = 72 weeks of execution
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1,500+ Jira tickets
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Countless meetings and collaboration sessions with 7 other partner groups outside of Team One
Within days of launch, the tool was featured (without PR) by Car & Driver, Road & Track, The Drive, and others.
Role:
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Managing UX Team
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Collaboration across agencies, teams, and brands
initial benchmark testing
We began this process with usability testing on the previous version of Lexus' Configurator.
26 participants (spread across Mobile & Desktop) were surveyed & tested autonomously, lightly guided through the tool's steps, and asked to convey all thoughts aloud throughout.
METHODOLOGY
1. Sentence Completion
Understanding positive/negative experiences on vehicle configurator tools with expectations & needs.
2. Usability Test & SUM Evaluation
Observing ease of use for key tasks within the vehicle configurator, as well as gauging satisfaction.
3. SUS Evaluation
Retrospective usability assessment of the vehicle configurator tool as a whole.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
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While wayfinding to the tool itself was easy, shoppers struggled to find a trim's features, and later, a way to compare their builds.
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Satisfaction at the end of a build remained low, regardless of device, in part due to how interface interactions affected information consumption.
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Smaller screens, limited field of view, and slow load times hindered the configurator experience on Mobile, more often than Desktop.
Shoppers found the usability of configuration to be lacking, for a total actual score of 54%. Measuring the tool as a whole themselves, the usability was found to be similarly low, at 67%.
KEY LEARNINGS
Not Working - Understanding Options:
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Users were misdirected to another build when choosing an "Available with Select Options" color swatch. Most all testers struggled to scroll upwards and retain option lists/imagery within their viewport.
Opportunity:
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Configurator can lean towards visibility of key details, and clarity of selection consequences.
Not Working - Location of Inventory:
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Many testers expressed a desire to view available inventory for similar builds that exist on dealer's lots
Opportunity:
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Configurator can provide Lexus Search Inventory Tool entry at all times, passing selected parameters into inventory filtration.
Not Working - Price Transparency:
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Many users consistently scrolled to check pricing adjustments on mobile.
Opportunity:
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Configurator can feature consistent, sticky pricing visibility across all devices.
Not Working - Finding Features:
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Users noted their inability to attain and understand standard features across trims.
Opportunity:
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The Trim Selection Page can ensure that it features additional details, and clarify that base-level standard features apply to all trims.
LEGACY STATE BENCHMARK USABILITY
A look at the new
lexus configurator
YOUR BUILD
Over the next many sprints, our UX team created options focused on resolving the issues found during testing - bringing clarity across trim differences, maintaining price transparency at all times in multiple forms, removing confusion within complex selection conflicts, inserting comparison options, allowing an easy pass-through to inventory, and more.
FUTURE STATE
These design solutions are green-lit, to be built and shipped soon, amongst others:
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An extensive rework of user selection conflicts & resolution
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A more robust view of Inventory options within the Build Summary page
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Ability to filter trims by features
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A further comparison of trims + Comparison of all recent builds
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More clarified card conflict cues
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A distinct experience for Lexus Bespoke builds