top of page
2024
Locals Toronto: Connecting local businesses with residents
Overview
The pandemic has significantly reduced foot traffic, severely affecting local businesses and community events throughout Toronto. As a result, there is an urgent need to foster engagement between residents and neighborhood businesses in the Greater Toronto Area supported
by Business Improvement Area (BIA) committees.
Locals Toronto is an web app that centralizes all Toronto’s local stores and events to facilitate users to find the products, stores and places they want to go.
Sector
Recreation / Marketplace
Role
UX/UI Designer & Team Leader
Methods
Research, User Interviews, Co-creation Workshop, Lo-Fi, Mid-Fi and Hi-Fi Wireframes, Usability Testing, Prototypes
Team
1 UX/UI designer (myself), 1 content strategist and 3 developers
Source: www.bloorwestvillagebia.com
Problem
The pandemic has significantly reduced foot traffic, severely affecting local businesses and community events throughout Toronto.
Goal
There is an urgent need to foster
engagement between residents and neighborhood businesses in the Greater Toronto Area supported by Business Improvement Area (BIA) committees.
Outcome
Develop an Online-to-Offline (O2O) marketplace that promotes local shops, restaurants, and BIA networks, empowering residents to explore offerings, increasing visibility for businesses, and driving foot traffic, economic development, and community engagement.
The process
Stakeholders & Users Interviews
We recently interviewed the stakeholder to understand their perspective on the decrease in foot traffic and other challenges related to local businesses.
In addition, we conducted interviews with nine Toronto residents to gain insights into their shopping habits and decision-making processes. Our findings revealed that while consumers express a preference for supporting local businesses, they often encounter challenges such as stock availability and variety. Furthermore, time constraints lead them to favour larger stores where they can be confident in finding the products they need. Uncertainty about pricing also plays a significant role in their decision-making process when considering shopping at local stores.
Co-creation Workshop
I led a co-creation workshop aimed at answering the following problem statement:
“How might we help consumers have visibility of a broader range of products available, and prices in local businesses near them?”
Wireframes & Usability Testing
After designing mid-fidelity prototypes, usability tests revealed several opportunities for improvement, such as:
-
Add testimonials
-
Add more pictures (gallery)
-
Keep consistency with the names
-
Enable users to add businesses to their favorites
-
Share the social media
Sketches
Mid-fi wireframes
Improved Mid-fi wireframes
Usability testing
Final Prototype
For the final Locals Toronto prototype, I integrated key insights from usability testing and user interviews to create a more intuitive and engaging experience. The refined design provides residents with a seamless way to discover local shops and events, boosting visibility for small businesses and fostering deeper community engagement.
Find out about local businesses and events in your region
Users can easily explore nearby local shops and services, accessing detailed information such as store hours and product offerings.
Discover upcoming events happening near you
Stay informed about local events with a curated list of nearby activities, festivals, and community gatherings. Users can explore event details, dates, and locations, making it easier to plan outings and stay connected with their community.
Explore other neighborhoods
Users can expand their discovery by browsing local businesses and events in nearby areas, encouraging them to experience the unique offerings of different Toronto neighborhoods.
Get details on business offerings and pricing
Users can easily browse through a business’s offerings, including detailed information about available products, services, and their pricing.
Next steps
Expand User Testing
Conduct broader testing with a more diverse group of residents and businesses across various Toronto neighbourhoods to gather more comprehensive insights and ensure the platform meets community needs.
Integrate New Features
Develop new features such as personalized recommendations, loyalty programs, or a notification system for store promotions and upcoming events.
Thanks for reading!
bottom of page