BRAND STRATEGY / Event Design / User Research
Event framework design for Lowe's UpSkill Project
Challenge
Lowe’s UpSkill Project approached SCAD (10 multidisciplinary students) with the challenge of researching and developing concepts for D.I.Y. skill-learning events for Lowe’s customers, with the purpose of driving connectivity to both the brand and the local store.
— How might we help Lowe’s reach millennials by developing a framework for pop-up events at Lowe’s parking lots that fosters home-improvement skills, creates community, and empowers individuals?
Research
Secondary Research
We focused on secondary research on understanding what D.I.Y. is, home improvement, pop-up events, and millennials' home-buying habits.
Field Visits and Surveys
The team conducted field visits and surveys at Lowe's stores to understand the what customers want to learn, why they want to learn it, and how they want to learn.
Interviews
We interviewed 10+ home improvement professionals to get their thoughts on D.I.Y. projects, skill learning workshops, and Lowe's.
Analysis and Findings
We used Affinity Mapping to find patterns between information, uncover the voice of the users and understand their needs and pain points. The process led to 3 core insights:
Do it together
Users feel more confident to try D.I.Y. projects when they have someone on their side that can support them and accompany them through the learning and creation journey.
Empowerment
Being able to accomplish projects that seem impossible at the beginning, and learning new skills while doing them, generates a sense of validation among users, which translates into empowered individuals who dare to take on new challenges.
Hands On Learning
Users prefer to learn new skills by doing, rather than by watching and listening to online tutorials that don't show them how to fix mistakes and only show the glamorous side.
Ideation and Co-Creation
Using the insights as design criteria for concept development, the team developed 100+ unique concepts that were later combined and improved, leading to 6 main concepts.
A co-creation session was hosted with the client to not only pitch the 6 ideas, but integrate their knowledge and priorities to further develop a more comprehensive concept.
Prototyping
The team conducted two low fidelity versions of the refined concept to understand the users reactions to the proposed structure, activities, assets and layout.
For the first prototype we collaborated with the local Lowe's store and set up a pop-up event in the parking to analyze the proposed layout and look-and-feel.
The second prototype was installed in a public space near the university to have a closer interactions with millennials and understand their thoughts of the proposed event and activities.
Concept Refinement
After prototyping and gathering the feedback from the participants and client, the concept was refined and fully developed - from framework to event layout.
Final Design: Framework
The strategy is composed of three levels that help determine the DIY skills and theme of the 'UpSkill' event.
The first level was defined by the purpose of the The UpSkill Project'
The second level, named ‘Love your home trends’, provides to Lowe's a curated selection of home decor and improvement trends that will let the brand advise the audience what skills they should learn.
The third level enables the definition of the theme, skills, projects, and activities for the event based on the previous levels.
Event Design
01 Reception: Located in front and center, the reception allows the brand to attract customers to the event.
02 Creative Lounge: A social space where customers can find information and inspiration of the most recent “Love Your Home" trends and events.
03 Skill Stations: A set of roundtables will allow mentors to teach quick and easy skills to participants who do not have enough time for a workshop.
04 Workshop Station: Placed in the middle of the space, the workshop station is formed by 4 communal counter-high tables where participants can interact with others while working on the assigned D.I.Y. project.
Lowe's Employees Involvement
Through research, we discovered that most of Lowe's employees have home improvement skills. Therefore, we are proposing an improved design of Lowe's current vest to leverage that knowledge.
The new vest allows employees to showcase their skills to customers, and helps Lowe's identify which employees can act as mentors and which can learn new skills alongside customers - creating an employee-customer bond.
