QUIZ CONVERSION IMPROVEMENT

WINC PALATE QUIZ

Project OVERVIEW

  • About

    Winc is a direct-to-consumer winery and wine club that revolutionized the way people discover, buy, and share wine, offering personalized wine recommendations and a subscription service. Winc leverages a palate quiz to offer a personalization wine subscription package for their users, it accounts for a large part of their customer acquisition.

  • Project details

    Sector: Wine

    Project Type: UX/UI Design, User Research

    Challenge: Improve wine palate quiz

    Team: Leo Gonzalez - Lead UX/UI Designer

    Shiloh Gray - Creative Director

Design Brief

  • Problem

    Winc is looking to increase overall sales & subscription sign ups by improving their palate quiz. The UX/UI design and content is outdated with their current brand identity, it hasn’t been optimized for mobile (which accounts for more than 50% of their user base) and the UX hasn’t been tested or updated since launch. They’re looking to gain more market share by offering the best personalization & wines to their consumers.

  • Project Goal

    The goal is to conduct an audit of the current experience, gather user insights through research, & identify key improvement areas of the quiz where we can deliver a more optimizied and personalized experience for potential new customers.

  • Strategy

    Design an updated palate quiz and quiz reveal user experience to enhance the subscription conversion rate. We will be testing this solution to better identify what potential customers find most value about the quiz and the wines we personalize for them.

Discovery

Discovery

Exploring user needs and market gaps to create the right product.

Comparison chart of three wine subscription services: Good Pair Days, One Stop Wine Shop, and Winc. Each brand is rated on five criteria related to questionnaire design and user navigation, with check marks and crosses indicating their performance.

Competitive Analysis

Conducting a competitive analysis offered valuable insights into the leading wine subscription services, highlighting their strengths, weaknesses, and distinctive strategies. By evaluating these services side by side, I identified an untapped opportunity—one that aligned perfectly with our client’s unique offerings. This analysis not only informed our strategic direction but also provided a competitive advantage in curating a more seamless, personalized, and engaging wine subscription experience.

Three panels from Winc's wine preference quiz. Panel 1 asks about coffee preferences; options range from strong & black to not drinking coffee. Panel 2 inquires about enjoying earthy flavors like mushrooms with answers from loving to disliking them. Panel 3 asks for a preference between red or white wines, with choices including all red, mostly red, all white, mostly white, or a mix.

CURRENT QUIZ PALATE EXPERIENCE

I captured screenshots of the existing palate quiz to document its current state and identify areas for future design improvements. This visual record helps analyze UI, interactions, and content, ensuring informed, data-driven design decisions while aligning stakeholders on key enhancements.

Four quadrants with sticky notes labeled: What's Working, Needs Improvement, Further Exploration, Ideas. Each section contains text about user experiences and suggestions related to a wine quiz.

Current UX Audit

I facilitated an affinity mapping session with the Winc team to conduct a full audit of their current palate quiz experience. We started by gathering qualitative and quantitative data, analyzing user feedback, and identifying key pain points. To deepen our insights, we watched recorded user sessions to observe real interactions and uncover friction points in the quiz flow. As a team, we grouped recurring themes and patterns, which helped us pinpoint areas for improvement.

DEFINE

DEFINE

Turn research into clear objectives, create a roadmap, and establish product priorities.

Venn diagram with three overlapping circles labeled Business Goals, User Needs, and Technical Restraints. Each section contains related bullet points. Business Goals include increasing completion rates and updating quiz UI. User Needs include completing quizzes faster. Technical Restraints include leveraging existing design components. Overlapping areas integrate these aspects.

Aligned Project Goals

In collaboration with the Creative director, I facilitated a meeting to align on business, user goals, and tech restraints for this project. Having this clear overview helps the team stay aligned and make better decisions. The diagram acts as a useful reference for everyone involved, making the development process more efficient and focused. 

A table listing features for software development, categorized into three priorities: P1 Must Have, P2 Nice to Have, and P3 Future Have. Each feature includes a name, description, and support method. Examples from P1 include 'Optimize questions' with usability tests, and from P2 'Wine list customization optimizations' with user interviews. P3 features, like 'Wine experience exploration,' are supported by user interviews.

Product Roadmap

As the lead UX designer, I developed a comprehensive product feature roadmap to translate strategic objectives into actionable steps. This process involved systematically outlining potential features, detailing their functionalities, and determining the most effective methods for further refinement. By leveraging data-driven insights, I prioritized features that would deliver the greatest value to both users and business objectives, ensuring a focused and impactful product development approach.

IDEATE

IDEATE

Brainstorm, refine ideas, and explore different approaches to shape the product’s direction.

Flowchart of a wine preference quiz with questions about wine choices, regions, and flavors, leading to email collection and personalized wine recommendations.

User flow

I collaborated with the Winc team to refine the user flow, incorporating new questions, content updates, and UX improvements. Aligning with the product team was crucial to ensure a seamless, user-friendly experience that met both business and user needs. Through iterative feedback, we crafted a streamlined journey that enhanced personalization and supported Winc’s mission of better wine discovery.

Wireframe of a wine selection quiz with multiple-choice questions on preferences and flavors. Includes screens on red/white wine preference, favorite flavors, snack preferences, wine regions, wine shopping habits, and additional wine interests. Ends with a wine recommendation summary.

Low-fidelity wireframes

I designed wireframes for Winc’s updated Palate Quiz to establish its layout and structure before advancing to detailed design and development. This process allowed for early testing of user flows, navigation, and functionality, ensuring a more intuitive and engaging experience. Wireframing also facilitated collaboration by aligning designers, developers, and stakeholders on a clear vision, streamlining the path toward an optimized and user-centric quiz.

Prototype

Prototype

Develop a functional model to replicate the user experience and validate features before full development.

Wine delivery service website design concept showing product listings of various wines, including 'Cheeky Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Rosé.' Includes font styles, text, and background color selections on the right.

Branding / Design system

I worked with the Winc team to integrate their design system and new brand identity into high-fidelity wireframes, ensuring a cohesive and intuitive user experience. Aligning with their design guidelines maintained consistency in UI elements, while incorporating brand attributes enhanced engagement and recognition. These components were essential in creating a seamless, on-brand Palate Quiz.

Image depicting a series of screenshots from a wine selection app. The screens ask users about their wine preferences, including preferences for red or white wine, flavors they enjoy, preferred wine regions, and what other drinks or occasions they are interested in. Some screens display maps and illustrations related to wine choices.
Series of wine subscription app screenshots showing personalized wine recommendations, offer details for buying 4 bottles, descriptions of wine varieties, and steps on how the subscription service works.

DESIGN EXPLORATIONS

I explored various design options for each step of the palate quiz, aligning them with the existing design style to maintain consistency and user familiarity. By iterating on layouts, typography, and visual hierarchy, I tested how different visual cues influenced user engagement and comprehension. Internally, we assessed these variations to determine which elements best guided users through the quiz, ensuring clarity and ease of interaction.

Wine quiz user interface from Winc featuring questions about wine preferences, regions, flavors, and other beverage interests to generate personalized recommendations.

High-fidelity PROTOTYPE

I developed the first version of high-fidelity wireframes for testing to provide a realistic and interactive representation of the Palate Quiz. This version allowed the team to evaluate design elements, interactions, and usability in a more concrete way, offering valuable insights for refinement. Creating these wireframes early in the process was essential for the research phase, as it helped identify potential issues, validate design decisions, and align the team on a unified vision. It also facilitated better communication with stakeholders, ensuring that design choices were data-driven and aligned with both user needs and business goals.

TESTING

TESTING

Assess how well users can achieve their goals with the product & identify potential pain points

A document outlining research objectives and setup for a study on online wine purchasing behavior. Objectives include evaluating quiz question clarity, measuring personalized wine recommendation effectiveness, and understanding user engagement. The setup involves testing with 5 U.S. consumers using a prototype via desktop/mobile on Userbrain in February 2022. The screener section includes questions on the frequency of online wine purchases and past experiences with wine quizzes.
Survey titled 'Research Questions' with sections on General Usability & Navigation, Effectiveness of Quiz Questions, Personalized Wine Recommendations, and Overall User Experience, each containing detailed questions about a wine quiz.

User Testing

Leveraging our high-fidelity wireframes, I designed a prototype to mimic the app's functionality for our research participants. I put together a research plan that details how we will test the palate quiz to better understand how to improve conversion and satisfaction.

User Testing Objectives:

  • Evaluate the Clarity and Relevance of Quiz Questions

  • Measure the Effectiveness of Personalized Wine Recommendations

  • Understand User Willingness to Engage Further with the Website

Three red circles with text: "100% Total completion rate," "5 of 5 Said questions seemed relevant to understand palette," "60% Said they would purchase recommendations," and a note below: "All users were able to complete the journey without friction. Question effectiveness and personalization were most important."

Usability testing results

The usability test confirmed a smooth and engaging user experience, with a 100% completion rate. All participants found the questions relevant for understanding their preferences, reinforcing the effectiveness of personalization. Additionally, 60% indicated they would purchase the recommended products, highlighting the potential of tailored suggestions to drive engagement and conversions.

Three testimonial reviews in rounded-corner boxes with quotes about a wine recommendation quiz from Isabel, Alex, and Kevin. Each quote includes age and device type details.

User Quotes

Based on usability test feedback, participants responded positively to the quiz experience. The questions were engaging and thought-provoking, though some repetitiveness was noted. Wine recommendations were well-received, with strong purchase intent expressed. Users showed interest in additional functionality, particularly post-quiz filtering options to further refine results. Overall, the core experience is effective but could be improved by reducing question redundancy and implementing refinement features after quiz completion.

A segmented note board with four sections: "What's Working," "Needs Improvement," "Further Exploration," and "Ideas," each containing sticky notes with various feedback and suggestions.

Affinity Map

I facilitated an affinity mapping session with the team to synthesize insights from user testing on the updated palate quiz design. We organized findings into four key categories, helping us pinpoint strengths, areas for improvement, and opportunities for refinement. By structuring feedback this way, we gained clear direction for enhancing the quiz, ensuring it is intuitive, engaging, and effective in delivering personalized wine recommendations. These insights will guide the next phase of product development.

OUTCOMES

OUTCOMES

Performance metrics, testing insights, project reflection & next steps in product development.

Key Results

  • 28.57%

    28.57% increase in quiz conversion

  • 2mins

    2mins decrease in quiz completion time

  • 6%

    6% increase in wine selections

Flowchart outlining steps: "Next Steps," "Audit," "Prioritize," "Experiment," "Design," "Release." Each step has a description box explaining actions such as user feedback collection, testing changes, and performance evaluation.

NEXT StEPS

I developed a strategic timeline for the post Palate Quiz launch, outlining key milestones to assess its performance and align our efforts with business objectives. This plan included post-launch usability testing, data analysis on user engagement, and tracking completion rates to measure effectiveness. By establishing clear evaluation metrics, we aimed to identify areas for optimization and ensure the quiz not only provided a seamless user experience but also drove meaningful business outcomes.

FINAL DESIGNS

Four smartphone screens showing a wine selection app interface, including wine preference questions and personalized recommendations from Winc.
Screenshots of a wine selection app quiz with various questions about wine preferences, flavors, regions, and purchase habits. It includes results and wine recommendations based on the quiz answers.