Otaku Haven Store is an e-commerce app that provides a platform for anime lovers interested in buying anime-related products such as merchandise, figurines, accessories, etc.

This case study is a concept&nbsp;project&nbsp;that aims to provide anime lovers with a delightful and intuitive experience.&nbsp;

Anime-related merchandise has been gaining popularity in India, especially among younger audiences.

The India anime market size is projected to exhibit a growth rate (CAGR) of 12% during 2024–2032.&nbsp;

People who watch and follow anime (usually aged between 15–35 years) and want to order merchandise and other related stuff online.

After analyzing different apps such as KiayaxAnime and TOM Shop I noticed a common pattern of poor user experience.

I created multiple iterations of each flow and prototyped them to evaluate their performance and identify the most effective iteration.

&nbsp;Quick access at the tip of your thumb&nbsp;👍 - Navigation Bar

&nbsp;For mobile apps, screen real estate is limited and a navigation bar provides convenient access without having to dig through menus.

Hamburger Menu - The hidden treasure of features

It is ideal for secondary navigation elements that users do not need immediate access to but still need to be available.

🖺 Detailed product description in one place

&nbsp;I have focused on the&nbsp;price&nbsp;and&nbsp;add-to-bag button as these two are the key details and&nbsp;CTA&nbsp;user looks for while shopping.

The filter pills at the top help both users and businesses. Users can easily filter the products they are looking for, and companies can suggest custom filters based on users'&nbsp;search and shopping history, eventually increasing the conversion rate and revenue.&nbsp;&nbsp;

📍Locate your favorite anime store near you

For all the users who like to&nbsp;touch and feel&nbsp;the product before making a purchase, I have included a curated list of physical anime stores across major cities in the Aapp.

Otaku Coins - Incentive for engagement &amp; Gamification&nbsp;

Otaku Coins are a reward for purchases, encouraging users to shop more to accumulate coins, a classic gamification strategy.

Recently viewed items increase engagement

&nbsp;Prompts users to continue exploring the app by revisiting items they previously liked, which can lead to further browsing and potential purchases.

I did guerrilla testing with real users to validate the designs or test prototypes.

By observing 8 users, I found the redesign reduced the average task completion time from 5 to 3 minutes compared to similar apps in the market.&nbsp;

85% of users could complete the task i.e. search for their favorite product and successfully place an order on their own.

A hassle-free and secure way of buying your favourite anime figurines and merchandise online. 

 that aims to provide anime lovers with a delightful and intuitive experience. 

The India anime market size is projected to exhibit a growth rate (CAGR) of 12% during 2024–2032. 

Impact of Poor Visual Hierarchy on user experience

Impact of complex navigation on product searchability

How a cluttered home page creates a negative first impression of a product

Problem Discovery

Problem Statement

User and Business Goals

People who watch and follow anime (usually 

) and want to order merchandise and other related stuff online.

User Persona

Product Categories

 Quick access at the tip of your thumb 👍 - Navigation Bar

 and a navigation bar provides convenient access without having to dig through menus.

Bottom Navigation

 elements that users do not need immediate access to but still need to be available.

Product Description

The filter pills at the top help both users and businesses. Users can easily filter the products they are looking for, and companies can suggest custom filters based on users' search and shopping history, eventually 

increasing the conversion rate and revenue

Quick Product Filtering and Searchability

For all the users who like to touch and feel the product before making a purchase, I have included a curated list of physical anime stores across major cities in the Aapp.

Anime Store Locator

Different Iterations of User Profile

User Profile (Final design)

Otaku Coins - Incentive for engagement & Gamification 

Otaku Coins are a reward for purchases, encouraging users to shop more to accumulate coins, a 

Recently viewed items increase engagement

 Prompts users to continue exploring the app by revisiting items they previously liked, which can lead to further browsing and potential purchases.

 with real users to validate the designs or test prototypes.

By observing 8 users, I found the redesign reduced the average task completion time from 5 to 3 minutes compared to similar apps in the market. 

Visual Identity of Otaku Haven Store

Key learnings and Failures

Designing an e-commerce app for anime lovers — Otaku Haven Store

Working on mobile and web-based B2B products like metaVisio, metaTraffic, and PixelFace that utilize NLP, computer vision, and big data, to offer surveillance, traffic management, and identity verification.

Worked on the design of VMS (Video Management System), an added feature for the existing product 

Worked on the redesign of VoxelBox - BrainSightAI's flagship product for dynamic MRI reporting.

VoxelBox Explore uses computational neuroscience & AI to analyze large amounts of connectivity & structural data in 3 simple steps.

VoxelBox is the flagship product of BrainSightAI, designed to support healthcare professionals in advanced neuroimaging and pre-surgical planning. It enables them to -

This case study is based on a live product&nbsp;impacting real users and is part of my product design internship at BrainSightAI.&nbsp;&nbsp;

I worked with a senior product designer and cross-functionally with product managers and developers to deliver results that increased efficiency by 30%.&nbsp;

Healthcare professionals, such as surgeons, radiologists, and technicians, work under intense schedules, leaving little time to learn new software.

In the first release of VoxelBox, users struggled with usability and adoption. This highlighted the need for a redesign that was intuitive, time-efficient, and seamlessly fit into their workflows.

Because healthcare (particularly neuroscience) was a completely new sector, I decided to get a primer on the topics relevant to our work with VoxelBox.&nbsp;

First, I started the project by gathering more information about the target users I was designing for. I conducted field visits and Zoom calls to understand their perspectives and views about the product.&nbsp;

After the interviews, I gained the following insights about end users -&nbsp;

Things I would do differently...next time

I'm sure the case study has kept you hooked till now. Here are some important considerations -&nbsp;

This redesign aims to reduce friction points and seamlessly integrate VoxelBox into the daily work routine of healthcare professionals. 

 is the flagship product of BrainSightAI, designed to support healthcare professionals in advanced neuroimaging and pre-surgical planning. It enables them to -

 impacting real users and is part of my product design internship at BrainSightAI.  

I worked with a senior product designer and cross-functionally with product managers and developers to deliver results that 

Because healthcare (particularly neuroscience) was a completely new sector, I decided to get a primer on the topics relevant to our work with VoxelBox. 

First, I started the project by gathering more information about the target users I was designing for. I conducted field visits and Zoom calls to understand their perspectives and views about the product. 

After the interviews, I gained the following insights about end users - 

I'm sure the case study has kept you hooked till now. Here are some important considerations - 

Reimagining VoxelBox: A redesign to address user pain points

Prabhakar is very driven and hard working individual. He worked on a freelance project where he did through research and came up with a great ideas and took them to execution in quick time. He is passionate about his work and would be a great addition to any team he joins. Wish him the best in his career.

Rahul Saxena 

I have known Prabhakar for a long time, he has played an instrumental role in shaping the design and brand identity of my startup - HiremeClub, an AI-based hiring platform. His eye for detail and great design is something I have always admired.  He will add value to any team he works with.

Designing an e-commerce app for anime lovers — Otaku Haven Store

Prabhakar Rai