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Discovering User Journeys for Ethical Purchasing Decisions

About

Ethical purchasing can be challenging, with difficulties in verifying information and finding authentic products. This research explores user behaviors and pain points, offering insights into how digital products can help users make informed, ethical choices.

The Problem:

Consumers face difficulties in verifying the authenticity of ethical products and navigating the overwhelming amount of information surrounding sustainable purchasing. This creates confusion and barriers to making informed, ethical decisions.

My Role:

UX Researcher

The Goal:

The goal is to define what attributes a digital product would need to empower users by providing clear, objective, and user-friendly information, helping them make confident and sustainable purchasing decisions.

Responsibilities:

User interviewing, qualitative research, user persona development, empathy mapping, journey mapping

Research & Discovery

User Research Summary​

 To better understand the needs, pain points, and resources, I conducted interviews with four individuals already buying sustainably and two who are interested in buying sustainably but not yet committed.

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I found that people who are committed to sustainable purchasing often have more variables in their decision-making, such as considering products that are certified as cruelty-free or labeled as ethically sourced. They also engage in other sustainable practices like composting, reducing plastic use, growing their own food, and making long-term investments, such as installing solar panels.

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People who are interested in purchasing sustainably have the desire to make purchases that consider their preferences, but often feel overwhelmed due to factors such as price, conflicting information, or lack of access to information. As a result, they will prioritize convenience over values.

Research Questions

  • [Needs] How important is it for you to incorporate environmental concerns into your purchasing decisions?

    • How does this movement affect the average person?

  • [Behaviors] How do buyers get the information they need to make these decisions?

    • What resources are they already using?

    • What motivates them to buy sustainably

    • What concerns to do they have to buy sustainably

    • Are there any pain points in their process?

  • Do users really need an app or webpage resource to help them make informed decisions?


Method & Recruiting

  • Method

    • 30-minute in-person or video semi-structured interview to gather in-depth qualitative data

    • The researcher will use an interview script as a guide to ask follow-up questions based on answers from the users

  • Recruiting

    • 5-7 Participants

      • Working adults who are interested in or already buying products with sustainability in mind

    • Participants will be recruited through social media and email

  • Screening Questions:

    • What is your interest level in purchasing products that are considered to be sustainable, eco-friendly, etc.?

    • Not interested at all (screened out)

    • Somewhat interested

    • Extremely interested

  • When was the most recent time you purchased a new household item?

    • Less than 3 months

    • 3 months to a year

    • Over a year (screened out)

  • What device do you use primarily for researching information important to you?

    • Phone

    • Computer or tablet

    • Print resources (screened out)

    • Other

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Script

Introduction

Hi, I’m Monica, and thank you for taking part in this study. I’m working on developing a brand that sets sustainability standards and provides clear, easy-to-understand information to help people make more sustainable purchasing decisions. Before moving forward, we want to understand how people currently find information for these types of purchases and whether having this information readily accessible would truly meet a need.

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Do you mind if I record this session for note-taking purposes? The recording won’t be shared with anyone outside of our team. 

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Questions [warming up]

  1. Could you tell us more about yourself?

  2. Do you remember what started your interest in the sustainability movement?

  3. Why is this important to you now?

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Questions [needs and behaviors]

  1. What was the most recent item you purchased with sustainability in mind?
    [Motivation: gather information on participants’ current processes - pain points, likes/dislikes insights on trust factors, brand loyalty, and other influences on decision making]

    • Do you know anyone who uses the same product?

    • Was this an existing product you were replacing, or a new purchase?

    • Why did you decide to [replace] [purchase new]?

  2. Could you walk me through the steps you took when deciding to buy a new [item] with sustainability in mind?
    [Motivation: same as 1]

    • How long did it take you to decide on this?

    • Did you use any online resources to inform your decision?

    • Can you think of anything that would have made it easier to decide on purchasing this [item]?

  3. Are there any items you own currently own that you are looking to eventually replace with sustainable alternatives?
    [Motivation: gauge the mentality around commitment vs. trend & potential concerns]

    • Are there any items you currently own that you don’t see yourself ever replacing?

  4. Do you ever share with your friends, family, or community any suggestions on sustainability?
    [Motivation: gather information on word-of-mouth resources]

    • Do your friends, family, or community share things with you?

  5. Aside from purchasing items, have you done anything else to support the sustainanbility movement?
    [Motivation: supplementary information for other resource criteria such as blogs on recycling, composting, etc.)]

    • How did you learn about this?

    • How does learning about this compare to learning about which products to buy?

  6. Is there anything else you can think of that would help you in this journey?
    [Motivation: broad question for potential refinement later]

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Wrap-up

Thank you so much for sharing your experience and insights. Your answers will help our team build a better product. If you have any additional thoughts and comments, I would love to hear about them at any time. I can be reached at mgale31@gmail.com. Hope you have a wonderful day.

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Personas

Persona 1
"quote"

Demographics:

  • Age Range:

  • Education: 

  • Residence: 

  • Family: 

  • Occupation: 

Goals:

  • 1

Frustrations:

  • ​1

Persona 2
“” 

Demographics:

  • Age Range:

  • Education: 

  • Residence: 

  • Family: 

  • Occupation: 

Goals:

  • 1

Frustrations:

  • ​1

Design Process

  • Wireframes: Low-fidelity sketches and early concepts.

  • Prototyping: Mid- to high-fidelity prototypes.

  • Design Iterations: Evolution of designs based on feedback.

  • User Testing: Methods and results of usability testing.

  • Final Designs: High-fidelity screens and interactions.

  • Design System: Any reusable components, guidelines, or patterns developed.

Outcome and Impact

  • Results: How the design solved the problem (e.g., metrics, user feedback).

  • Reflection: What you learned and how you might improve the process.

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