E-commerce for a family-owned handmade pasta business

Introduction

Designing an e-commerce platform for De Grandi Artisanal Pasta was like crafting a digital bowl of handmade pasta—each detail carefully shaped to bring the client’s passion for tradition and quality to life online. This project, completed as part of a UX/UI design bootcamp, challenged me to merge the warmth of a family-owned business with the efficiency of modern technology. Here’s how I brought this vision to life.

About the client

De Grandi Artisanal Pasta isn’t just a business; it’s a story of family, tradition, and a love for authentic Italian recipes passed down through generations. Known for their dedication to quality, the De Grandi family sought to share their craft with a wider audience. Their dream? A digital storefront as inviting as their handmade pasta.

The challenge

Picture a bustling market stall filled with the aroma of freshly made pasta—and now imagine transforming that sensory experience into a seamless online shop. The challenges included:

  • Introducing e-commerce to an audience more accustomed to in-person shopping.
  • Preserving the warmth and authenticity of the De Grandi brand in a digital space.
  • Ensuring a user-friendly experience for customers of all tech skill levels.

Project goals

  1. Create an inviting e-commerce experience that reflects the brand’s heart and heritage.
  2. Simplify the user journey, making it easy for anyone to browse, trust, and purchase.
  3. Highlight the craftsmanship behind the pasta to connect emotionally with customers.

Research and Discoveries

To design a platform that felt like an extension of the De Grandi market stall, I dove into the world of their customers:

  • User Interviews: I spoke with 10 pasta lovers, each with unique shopping habits. One phrase stuck with me: “I want to feel like I’m tasting the story behind the product.” This guided the emphasis on storytelling throughout the design.
  • Competitive Analysis: Competitor platforms often felt sterile, missing the emotional connection small businesses thrive on. This inspired me to weave trust signals, like testimonials, into key touchpoints.
  • Personas and User Journeys: Maria, the loyal customer craving convenience, and Thomas, the curious foodie searching for authenticity, became my guiding lights. Their needs shaped every design decision.

Design process

  1. Wireframes: The initial sketches were like a pasta dough—a rough foundation waiting to be refined. Each page, from the homepage to checkout, was structured for clarity and simplicity.
  2. Visual Design: The visual palette drew inspiration from sunlit Italian kitchens: warm earth tones, rustic textures, and subtle nods to traditional patterns. These elements turned the website into a digital embodiment of De Grandi’s values.
  3. Prototyping: A high-fidelity prototype brought the vision to life. Navigating the site felt like flipping through a family recipe book—intuitive, warm, and inviting.
  4. Usability Testing: Like perfecting a pasta recipe, testing revealed areas for improvement. I adjusted navigation for ease, introduced a “Frequently Bought Together” feature, and smoothed the checkout process to remove any “lumps” in the user journey.

Final design

The final product was more than just an e-commerce site; it was a digital extension of De Grandi’s heart and soul:

  • A homepage that welcomed users with stories, vibrant visuals, and a taste of tradition.
  • Product pages designed to feel personal, with high-quality images and rich descriptions.
  • A checkout process as smooth as a perfectly rolled pasta dough, ensuring trust and ease.
  • Mobile optimization to serve customers wherever their cravings struck.

Main Flow

Fast, simple and beautiful. Taste the best handmade pasta in few clicks.

Subscription Plan

With this, the customer can save money and time ordering every month and tasting new combinations made exclusively to them.

Reseller Flow

An exclusive page dedicated to people that has interest to resell De Grandi products.

Results and impacts

Though conceptual, the design received glowing feedback from peers and mentors. Usability tests showed a 40% increase in task completion speed, and users described the platform as “welcoming” and “trustworthy.” If implemented, this design would likely expand De Grandi’s reach, blending the charm of their market stall with the power of digital commerce.

Learning and reflections

Designing for De Grandi taught me the value of storytelling in UX/UI. Every choice—from color schemes to micro-interactions—was a chance to reflect the brand’s essence. I honed my research, prototyping, and usability testing skills, but most importantly, I learned how to connect a business’s heart with its audience. In the future, I’d explore more A/B testing to refine conversion pathways and further enhance the experience.

Conclusion

This project was a testament to the power of blending strategy with storytelling. Like a well-prepared meal, every element worked together to create something memorable. I look forward to bringing this same passion to future challenges, crafting designs that connect deeply with users and achieve meaningful results.

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