Improving the gift finding experience for Lego
I led a team consisting of 2 designers, a data scientist, and a software engineer during a 24-hour hackathon to help busy parents find the right gift for their child.
TIMELINE
24 hours
ROLE
Lead Designer
TEAM
2 Designers
1 Data Scientist
1 Software Engineer
TOOLS
Figma
FigJam
CONTEXT
I participated in a 24-hour hackathon hosted by the Lego Group and Brainstation London, where I teamed up with a designer, a data scientist and a software engineer to improve Lego’s gift finding experience.
SOLUTION
Given the short timeframe, we wanted to focus on two aspects of the gift finding experience. First, making the experience smoother and faster for parents who might be overwhelmed by all the available options. Second, we wanted to leverage Lego’s status as a pioneer in child development research to highlight the fact that LEGO isn't just about building models it's about building ideas, connections, and a lifelong love for creativity and play.
PROBLEM
When selecting a gift for a child, adults often struggle finding the right choice to please young ones. This is due to the rapidly changing preferences of children and the endless options for toys and products available on the market.
Making a choice requires considering factors such as the child’s age, interests, and developmental stage. Additionally, adults need to find the balance between educational value and entertainment, ensuring the gift is both enjoyable and beneficial for the child’s growth. Lastly, occasions such as birthdays and Christmas create high-pressure situations where the expectations for finding the perfect gift are elevated.
How might we assist adults in selecting the right gift for a kid’s birthday?
legacy gift finding experience
Dynamic recommendation updates
The legacy gift giving experience asked users to fill out a questionnaire before generating a list of recommendations. If the parents are not happy with the recommendations or want to adjust some filters, they have to restart the whole process from the beginning. Our redesign implements a dynamic recommendation system, where parents can adjust requirements as they go until they see something they are happy with.
Building ideas, not just models
Lego isn't just about building models – it's about building ideas, connections, and a lifelong love for creativity and play. Since 78% of parents care about the educational value of toys when choosing a gift, we wanted to highlight the educational benefits of the toys. In the redesigned gift-giving experience, we let the parents browse toys by the type of skill they could help kids develop.