How can an emerging brand deepen the connection with its consumers through sensory design? 

About Ilan Dei Studio (IDV)

Ilan Dei Studio is a creative design studio located in Venice, California. Founded by Ilan Dei, a talented designer and artist, the studio is renowned for its innovative and artistic approach to design. Venice, California, with its vibrant and eclectic atmosphere, serves as a fitting backdrop for the studio's work.

Ilan Dei Studio specializes in creating unique and functional designs that often incorporate elements of art, sustainability, and urban living. Their projects span a wide range of areas, including furniture, interiors, public installations, and outdoor structures. Their work often combines aesthetics with practicality, resulting in pieces that are not only visually appealing but also highly functional.

The studio's designs often reflect the spirit of Venice Beach and its surrounding community, where creativity and a laid-back lifestyle converge. Ilan Dei Studio has a strong commitment to sustainable and eco-friendly design principles, which are reflected in their choice of materials and production methods.

Over the years, the studio has gained recognition for its distinctive and thoughtful designs, contributing to the rich artistic and design culture of Venice, California, and beyond.

Create a sensory experience in a retail environment that delivers brand messaging through active engagement.

Brand Values

Nature Bound
A mindful approach to
urban outdoor living. 

Hyper Local
Material sourcing and using assets to the fullest extent. Community and environmental responsibility through avoiding waste. 

Relationship
Creating jobs and connecting
with customers. 

Content Strategy

Each touchpoint through the space drew on a multi sensory experience that reflected the brand values to ensure critical messages stick. 

Front window  
A key element to grab foot traffic and entice them to enter the store. 

Platform
To capture insights to deepen relationships, the Kickstarter narrative was deployed to engage the customers. 

Main Stage
To deliver the brand message of nature bound, a self guided experience that
connects Ilan Dei studio and IDV.

Bike Valet

Find your moment of relaxation as you gracefully secure your bicycle onto the cutting-edge Vert Bike Rack prototype, a remarkable creation by IDV, short for Ilan Dei Studio, a name synonymous with innovative design.

Facilitate discovery, Uncover the Story

Take a peek into the video portals to explore the reasons behind Ilan Dei Studio's creations, their process in bringing them to life, and the significance of urban outdoor living according to the creative minds behind the designs.

To fortify the content strategy, a series of video portals were meticulously crafted. These video portals serve as a medium to provide each of the brands—Relationships, Hyperlocal, and Nature Bound—with a unique and compelling narrative, effectively highlighting their individual values and identity.

#GoOutsideandBe

Captivating, shareable moments on Instagram ignite lively participation, cultivate brand recognition via user-generated content, and establish a distinct sense of locale for both the photographer and their social connections.

Interviewee Quote

“We hang out. Our dogs hang out. Never have I known
so many of my neighbors as I do living in Venice.”

- K.C.

Overview

IDV products serve as catalysts for creativity and optimism, fostering dialogues and social gatherings. Within the walls of Ilan Dei Venice, their team diligently crafts furniture and accessories tailored for Urban Outdoor Living, igniting the inspiration for a life that transcends indoor boundaries.

Every product they offer is meticulously designed and rigorously tested right in the heart of Venice, California, with the final manufacturing process taking place in Los Angeles. As an extension of the longstanding Ilan Dei Studio, with a rich design and fabrication legacy spanning over 25 years in Venice, their commitment to innovative and quality creations remains unwavering.

Challenge

In what ways can a burgeoning brand strengthen its relationship with consumers using sensory design?

Opportunity

Craft a sensory encounter within a retail setting that effectively communicates brand messaging through dynamic engagement.

Role

Spatial UX Design
Environment
Brand Strategy

Skills

Rhino and Vray
Solidworks
Abobe Creative Suite
Research
Personas
Prototypes

Collaboration with

Nicholas Jayanty, IxD
Christian Romo, Graphic Design

Identifying Needs and Values

To implement a human-centered design approach in this project, we commenced with thorough research aimed at comprehending and, ultimately, harmonizing the needs and values of IDV's internal stakeholders, current users, and prospective customers.

Subject Matter Expert Interviews
 

Stakeholders included:

• Ilan Dei

• Rick Smith- Brand manager

• Molly- Designer

• Andrew- Designer

• Kerri Fennelli- IDV store manager

Through these multiple stakeholder interviews that main conclusion, was that nobody knows that Ilan Dei Studio is 3 blocks away from IDV and Ilan's customers do not know his brand values. 

Active Engagement

Ilan Dei
Insight: It's about making the outdoors a little more comfortable
Opportunity: Provide customers with products they can engage with

Rick Smith
Insight: We don't have a dedicated marketing person
Opportunity: Integrate brand messaging

Kerri Fennelli
Insight: The space is to big for one person to covert we only have one associate per shift
Opportunity: Self guided experience

Andrew
Insight: I designed the rack from my experience
Opportunity: Usability tests

Brand Centric Messaging

Ilan Dei
Insight: We don't just design and manufacture hyper locally, we also design products for our local community
Opportunity: Extending hyper local into the space

Rick Smith
Insight: We try to manufacture within a 50 mile radius
Opportunity: Communicate the hyper local commitment

Kerri Fennelli
Insight: Nobody knows IDV stands for Ilan Dei Venice or that our studio is 3 blocks away
Opportunity: Reinforce IDV to IDS and Venice

Andrew
Insight: The origin of the bike rack came from customer feedback
Opportunity: Communicate or illustrate how that story aligns with the brand values
 

Julia
Mid 30’s
Married with 2 children
Stay at home mom
Lives in Venice, CA
Education: Bachelors of Art in Art History
Quote
“I feel you can turn something in to something totally different. Make it your own. Make it uniquely yours.” 
Goals
I’m planning on relandscaping my backyard to be more drought tolerant and I need to shop for new furniture to go with it
Pain Points
Finding time for herself
Hard to find furniture that is durable and stylish
It is hard to find honest brands
Motivations
I want my impact to be felt by those I love
I want to feel proud of where I live
I want to be concious of my community and my environment

Vanessa
29
Single
Young Professional
Rents a condo in Venice, CA
Marketing Professional
Education: Master in Marketing
Quote
“Neighborhood walks, houses, I like houses a lot, how they have things set up or just architecture, so much good architecture in Venice.” 
Goals
I want to align with a cool brand
I want to be inspired whenever I go to IDV
I want to find a gift for a friend
Pain Points
It is hard to find products that are truly unique
It is hard to find products that are environmentally conscious
I can’t invest in furniture until I am more settled  
Motivations
I want to be a leader
I want my work and my life to be meaningful
I feel like I have so much to learn

Steven
48
Single
Corporate Interiors
Owns a home in Culver City
Corporate Interior Designer
Education: Master in Architecture
Quote
“You can’t put a price on great taste”
Goals
I want to understand my clients needs
I want to quickly find the information I need for products
I need the process of browsing, shopping, purchasing and delivery to happen as quickly as possible
Pain Points
I don’t always have the time to go see the product in the store
It is hard to figure out color options
I don’t get updated with new products often enough
Motivations
I want to be the best
I want to enjoy my life
I need to take better care of myself

3 blocks from where you are standing:
Mapping brand values to spatial experience

During the process of conducting user research, I took the lead in orchestrating insightful interviews and interactions. Our research affirmed that IDV's visual identity was undeniably appealing to the target audience. Yet, a notable challenge came to light – the concealed nature of IDV's brand narrative. In response, I guided the team in pinpointing crucial interaction points and crafting customized content pieces for each brand value. These efforts collectively breathed life into the brand's narrative, ensuring that it resonated with its audience and creating a truly engaging and immersive experience.

Sensory Experience Objectives

Working collaboratively, we meticulously selected key areas, taking into account the circulation and flow, and carefully delineated the overarching objectives for the entire experiential journey.

As the spatial UX designer, I played a pivotal role in this process. I leveraged my expertise to ensure that every design element went beyond the conventional role of static signage. Instead, they were strategically crafted to enable customers to engage actively with the brand, fostering purposeful micro-interactions within the spatial environment. This approach was integral in creating a dynamic and immersive sensory experience for IDV's store visitors.

Content Delivery

In accordance with the content strategy, the IDV showroom was meticulously structured around the core brand values, ensuring seamless alignment with the significance embodied by each value.

As the spatial UX designer, I harnessed the adaptable nature of the pegboard to configure the space into engaging vignettes. These curated areas not only served as informative hubs about IDV but also encouraged visitor interaction with products. Furthermore, they provided an aesthetically pleasing backdrop for tourists and customers, offering a wellspring of inspiration within the store.

Prominently featuring the central IDV tagline, we established a spatial call to action that captured attention. Complementary messages were thoughtfully placed within strategic portals, creating a harmonious blend of messaging while granting each brand value an intimate platform to shine.

Form Language

Leveraging my role, we derived design principles from the aesthetics and themes of the rack itself, which then served as the foundation for the containers we crafted.

Final Form Language

In my role, we meticulously wove a comprehensive narrative by infusing each image with the IDV color palette. These boards were thoughtfully prepared for effortless installation onto the existing peg system within the space, maintaining consistent dimensions for seamless integration.

As part of the process, I led interviews with local Venice residents, and we drew inspiration from their insights. Each board featured a quote extracted from these interviews, ensuring that the genuine local perspective was authentically displayed within the final context.

Grammable

We assessed the "shareable" aspects of each vignette to cater to a wide range of user groups. Our user research revealed that the majority of tourists generated selfie content, whereas the target customers were primarily interested in product-focused vignettes that conveyed a narrative and opportunities for capturing their children in inspirational settings. To strike a harmonious balance between these photographic preferences, the space was meticulously designed to maximize various photographic opportunities.

Vital Prototyping Stages

Iterate, refine, and test repeatedly. From initial concepts on paper to cardboard mock-ups, from MDF models to the ultimate prototypes. The journey involved discerning what functions effectively and identifying areas that require improvement. Critical prototyping emerged as an indispensable component of our process, and it was within my capacity to meticulously craft, design, and construct these prototypes, facilitating the exploration of what worked and what needed refinement.

In Store Usability Testing

Creating prototypes with a focus on user experience underscores a dedication to fostering customer relationships and signifies a chance to gain deeper insights into the product's strengths while uncovering avenues for refining the ultimate design.

This approach also extends an invitation to potential Kickstarter supporters to interact with the product prior to making a commitment, effectively showcasing the studio's unwavering enthusiasm for crafting the finest possible product.

Key Takeaways and Contributions

My experience leading the team on this project has provided valuable insights into the realm of project management with numerous stakeholders and collaborators involved.

One of the significant challenges I encountered was the intricacy of establishing a meaningful connection with users, particularly when sourcing them from within my personal network. This underscored the significance of reaching a diverse and unbiased user base for comprehensive feedback.

Testing and prototyping within the context of human-centered design furthered my understanding of space dynamics, enabling us to gather user feedback for swift design iterations. This method also emphasized the art of designing micro-interactions within the space to create a holistic brand experience.

Reflecting on the project's launch, we realized the importance of having a well-structured plan in place to systematically collect customer data for future synthesis. This illuminated an opportunity for more meticulous planning in future endeavors.

Looking forward, there are opportunities to cement the portal's final design as a permanent fixture in the space, and to enhance its functionality by installing a power source for seamless video playback, reducing reliance on battery power.