Pixieset Web Builder2018-2019
Pixieset is an all-in-one platform for modern photographers, offering photo client galleries, websites, online stores and studio management software tools.
Overview
The goal of this project was to design an intuitive and flexible website builder that empowers photographers to create portfolio sites with ease that provide professional aesthetics, and functional flexibility to cater to photographers with varying technical proficiencies and creative needs.
Problem Statement
Photographers often lack the resources to create professional-grade websites that effectively showcase their portfolios. The challenge was to design a versatile and visually cohesive system of website themes while maintaining user-friendliness and customization capabilities.
Research
Competitive Benchmarking
During our competitor analysis, we identified that many website builders either lacked the necessary tools for photographers or provided too much customization without guidance, leading to inconsistent and overwhelming design choices. Our goal was to create a website builder that balanced creative flexibility with structure, ensuring that photographers could easily create professional, visually stunning websites without needing extensive design or technical expertise.
Key Insights
- Website builders can be complicated and involve learning how to use a completely new tool.
- Since Pixieset is specifically designed for photographers, it has a more niche focus and ideal design options compared to general website builders.
- Photographers need a platform with easy-to-use customization tools, mobile responsiveness, and design themes that allow them to showcase their unique creative work.
Design Process
Competitive Analysis
I conducted a competitive analysis to understand how other website builders approached similar challenges and what features they offered to their users.
Sketches & Wireframes
A lot of web builders are crowded with confusing systems that need to be learned from scratch. We wanted to Pixieset web builder to be easy for anyone to pick up and use straight out of the gate.
The ability to choose a theme as well as the system to add new blocks and ability to adjust and personalize the designs (everything from typography styles, colour palettes and animations) were very important to the overall user experience of the Pixieset web builder.
Interaction Design
In terms of choosing a theme, as well as being able to adjust the blocks within the content builder, I knew that instead of presenting the user with a blank slate, it would make more sense to show them how to use the builder by having them start out with an already polished and beautiful website. They could simply edit and change the copy and images to their own, or they could dive in and really get granular in adjusting the different kinds of content blocks.
The Add Block system needed to be very clear as well, the user needed to be able to see and understand what each block's appearance and functionality was at a small size.
Builder
Every photographer's style is unique, and their website should reflect that. The Pixieset website builder was built to offer a collection of beautifully designed themes, each crafted with distinct colour palettes, typography, button styles, and layout structures to suit different creative visions.
Whether a photographer preferred a clean and minimal grid, a bold split-screen layout, or a classic single-column showcase, the themes provided a polished foundation that would be both visually stunning and easy to customize.
Final Solution
The culmination of our efforts is a robust website builder that empowers photographers to create personalized, professional websites with ease. The platform offers a variety of customization options, including SEO optimization, analytics, and an online store/gallery, allowing users to tailor their sites to their specific needs.
Photographers utilizing the Pixieset website builder have experienced streamlined workflows, integrating various aspects of their business—from website creation to client management—into a single platform. This consolidation has led to increased efficiency and a more cohesive online presence.
