I started by reflecting on the common pitfalls of existing configurators in the automotive and luxury sectors. Most are cluttered, desktop-centric tools packed with options that overwhelm users, especially on mobile.
The typical experience is chaotic, not delightful — which is a big problem because configurators are key touchpoints for user engagement and purchase decisions.
The challenge felt clear: how can I transform the configurator into a progressive enhancement experience that is intuitive and elegant across all devices, but especially on mobile, where most users now live?
Next, I dug into web traffic data and user behavior research. It was striking that mobile devices now drive roughly 62–64% of global internet traffic, a clear majority, with desktop usage steadily declining. Ignoring this shift means ignoring most users.
I recalled my own 2023 user research on the previous HOME Configurator 1.0, which confirmed this: 60%+ of participants preferred mobile navigation. This personal data aligned well with broader market trends and helped justify the mobile-first strategy.
Mobile isn’t just a smaller screen — it’s a unique platform with accessibility and interaction advantages that desktops can’t match:
This opened my eyes to mobile’s potential not only as a compromise but as a genuinely superior channel for engagement and accessibility.
With these insights, I framed the core design challenges:
<aside>
Avoid chaos: Condense and prioritize choices, showing only the most relevant options upfront and layering complexity progressively.
</aside>
<aside>
Mobile-first but not mobile-only: Designs must be fluid, scaling beautifully up to desktop without penalizing smaller devices.
</aside>