UX/UI
design
Student
Min roll
Background
The project was carried out in collaboration with Caroline Thunstedt, CEO of Idun Minerals. The task was to propose ways for Idun Minerals to further develop their business concept. An important aspect was that the suggestions align with the company’s core operations and identity, while also being forward-thinking and innovative.
The products are primarily sold online through the company’s website, but are also available in select physical stores. They are marketed through collaborations with paid influencers as well as unpaid promotion by private individuals.
Project leader: responsible for maintaining the project timeline and organizing the workflow. Ensured all team members felt included and managed task allocation
Participated in the SWOT analysis
Conducted a market and competitor analysis
PESTEL analysis
Physical Store Visits: Observed how the products were displayed in-store and assessed the staff’s knowledge of the products compared to other brands
Reflection
This project provided valuable experience in analyzing a company’s current position and identifying growth opportunities. Conducting store visits, competitor analysis, and applying SWOT and PESTEL frameworks gave a well-rounded understanding of Idun Minerals’ market and challenges. Presenting actionable recommendations to benefit a company is an approach I have carried into other projects. I hope that our recommendations were valuable for Carolina and Idun Minerals.
Results
PESTEL Analysis
We also conducted a PESTEL analysis to gain a broader perspective on the company and its challenges.
Purpose and Duration
Assist Idun Minerals in developing their concept and propose actionable recommendations for the company’s continued growth.
Duration: 2 weeks (February 3, 2025 – February 14, 2025)
Participants: 5 Experience Design students
Idun Minerals
Work Process
Prior Knowledge:
Some team members were already familiar with Idun and regularly use makeup, which helped us gain insights into the industry. Additionally, several members had retail experience, which we leveraged to better understand the target consumer group.
Results:
Product displays varied between stores, and staff knowledge of the products also differed. In 2 out of 3 stores, we were primarily recommended other brands instead of Idun Minerals’ products.
Idun Minerals’ products are designed to be as environmentally conscious as possible, and the company wants to ensure that in-store staff can effectively communicate this to customers. According to Idun, this is achieved through staff training, where the products are provided for hands-on learning.
Store Visits and Competitor Analysis:
We examined how the products are displayed in-store, their presentation standards, and the staff’s knowledge of the products compared to other brands. To gather this information, we conducted three physical store visits, posing as customers searching for mascara and eyeshadow.
SWOT Analysis
Key Insights
The SWOT analysis provided a comprehensive understanding of Idun Minerals’ current situation and potential opportunities. Key findings included:
Strengths: Media and magazine visibility, strong environmental initiatives, and extensive knowledge of cosmetics.
Weaknesses/Threats: Many competitors in the same market, products perceived as expensive compared to other brands, and potential impacts from global events (e.g., in the USA).
Opportunities: Numerous growth opportunities, which formed the basis for our recommendations.
We presented three actionable recommendations aimed at strengthening Idun Minerals’ brand, reaching more customers, and improving profitability.
A foundation product with three different variations tailored to user preferences, taking into account season, skin tone, and suitability for beginners in makeup.
Focus on sustainability and recycling. More packaging should be reusable so that only the product is replaced instead of the entire container. This approach benefits both the environment and the customer’s budget, as it is cheaper than purchasing a completely new product.
A loyalty program designed to build a base of loyal customers. Participants receive different benefits depending on their tier, which over time increases customer satisfaction and encourages word-of-mouth recommendations.
Prioritization
We ranked the recommendations based on their potential impact on customer satisfaction relative to implementation cost:
Loyalty Program: Familiar to customers from other brands, but the most expensive to implement due to technical requirements. Such projects tend to be costly.
Starter Kit: Helps customers quickly navigate the product range and choose a predefined set. The products already exist on the market and just need to be packaged together.
Refill System: Offers high customer value at the lowest cost since the packaging is already made from sustainable materials. However, it will take time to phase out the old products before the new refill system is fully implemented.
Additional Recommendations
Knowing which products suit an individual can be challenging. We suggest offering an AI-powered analysis that assesses skin type via the camera or through a completed questionnaire.
Expanding reach through collaborations with hotels and the travel industry, which could offer Idun products through their services. This increases brand exposure and drives additional sales.
My role
Project Leader, Business Development, Data Analysis, Recommendations