Digital Experiences for Retail : Designing the next evolution in shopping :: Presentations :: Interaction10

Session Title

Digital Experiences for Retail : Designing the next evolution in shopping

Presenter

Geetika Agrawal, R/GA

Session Type: Presentation

User behaviors centered around shopping have transformed and evolved drastically over the last few years. The boundaries between online and offline shopping have blurred and people expect similar capabilities in retail experiences as they do on the Internet – like user reviews, product comparison, personalization, customization and social shopping. Also, ambient and mobile technologies have proliferated our physical environments and is being increasingly used to create dynamic customer interactions. A key challenge for retail environments is discovering ways to serve this extremely well-informed and fickle audience with in-store experiences that elevates brand perception and helps purchase decisions at point of sale.

Smart retailers and brand marketers are responding by creating new business models and cross-channel strategies that is leading to the next evolution in shopping. As interaction designers, it is our responsibility to help shape these shopping experiences to make them more meaningful and memorable. Some interesting areas of innovation for Interaction Designers to explore are integrated immersive experiences, group user generated content, way-finding, shopping lists, self-checkout using mobile device and tools for sales associates that help them serve shoppers better.

During this session, we will look at some examples of best in class and talk about best practices that can help elevate the brand, increase sales and improve user-experience in retail environments.

Biography

Geetika Agrawal is a Sr. Interaction Designer at R/GA. Her expertise is in designing cross-channel user-experiences across digital marketing campaigns, transactional experiences, rich internet applications, consumer devices, physical environments and events. Since joining R/GA in 2008, she has worked for a diverse range of clients like Nokia, Walmart, Barnes & Noble, Pepsico and American Eagle Outfitters. She is responsible for systematic design, user-interfaces and providing vision for next generation of user-experiences across multiple channels.

Before joining R/GA, Geetika has experience working on both online and offline projects at Disney Imagineering, Wet Design and various digital agencies in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Her projects varied from cutting-edge location based interactive game for Epcot Center to next generation consumer devices for Microsoft, experiential concepts for large architectural sculptures for City Center in Las Vegas to designing stage sets for India’s prime royal palaces. She has led interaction design for various clients like Microsoft, MTV and Advanta and has also co-produced large scale events bringing together architecture, sound, art and emerging technologies.

Geetika has a Bachelor’s in Interior Architecture from India and a Masters in Industrial Design from Art Center College of Design.