Context:

Ita, La Tienda is an online store from Paraguay created to promote local arts and craftsmanship to customers both locally and internationally. The platform connects artisans with a broader audience while preserving cultural identity through digital commerce.

This project involved designing the platform from the ground up, defining the experience, structure, and interaction model to support product discovery, trust, and online purchasing.

My role:

As the UX Designer, I led the end-to-end design process — from discovery and concept definition to interaction design and high-fidelity UI. I collaborated with stakeholders to shape the product vision, define user flows, and create a cohesive experience that balanced business goals, artisan visibility, and usability.

Discovery:

To establish a strong foundation for the product, I explored both user expectations and the platform’s mission.

This phase included:

• Defining core user needs and motivations when purchasing handmade and local products

• Understanding artisan goals and platform value propositions

• Benchmarking e-commerce experiences that combine storytelling and commerce

• Identifying trust signals required for online purchasing

I mapped the full user journey — from discovery to checkout — to define key interactions and decision moments that would shape the product structure.

Key insights showed that users needed:

• Clear product and artisan information

• Strong visual storytelling

• Transparent purchasing processes

• Credible signals of authenticity

Design Process:

Based on discovery insights, I defined the product architecture and created low-fidelity wireframes to establish navigation, content hierarchy, and core user flows.

The design direction focused on:

• Showcasing artisan identity as a central experience element

• Supporting intuitive product exploration

• Creating a frictionless purchase journey

• Balancing emotional engagement with functional clarity
  

After validating the structure with stakeholders, I developed high-fidelity designs that integrated brand identity with usability principles. The final experience was built to support both storytelling and efficient commerce within a coherent system.

Outcome:

Designing the platform from scratch enabled a cohesive experience aligned with both user needs and platform mission.

The resulting product delivered:

• A clear and structured browsing experience

• Stronger communication of artisan value and authenticity

• An intuitive path from discovery to purchase

• A scalable foundation for future growth

By grounding the product in user needs from the beginning, the platform established a consistent and trustworthy experience for customers and artisans alike.

Check out live version here