Gift IQ
Gift-giving during the holidays should feel thoughtful and not stressful. GiftIQ is a cross-platform e-planner that allows users to build organized lists with personalized gift recommendations. That way the perfect gift is never a last-minute scramble.
Gift-giving during the holidays should feel thoughtful and not stressful. GiftIQ is a cross-platform e-planner that allows users to build organized lists with personalized gift recommendations. That way the perfect gift is never a last-minute scramble.
Gift-giving during the holidays should feel thoughtful and not stressful. GiftIQ is a cross-platform e-planner that allows users to build organized lists with personalized gift recommendations. That way the perfect gift is never a last-minute scramble.
A week for a Solution
A week for a Solution
A week for a Solution
During the holiday season, in a cross-team collaboration project, I was given one week to design a solution that solved gift shopping frustration. Working across disciplines meant balancing different perspectives and making quick decisions under tight constraints.
During the holiday season, in a cross-team collaboration project, I was given one week to design a solution that solved gift shopping frustration. Working across disciplines meant balancing different perspectives and making quick decisions under tight constraints.
During the holiday season, in a cross-team collaboration project, I was given one week to design a solution that solved gift shopping frustration. Working across disciplines meant balancing different perspectives and making quick decisions under tight constraints.
Research
Research
Research
Through competitive analysis and user reviews, we identified key insights for the color palette and pain points that shaped GiftIQ's interface.
Through competitive analysis and user reviews, we identified key insights for the color palette and pain points that shaped GiftIQ's interface.
Color Palette Trends
Color Palette Trends
Competitors leaned on reds, pinks, and holiday palettes that felt seasonal rather than useful. We wanted users to feel calm and organized, so we chose teal which is warm enough to feel personal, distinct enough to stand out. The darker teal anchors the interface while light blue-grays keep things easy to scan.
Competitors leaned on reds, pinks, and holiday palettes that felt seasonal rather than useful. We wanted users to feel calm and organized, so we chose teal which is warm enough to feel personal, distinct enough to stand out. The darker teal anchors the interface while light blue-grays keep things easy to scan.
Pain Points
Pain Points
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Choice Fatigue
Choice Fatigue
Holiday shopping overwhelms rather than excites.
Holiday shopping overwhelms rather than excites.
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Multi-recipient Planning
Multi-recipient Planning
Shopping for several people at once is hard to manage.
Shopping for several people at once is hard to manage.
Generic Categories
Generic Categories
Existing tools don't match gifts to who they're actually for.
Existing tools don't match gifts to who they're actually for.
Web First, App Second
Web First, App Second
Web First, App Second
Before we touched a wireframe, we had to reframe the entire project. Since the developers couldn't build a native app in a week, we designed for web first and then adapted the experience for mobile. That constraint shaped every layout decision that followed.
Before we touched a wireframe, we had to reframe the entire project. Since the developers couldn't build a native app in a week, we designed for web first and then adapted the experience for mobile. That constraint shaped every layout decision that followed.
Layout Adaptation
Layout Adaptation
Desktop
Desktop
Desktop
Mobile
Mobile
Mobile
Designing Smarter, Not Harder
Designing Smarter, Not Harder
Designing Smarter, Not Harder
Early on, we had two directions for the product page which was version A and version B. Version B felt stronger visually, but after talking with the developers, version A was closer to what they already had in progress. So, we went with A and although it wasn't the default choice, it was the right one given the timeline.
The same thinking applied to the recipient profile page. Instead of an input field or dropdown for interests, which would've required the developers to build custom tag logic, we used checkboxes. It was a simpler interaction, but it meant the feature actually shipped.
Early on, we had two directions for the product page which was version A and version B. Version B felt stronger visually, but after talking with the developers, version A was closer to what they already had in progress. So, we went with A and although it wasn't the default choice, it was the right one given the timeline.
The same thinking applied to the recipient profile page. Instead of an input field or dropdown for interests, which would've required the developers to build custom tag logic, we used checkboxes. It was a simpler interaction, but it meant the feature actually shipped.
Version A
Version A
Version A
Version B
Version B
Version B
Letting the Prototype do the Talking
Letting the Prototype do the Talking
Letting the Prototype do the Talking
One of the most important steps we did was prototyping the "Add Recipient" flow early on. Once the engineering team saw it, they realized users would need to add multiple recipients which was something that hadn't been accounted for up until that moment. The prototype made that gap visible before it became a problem.
Add Recipient Feature
Add Recipient Feature
From Constraints to Screens
From Constraints to Screens
From Constraints to Screens
The hi-fi designs carried every decision from the process forward showing web first, then mobile, without losing functionality along the way.
The hi-fi designs carried every decision from the process forward showing web first, then mobile, without losing functionality along the way.
The recipient edit page lets users update interests, budget, and group. It keeps everything editable in one place.
The recipient edit page lets users update interests, budget, and group. It keeps everything editable in one place.
Desktop
Desktop
Desktop
Mobile
Mobile
Mobile
The product page landed on version A browsable grid that's personalized per recipient so that recommendations feel intentional rather than generic.
The product page landed on version A browsable grid that's personalized per recipient so that recommendations feel intentional rather than generic.
Desktop
Desktop
Desktop
Mobile
Mobile
Mobile
What I'd do Differently
What I'd do Differently
What I'd do Differently
Research is where I'd invest more time. Specifically, why people abandon gift planning midway; whether it's decision fatigue, uncertainty about the recipient, or simply losing momentum. That single behavior pattern would've shaped almost every decision after it, from how much guidance the product offers upfront to where we build in reassurance versus flexibility.
What I Learned
What I Learned
What I Learned
Working across disciplines under a tight deadline sharpened my ability to make decisions quickly and communicate design intent clearly to people outside of design. That skill, translating design thinking into something a developer or data scientist can act on, is something I'll carry into every project. And the feedback on visual clarity pushed me to think more critically about spacing and hierarchy, not as finishing touches, but as core to whether an experience feels trustworthy and easy to use.