PRODUCT DESIGN · UX STRATEGY · INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
Material Showcase brings materials from multiple brands into one platform for architects and interior designers.
Choosing materials requires both visual inspiration and reliable product information. The design connected browsing, technical details, and sample requests to help designers assess options for their projects.
The Challenge : Choosing from a Large Catalog
Designers need to compare how materials look, where they can be used, and whether their specifications and availability suit a project. Across thousands of products, the challenge was to make those details easy to find and assess while keeping the catalog easy to explore.
Research Synthesis
The research examined how designers discover materials, what they need before shortlisting, and where existing catalogs create uncertainty or extra effort.
The Needs
The Pains
Findings
Designers needed support to move from initial interest to a confident choice.
Browsing needs direction
Clear categories and filters help narrow a large catalog to relevant options.
Images need supporting details
Appearance alone cannot show whether a material suits a project. Specifications and application details need to sit alongside imagery.
Choosing takes several steps
Designers move through inspiration, product research, comparison, and sample evaluation before making a decision.
The platform follows how designers choose materials, from discovery and evaluation to shortlisting, specification, and sample requests.
Each stage brings the relevant product information into view, helping designers narrow their options and assess what fits their project.
Discover → Evaluate → Shortlist / Specify → Request / Order
↓
Finding relevant materials
Browsing starts with material categories, with filters for application, appearance, and technical requirements. Designers can narrow the catalog using the details that matter to their project, without following a fixed search path.
Result : Narrowing a huge catalog
A shared structure for multiple brands
Brands and distributors use the same structure for product details, specifications, and related materials. This keeps information consistent across the catalog and supports additional brands and categories as the platform grows.
Result : Business / System scalability
Evaluating before shortlisting
Product cards and detail pages bring images, specifications, and application information together. Designers can assess how a material looks and where it can be used before shortlisting it or requesting samples.
Result : Decision quality
Connecting inspiration to products
Collections and editorial content link directly to individual products. Designers can move from an idea to material details and sample requests, keeping inspiration connected to the choices they need to make.
Result : Inspiration → Actionable discovery
Wireframes and prototypes were used to test the paths from browsing and filtered results to product details and sample requests. Iterations focused on making the catalog easier to scan while keeping the technical details designers need to evaluate materials.
The Challenge : Choosing from a Large Catalog
Designers need to compare how materials look, where they can be used, and whether their specifications and availability suit a project. Across thousands of products, the challenge was to make those details easy to find and assess while keeping the catalog easy to explore.
Research Synthesis
The research examined how designers discover materials, what they need before shortlisting, and where existing catalogs create uncertainty or extra effort.
The Needs
The Pains
Findings
Designers needed support to move from initial interest to a confident choice.
Browsing needs direction
Clear categories and filters help narrow a large catalog to relevant options.
Images need supporting details
Appearance alone cannot show whether a material suits a project. Specifications and application details need to sit alongside imagery.
Choosing takes several steps
Designers move through inspiration, product research, comparison, and sample evaluation before making a decision.
The platform follows how designers choose materials, from discovery and evaluation to shortlisting, specification, and sample requests.
Each stage brings the relevant product information into view, helping designers narrow their options and assess what fits their project.
Discover
Evaluate
Shortlist / Specify
Request / Order
Finding relevant materials
Browsing starts with material categories, with filters for application, appearance, and technical requirements. Designers can narrow the catalog using the details that matter to their project, without following a fixed search path.
Result : Narrowing a huge catalog
Evaluating before shortlisting
Product cards and detail pages bring images, specifications, and application information together. Designers can assess how a material looks and where it can be used before shortlisting it or requesting samples.
Result : Decision quality
A shared structure for multiple brands
Brands and distributors use the same structure for product details, specifications, and related materials. This keeps information consistent across the catalog and supports additional brands and categories as the platform grows.
Result : Business / System scalability
Connecting inspiration to products
Collections and editorial content link directly to individual products. Designers can move from an idea to material details and sample requests, keeping inspiration connected to the choices they need to make.
Result : Inspiration → Actionable discovery
Wireframes and prototypes were used to test the paths from browsing and filtered results to product details and sample requests. Iterations focused on making the catalog easier to scan while keeping the technical details designers need to evaluate materials.
Material Showcase transformed a large, information-dense material library into a structured decision-support experience built around how designers discover, evaluate, and specify materials.
The shared system connects discovery, filtering, product evaluation, inspiration, and sample requests within one continuous journey, while creating a scalable foundation for additional brands, categories, and material-specific information.
