MissPixel

Ikea’s community
‘El hogar de…’ (‘The home of…’)

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Launch: 2008
Client: Herraiz Soto for Ikea
www.elhogar.de

In 2008, Ikea was the first Spanish company who published a social network linked to a brand: ‘El Hogar’ (‘elhogar.de’, translated from Spanish: ‘thehome.of’). Within this network, the user (‘neighbour’) created a home that he could share with other ‘neighbours’, in order to exchange design ideas. Besides the many ‘homes’, there was a section dedicated to ‘expert information’, similar to do-it-yourself-tips, that could be consulted by users.
One year after the initial launch, Ikea reported that 200.000 conversations had already taken place in their ‘homes network’.

When I worked at Profesionalia, a company specialised in professional networks, we were asked to take part in this project by Herraiz Soto, an interactive agency. The concept, strategy and graphics was done by the agency; while we focused our efforts on community development. My particular role was to manage the information architecture and usability.

Goals were to obtain users (‘residents’), brand binding and content generation by its users. The network had to serve as an alternative publicity channel.

It was a long and encompassing project, but the inspiration generated between our team and the creative agency was exceptional.

The launch in 2008 was covered by several online press channels among others El Publicista.

Tasks within the project

• Inventory of the key features, proposed by the creative team
• To pass on usability norms to the creative and technical team
• Interaction design: navigation systems and forms, workflow development, design of (more than 300) wireframes
• User tests
• Assistance in graphic interface design
• Development of the project’s documentation, containing interaction and graphic design norms

• Usability
• Information architecture
• Interaction design
• Community design
• Social networks
• Leisure
• Lifestyle
• Decoration
• Interior