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Joss Aguilar

2025 - AZUCAR MORENA STUDIO MEXICO

2025 - AZUCAR MORENA STUDIO MEXICO

Project Overview:

Azucar Morena Studio is a Holistic Wellness Spa and multiservice space in Playa del Carmen, Mexico offering spa treatments, yoga-like classes, coworking, and a plant-based juice bar. The goal was to design and localize a digital experience that communicates the studio’s holistic lifestyle approach, drives bookings and visits, and builds local community trust—especially among wellness-driven millennial women from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Key Achievements:

  • Founded the business concept and implemented Shopify-based booking, enabling 24/7 online reservations.
  • Designed cosmetologist onboarding flows and remotely trained them to uphold service quality standards.
  • Established KPI, P&L, and inventory systems that could be monitored remotely for scalable operations.
  • Integrated multilingual customer communication channels to engage diverse audiences.

 

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1. User Persona

Name: Jimena Torres

  • Age: 33
  • Location: Mérida, Mexico
  • Occupation: Remote UX Researcher
  • Tech Behavior: Lives on her phone, books everything online—classes, spa, coworking spots
  • Lifestyle: Seeks harmony between productivity, wellness, and community.
  • Eats plant-based, practices mindfulness, and values authenticity.

Pain Points:

  • Hates disorganized booking systems or unclear pricing
  • Overwhelmed by cluttered websites that don’t reflect the calming nature of wellness spaces
  • Needs to trust the hygiene and professionalism of spa and food services

Goals:

  • Book services easily and see real-time class availability
  • Learn about the philosophy and ingredients behind offerings
  • Feel immersed in a calming, modern digital experience aligned with the brand’s in-person vibe

2. UX Research and Findings

Research Goals:

  • Understand how Mexican wellness seekers discover and interact with multi-purpose spaces
  • Prioritize booking ease and mobile accessibility
  • Create a culturally resonant and trustworthy wellness narrative

Methods:

  • User Interviews: Conducted with women aged 25–40 in Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and CDMX who attend yoga/spa sessions and use coworking cafés
  • Benchmark Study: Compared UI/UX patterns from wellness centers in Latin America (e.g. Selina, Casa Tz’ikin)
  • Booking Journey Mapping: Identified the drop-off points during scheduling or service exploration
  • Content Tone Testing: Tested headline/copy tone for cultural warmth and trust

Key Findings:

  • Mobile-first design is essential; most users browse and book via Instagram links or WhatsApp
  • Users expect integrated schedules and menus in one place
  • Wellness clients prefer earthy, clean visuals and soft, intuitive navigation
  • WhatsApp booking is preferred but must be framed professionally
  • Emphasis on ingredients and practitioner experience builds credibility

3. UX Design Contributions

  • Homepage Experience: Designed a calm, flowing homepage that introduced each service clearly (e.g. “Yoga & Pilates”, “Spa Rituals”, “Cowork & Recharge”, “Barra Viva”)
  • Service Navigation: Created segmented landing pages with individual service descriptions, benefits, and booking buttons
  • Mobile Booking Flows: Streamlined call-to-actions like “Reserva por WhatsApp” with pre-filled message templates, and embedded class calendars
  • Visual Design Language: Used soft neutral palettes, botanical accents, and iconography inspired by Mexican artisanal aesthetics
  • Menu & Class Info: Designed a dual section where users can browse the food/juice menu and check class times seamlessly

4. Localization & Translation Work

  • Culturally-Aware Spanish Copy: Wrote all UX copy in warm, friendly Mexican Spanish—avoiding overly formal or generic phrasing
  • Tone of Voice: Soft, grounding, and natural to match the studio’s atmosphere (“Equilibra tu cuerpo y mente con nosotras”)
  • Trust Elements: Added visual blocks with phrases like “Ingredientes locales”, “Prácticas sustentables”, and “Espacio seguro y limpio”
  • Community Messaging: Localized storytelling to highlight women-led business, local produce sourcing, and connection to Mexican wellness traditions

5. Results

  • Bookings began via mobile and completed through WhatsApp after flow optimization
  • Positive DMs and feedback from new clients mentioning website made them “feel the vibe before visiting”
  • Clearer scheduling led to fewer missed appointments and support queries