D’AROMA is a concept for a custom fragrance platform that lets users create their own scent experiences, choosing everything from product type to layered notes, either online or through in-store appointments.
This project involved building a full system infrastructure for how the experience would work across touchpoints. I led the planning, technical mapping, and logic design behind each module, from fragrance customization to reservation flow.
The platform was designed to connect the emotional appeal of fragrance with a system architecture that supports personalization at scale
Fragrance is personal, but most retail experiences are not. D’AROMA needed to support personalized decision-making, offer guided recommendations, and handle complex backend requirements without overwhelming the user. The challenge was to create a digital platform that felt intuitive and luxurious while being rooted in practical system design. I approached this by analyzing user goals, mapping technical dependencies, and building a flow that connected the emotional appeal of fragrance with operational logic.
To bring D’AROMA’s concept to life, I structured the experience around four key modules: user accounts, scent customization, in-store reservations, and a checkout process. These features were all designed to support one another. For instance, the onboarding scent quiz feeds directly into the custom fragrance builder, and the builder’s selections influence product suggestions and final pricing.
Each system interaction—from quiz results to appointment bookings—was backed by clearly mapped use cases and database interactions. This ensured that both user satisfaction and system efficiency were prioritized equally.
From scent selection to scheduling, every feature was designed for clarity, customization, and ease
The custom fragrance builder allows users to explore product types and layer scent notes across top, heart, and base categories. The interface updates in real time to reflect changes in scent combinations, pricing, and quantity. For users who prefer a more guided experience, the optional scent quiz offers curated recommendations based on personality and lifestyle preferences. These suggestions can be accepted as-is or further customized, offering flexibility without decision fatigue.
A built-in in-store reservation system enables users to book appointments by selecting a location, time slot, and service type. Reservations are confirmed via email or text, and the system tracks late cancellations or missed appointments to manage penalties. The process is designed to be seamless and intuitive.
The checkout experience is simple and clear, featuring a two-step form for billing and shipping details. The system includes validation at each stage, ensuring that users receive either a confirmation or helpful error message depending on their input. This ensures clean data entry and smooth order processing.
The structure behind the scenes made it possible for personalization and performance to coexist
Behind the scenes, I developed a full suite of system design documents to bring the user experience to life with structure and clarity. These tools ensured that every interaction—from customizing a scent to checking out—was supported by logical data flows and backend functionality. My goal was to build a foundation where intuitive front-end features were seamlessly connected to scalable, reliable systems behind the curtain.
At the heart of this process was a detailed Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD), which mapped the connections between users, fragrance components, orders, and cart items. This ensured that personalized scent selections could be properly stored and retrieved throughout the shopping experience.
I also created Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs) to visualize how user inputs—such as quiz answers or reservation details—moved through the system, allowing for clean database storage and dynamic frontend updates. Paired with this, Use Case Diagrams outlined key interaction scenarios like quiz engagement, cart updates, and appointment rescheduling, helping to account for real user behavior during development.
To visualize page structure and navigation, I designed an Interface Structural Diagram, mapping how different modules and content blocks would be arranged and reused across the site. This informed both the technical architecture and the visual hierarchy of the platform.
Finally, I built a Storyboard that walked through the full customer experience, from onboarding to checkout. This helped align technical planning with user expectations—ensuring that every system function supported a smooth, intuitive journey.
This project was a unique blend of structure and imagination. Translating something as abstract and emotional as scent into structured logic pushed me to think differently about how systems can support storytelling. I learned to design with empathy, ensuring that every technical decision was made with the user’s experience in mind. From data relationships to interface flow, this project sharpened my ability to lead with clarity while building for complexity.