Mazda Car Configurator
Designing an interactive car configurator that allows customers to build their dream car while helping consultants streamline the sales process.
Client:
Mazda
My Role:
Creative Director
UX and Insights Researcher
Product Designer
UX/UI Lead
Our Challenge
Mazda Australia set out to build a car configurator for dealerships nationwide but needed a clear path forward. They turned to me to lead the project, guiding it from initial discovery through to final delivery.
Key goals
Design an intuitive car configurator that supports both customers and consultant-assisted experiences.
Enable full customisation options, including interior, exterior, performance, and features, across all models.
Ensure accessibility in UX/UI, form factor, and environmental considerations.
Integrate dynamic pricing and connect with Mazda’s sales systems.
Implement analytics to optimise customer insights and sales.
My role
As Lead Designer, I drove the design process from strategy to execution, taking full ownership of the UX/UI and visual design. I led the cross-functional team, ensuring close collaboration and alignment with stakeholders while delivering the final product. This included the following:
Ran workshops with key stakeholders using methods such as story mapping and MoSCoW to define scope, features, and build the roadmap.
Collaborated with engineers, 3D modellers/artists, and producers, overseeing their work and ensuring a seamless process.
Conducted user research and testing with Mazda consultants and site visits to dealerships.
Managed senior stakeholders, presenting at each stage to ensure alignment.
Delivered wireframes, interactive & motion prototypes, documentation, final designs, and directed the final implementation.
Results
Mazda’s new car configurator was rolled out across 100+ dealerships nationwide.
We successfully developed a new customer engagement model that streamlined the sales process and allowed sales teams to engage customers more effectively.
We saw new upselling opportunities and significantly improved sales efficiency.
By implementing a car configurator at dealerships, we allowed customers to visualise the exact car they were purchasing for the first time—something that wasn’t possible with physical models. Consultants also gained a powerful tool to help customers build their dream car, leading to improved sales efficiency and a significant boost in conversion.
“That’s where I think it’s going to be fantastic. We do a lot of cars but we’re a small place, it’s very hard for us even to have all the colours.”
Peter, Essendon Mazda
“To me it’s fantastic, really important for a dealership”
Nick, Garry & Warren Smith Mazda
Discovery & Ideation
During the Discovery phase, I conducted user research, including stakeholder interviews and client workshops to understand the needs and pain points of our audience and to align on business goals. I then created detailed personas to represent key user segments and mapped their journeys to identify critical touchpoints. After that I moved into prototyping and user testing to explore potential solutions and gather feedback for refinement.
“It’s very easy to use. It’s intuitive and makes sense. It’s not complicated. It’s not busy and focuses on the car.”
Tarek, Essendon Mazda
“It’s good to be able to stand here with a customer and build the right car for them.”
Pino, Garry & Warren Smith Mazda
Design
The UX/UI was catered to the form factor, enabling both an independent user experience and a collaborative session with a Mazda consultant. The consultant can seamlessly guide the interaction using a right-hand navigation panel, allowing them to stay face-to-face with the customer for a more engaging and personalised experience.
The design took on a minimalist approach and was an exercise in restraint, allowing the highly detailed 3D car models to take centre stage. The UI played a supporting role, remaining fairly invisible to ensure focus remained on the cars. The UI truly shines through the animation, adding meaning and moments of delight.
Every aspect, from UX to animation, was crafted to create an effortless, intuitive journey. The majority of the screen was dedicated to the cars, letting users explore them in full 360°, both interior and exterior, across photorealistic environments.
Feature demonstrations
We found that customers would often get stuck on confusing features, sometimes even walking away from the deal. Consultants were spending too much time trying to explain them, which impacted the conversation. So, we created visual demos in the configurator to make those complex features easier to understand, taking the pressure off the consultants and keeping the sales moving forward.
