Thailand Creative & Design Center

How did SUFFIX plan and design the material database for TCDC?

TCDC needed more than a website that displays data. The goal was a platform that connects users with materials and suppliers in one place. SUFFIX started by understanding the business objective alongside the TCDC team before moving into user research, to make sure every feature served both the audience and the organization's goals.

The process started with defining a user persona for each group, analyzing pain points from user interviews, then translating the insight into information architecture and wireframes, before developing prototypes for real-world usability testing.

Why start with UX Research before designing a material database?

A material database serves several types of users. A designer might search by technical properties, an architect by use case, a student by general category, while an industrial entrepreneur wants to compare prices and contact suppliers directly.

SUFFIX ran UX research across the four user groups through in-depth interviews and prototype usability testing. The findings confirmed that the search system needed both general lookup and detailed filtering, because each group looks for materials in distinctly different ways.

Core features of the TCDC Material Database

The site SUFFIX designed has three main functions. General Search is for users who want to browse broadly, Advanced Search is for users who already know specific requirements, and Filter handles narrowing by category, properties, and location.

The platform also brings together contact information for local suppliers and material data from the business district, so users can search, compare, and contact suppliers in one place. That answers TCDC's vision of building a website that is both a marketplace and a community for materials.