A wizarding marketplace reimagined for the digital age — built during one of the most difficult moments in recent history. This project blends the magic of Harry Potter with real-world design principles, created from scratch during a time of personal, academic, and global challenges.
Bringing Magic to the Screen: The Backstory
The year was 2022. I was a sophomore in college, enrolled in IT205 – Human-Computer Interface (HCI) — a subject that focused on how people interact with computers and how to make that interaction more intuitive, effective, and enjoyable. HCI is a powerful discipline that brings together computer science, behavioral psychology, visual design, and user empathy.
Our final requirement was clear but creatively open:
Design an e-commerce website for a fictional or real business of your choice, complete with branding, interface, and user experience considerations.
It sounded fun at first. We had full freedom to dream up any kind of platform. But in reality, this project was created under intense, difficult circumstances.
Designing in the Middle of a Pandemic
This wasn’t just a regular school term. It was the height of the COVID-19 pandemic — a time when the world outside was in crisis, and the world inside our homes was full of isolation, uncertainty, and emotional weight.
Creating something inspiring while living through a time of fear and survival was not easy. Lockdowns kept us indoors, and there was little to no social interaction. Inspiration was hard to find when every day felt like a repeat of the last. The sense of dread in the air made it hard to focus, and creativity didn’t come freely.
To make things even harder, we didn’t have the tools we now take for granted.
- There was no ChatGPT to help brainstorm or refine ideas.
- No Canva AI, MidJourney, Notion AI, or Figma plugins that could speed up the design process.
- No image or content generation tools that could take a prompt and return a full output.
Everything you see in this project — every logo, every product category, every written description and UI element — was created manually. It’s all a product of my own research, concept development, and graphic design skills, shaped by hours of trial and error.
The Spark of Inspiration: Escaping into Magic
At the time, I turned to something that had always brought me comfort — the Harry Potter films. Rewatching the series during the pandemic became a ritual that gave me peace and a temporary escape. It helped me reconnect with imagination.
One evening, during one of those movie marathons, the idea came to me:
What if Diagon Alley had its own e-commerce platform? What if witches and wizards could shop online — and what would that look like in a world built around magic?
That simple “what if” led me down a creative rabbit hole. Suddenly, I wasn’t just building a project for school. I was designing something magical, nostalgic, and interactive — something that merged fantasy with function.
The Design in Detail: How the Diagon Alley E-Commerce Site Works
Here’s how I imagined the digital version of Diagon Alley:
Access Control with a Magical Twist
To start the user journey, I designed a CAPTCHA security page. The concept was that Muggles shouldn’t be able to access the site. This playful but functional element adds both fantasy and a real-world authentication mechanic.
Streamlined Main Navigation
Once inside, users would be greeted by a 5-menu navigation system:
- Home
- Products
- Messaging
- Notifications
- Cart
This setup keeps the interface familiar, clean, and user-friendly — even for first-time wizard shoppers.
Header Features
At the top of the page, I included:
- The Diagon Alley logo
- A functional search bar
- A profile image and user name display, making the site feel personalized and immersive
Eight Magical Product Categories
The platform includes eight major categories, each inspired by items sold in the books and movies:
- Wands
- Robes
- Brooms
- Potions
- Cauldrons
- Books
- Pets
- Sweets
Each category includes sample product cards with placeholder text and graphics created manually.
Promotions and Store Highlights
To mimic a real e-commerce environment, I added:
- Promotional banners, like a 50% off sale on textbooks from Flourish & Blotts
- Store highlights, featuring beloved vendors such as:
- Ollivanders Wand Shop
- Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions
- Slugs and Jiggers Apothecary
- Eyeclops Owl Emporium
- Flourish and Blotts Magical Bookstore
This layout mirrors actual marketplaces, while staying loyal to the lore of the wizarding world.
Overcoming Creative Limitations
Looking back, this project wasn’t just a design challenge — it was a personal milestone. I had no AI assistant. No advanced UI toolkits. No magical shortcut.
But I had imagination, grit, and a deep desire to make something memorable.
Everything — from the textures and colors, to the layout and narrative — was handcrafted. I combined my graphic design abilities, copywriting skills, UX understanding, and a lot of trial-and-error to produce something that felt both unique and engaging.
It wasn’t perfect. But it was mine — a true representation of how design can transport people into new worlds, even when the real one feels heavy.
Final Words: Designing Through Darkness
This project was born during one of the most uncertain times of our lives. It was built using nothing but basic tools, long nights, and the spark of inspiration that came from a childhood story.
If there’s one thing this experience taught me, it’s this:
Even when the world feels stuck, your imagination doesn’t have to be. And even when the tools aren’t there, your vision still counts.
We don’t always get ideal conditions to create. But we can create something meaningful anyway — with the right intent, a strong concept, and a touch of magic.
PS: This project was created in 2022 and reflects the late 1990s timeline of the Harry Potter universe. The design and aesthetics were made to match that era — from the UI style to the typography and imagery.
I’d love to hear your thoughts:
- What improvements would you suggest for this prototype?
- How can I make it feel more modern without losing the magical essence?
- Are there technologies you’d recommend to enhance the interactivity?
- Would you like to see how this site would look and function on mobile?
Feel free to drop your feedback in the comments — your ideas could help take this magical concept to the next level.