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My role

My role

  • Working as the sole and first in-house UX/UI designer

  • Working as the sole and first in-house UX/UI designer

Challenges

Challenges

  • Establish work flow for redesign and iterations

  • General resistance against UX/UI trends from managements

  • Establish work flow for redesign and iterations

  • General resistance against UX/UI trends from managements

Deliverables

Deliverables

  • Build up design system

  • Introduce and optimise user friendly components

  • Establish design work flow

  • Hand off redesign prototypes

  • Build up design system

  • Introduce and optimise user friendly components

  • Establish design work flow

  • Hand off redesign prototypes

Identifying UX issues by comparing user journey maps

Identifying UX issues by comparing user journey maps

MOB Interier is a Slovak distributor running e-commerce in Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Croatia. Its main e-shops include Novynabytok.sk, Hezkynabytek.cz, Zondo.hu, Zondo.ro, Zondo.hr etc.

In recent years, more home decor e-shops joint the local market in addition to the biggest international brands IKEA and JYSK. These competitors not only provided competitive products and price for customers but also kept improving user and service experience at a faster pace.

In a competitor analysis focusing on usability, it was found in 2021 that many of the smaller e-shops had provided better user experience.

MOB Interier is a Slovak distributor running e-commerce in Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Croatia. Its main e-shops include Novynabytok.sk, Hezkynabytek.cz, Zondo.hu, Zondo.ro, Zondo.hr etc.

In recent years, more home decor e-shops joint the local market in addition to the biggest international brands IKEA and JYSK. These competitors not only provided competitive products and price for customers but also kept improving user and service experience at a faster pace.

In a competitor analysis focusing on usability, it was found in 2021 that many of the smaller e-shops had provided better user experience.

As an e-shop brand not running any physical store, we need to rely on user experience in web and service flows to create brand image with the assistance from other online marketing tools. However, it could be seen that brand image was not well built and integrated. This weakness in UX and UI left the company in a disadvantaged position to compete in the market.

We expect that the e-shop redesign can help to increase conversion rate and contribute to build up an up-to-date user experience.

As an e-shop brand not running any physical store, we need to rely on user experience in web and service flows to create brand image with the assistance from other online marketing tools. However, it could be seen that brand image was not well built and integrated. This weakness in UX and UI left the company in a disadvantaged position to compete in the market.

We expect that the e-shop redesign can help to increase conversion rate and contribute to build up an up-to-date user experience.

Redesign work flow

Redesign work flow

Prioritise UX issues, business needs and solutions

Prioritise UX issues, business needs and solutions

Home page and category navigation

Home page and category navigation

Before

At least 6 blocks intended to attract attentions without hierarchy

At least 6 blocks intended to attract attentions without hierarchy

Too much information to focus

Too much information to focus

After

Reduced information disruption by focusing on sales, categories, brand logo, and necessary service information

Reduced information disruption by focusing on sales, categories, brand logo, and necessary service information

Emphasise the atmosphere product image as subject to connect brand image to brand-new products

Emphasise the atmosphere product image as subject to connect brand image to brand-new products

Before

Older fashioned components and aesthetics compared to competitors

Older fashioned components and aesthetics compared to competitors

Less visual pleasure, less attracted

Less visual pleasure, less attracted

Lack of focus on space-based category

Lack of focus on space-based category

Users cannot search by space

Users cannot search by space

After

Reconstructed navigation and information on header

Reconstructed navigation and information on header

Created flexible space in the navigation bar for seasonal sales and special promotions

Created flexible space in the navigation bar for seasonal sales and special promotions

Product list and filtering

Product list and filtering

Before

Incomplete filtering functions (users cannot apply multiple options at once)

Incomplete filtering functions (users cannot apply multiple options at once)

Inconvenient experience when users want to search products by changing different mother categories

Inconvenient experience when users want to search products by changing different mother categories

Unorganised icon styles on product categories, products presented in an old way, not adapted to wider screen

Unorganised icon styles on product categories, products presented in an old way, not adapted to wider screen

Users are not assured if the product services are well updated and provided

Users are not assured if the product services are well updated and provided

After

Improved filter UX by (a.) allowing multiple choices, (b.) redesigning colour filter by removing colour description on desktop and adding a text search bar, (c.) adding open and close functions, and (d.) adding sliders to all unit filters

Improved filter UX by (a.) allowing multiple choices, (b.) redesigning colour filter by removing colour description on desktop and adding a text search bar, (c.) adding open and close functions, and (d.) adding sliders to all unit filters

Unified the style of graphic icons, redesigned product card, adjusted product preview from 3 columns to 4 columns

Unified the style of graphic icons, redesigned product card, adjusted product preview from 3 columns to 4 columns

Product page

Product page

Before

Missing customised product pictures

Missing customised product pictures

Users feel less atmosphere, less enjoy the product images, rather leave for other e-shops

Users feel less atmosphere, less enjoy the product images, rather leave for other e-shops

Unstructured product description and specs

Unstructured product description and specs

Create obstacles in building product knowledge

Create obstacles in building product knowledge

After

Optimised gallery size and experience and started to improve the quality of product picture

Optimised gallery size and experience and started to improve the quality of product picture

Reconstructed information by (a.) separating marketing copy, product details from product specs (b.) combining repetitive specs (c.) categorising similar specs to one group

Reconstructed information by (a.) separating marketing copy, product details from product specs (b.) combining repetitive specs (c.) categorising similar specs to one group

Cart and check out

Cart and check out

Before

Not organised design style and colours in cart

Not organised design style and colours in cart

Users feel inconsistency

Users feel inconsistency

Confusing optional flows at last step

Confusing optional flows at last step

Users need time to think about if they want to log in or shop as a guest

Users need time to think about if they want to log in or shop as a guest

After

Changed log-in user flow and adopted 2 column design to smooth the process

Changed log-in user flow and adopted 2 column design to smooth the process

Limited the use of filled action colour (green) and brand colour (red) to align with the general redesign style

Limited the use of filled action colour (green) and brand colour (red) to align with the general redesign style

Accounts and self services

Accounts and self services

Before

Self services are not fully accessible through account

Self services are not fully accessible through account

Users may not be assured with the value of being a member

Users may not be assured with the value of being a member

After

Connected to comparison, favourite tools, and some self services

Connected to comparison, favourite tools, and some self services

Before

Unstructured service information

Unstructured service information

It is more difficult to understand service details compared to other shops

It is more difficult to understand service details compared to other shops

After

Reconstructed contact details, FAQ, and other service pages

Reconstructed contact details, FAQ, and other service pages

Impact on business

Impact on business

  1. Building up a fresh and up-to-date brand image

  1. Building up a fresh and up-to-date brand image

With lots of effort by a small team of developers, the redesign versions of websites in 5 languages (SK, CZ, HU, RO, HR) have been deployed after the middle of February in 2024.

With lots of effort by a small team of developers, the redesign versions of websites in 5 languages (SK, CZ, HU, RO, HR) have been deployed after the middle of February in 2024.

  1. Conversion rate boosted by 128% in low season

  1. Conversion rate boosted by 128% in low season

The conversion rate of main site has boosted by 128% in 2024 spring. The recorded high rate is even 11% higher than the last peak season in 2023 November.

The conversion rate of main site has boosted by 128% in 2024 spring. The recorded high rate is even 11% higher than the last peak season in 2023 November.

  1. Motivating UX iteration plans

  1. Motivating UX iteration plans

In addition to the positive business impact, the value of UX and UI just started to become visible in the company now. How to remain a competitive pace at iterations will be the next challenge.

In addition to the positive business impact, the value of UX and UI just started to become visible in the company now. How to remain a competitive pace at iterations will be the next challenge.

What I learnt from the project

What I learnt from the project

Use scrum/agile methods to construct design scopes

Use scrum/agile methods to construct design scopes

During redesign, I was benefited in scrum and agile management. Although there are some cons of product management in this way, the capacity of one designer is limited in handling design “debts” accumulated for years. We used the management methods to construct design scopes. It helped me to systematically work on a variety of UX and UI tasks step by step.

During redesign, I was benefited in scrum and agile management. Although there are some cons of product management in this way, the capacity of one designer is limited in handling design “debts” accumulated for years. We used the management methods to construct design scopes. It helped me to systematically work on a variety of UX and UI tasks step by step.

Build up connections and trust in a team before design impact

Build up connections and trust in a team before design impact

As a foreigner/new comer/new role in the company proving UX values in the company, I realised that building trust for my profession in UX and UI from the managements is highly important. While looking for the best solutions, I empathised the needs of departments and used various resources and quick usability test among colleagues to build up the understanding of UX knowledge in the company.

As a foreigner/new comer/new role in the company proving UX values in the company, I realised that building trust for my profession in UX and UI from the managements is highly important. While looking for the best solutions, I empathised the needs of departments and used various resources and quick usability test among colleagues to build up the understanding of UX knowledge in the company.

Consider introducing quantitative tools to track performance

Consider introducing quantitative tools to track performance

Followed by the deployment of the first version of the redesign project, it is also found that empathy mapping and qualitative testing have its limit for us to track the effects of UX and UI changes on our business revenue. Also, while more responsible departments involve in iterations, stakeholders are not able to process all levels of decisions on the product. Sooner or later, we may have to adopt quantitative tracking tools to assist us in analysing users’ needs.

Followed by the deployment of the first version of the redesign project, it is also found that empathy mapping and qualitative testing have its limit for us to track the effects of UX and UI changes on our business revenue. Also, while more responsible departments involve in iterations, stakeholders are not able to process all levels of decisions on the product. Sooner or later, we may have to adopt quantitative tracking tools to assist us in analysing users’ needs.

Check out other projects

Check out other projects

Outdoor Bubbles App Design

Outdoor Bubbles App Design

Networking app for outdoor lovers

2020

Baboon's Chores App Design

Baboon's Chores App Design

Lifestyle app for household issues

2021- present

yang.chanrong@outlook.com

Work with me!

Build up better user experience together.

© 2024 Chan’s portfolio

yang.chanrong@outlook.com

Work with me!

Build up better user experience together.

© 2024 Chan’s portfolio

Contact me !

Contact me !