Ecommerce

As the lead UX/UI designer for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) from late 2021, I led a comprehensive redesign of their online shop, resulting in a 50% increase in sales and the successful launch of a dedicated defibrillator e-commerce platform.

Discovery and Research

The project began with an extensive discovery phase, encompassing SME workshops, interviews with BHF staff (both in-store and customer helpline), analytics review, and a heuristic evaluation of the existing online shop. This thorough research uncovered a critical insight: the defibrillator purchasing journey was significantly more complex than other products, warranting a separate, specialised e-commerce solution.

Strategic Recommendations and Implementation

Based on our findings, I presented recommendations to senior sponsors and C-suite executives. These included creating a standalone defibrillator e-commerce site, implementing marketing contact questions in the checkout process to expand our marketable universe, and redesigning the main gift shop for improved user experience.

Upon approval, I managed two parallel design tracks: the defibrillator shop discovery and design, and the gift shop redesign. To ensure quality and timely delivery, I hired and managed a contract designer dedicated to the project.

Information Architecture and UX Improvements

Employing user-centered design methodologies, I conducted card sorting exercises and tree testing to inform a new, intuitive information architecture for both the gift shop and defibrillator shop. This led to the redesign of almost every template and user journey, enhancing usability across both shops.

A significant part of the project involved managing the creation of two comprehensive defibrillator buying guides and a resource hub, which reduced customer service load and improved user confidence.

The checkout process was enhanced by adding marketing contact questions, expanding our ability to re-engage customers with personalised offers.

Solving the Customer Knowledge Gap

Our discovery highlighted that many people struggled to know where to start with the defibrillator purchase, as they lacked an understanding of the products. We aimed to create a user-friendly interface that would guide users through a series of questions and provide tailored recommendations based on their specific needs.

To ensure the tool’s effectiveness, we adopted a user-centric design approach. We created a lo-fidelity prototype and conducted user testing sessions with individuals in the pre-purchase research phase for defibrillators. This process revealed valuable insights about the clarity of questions, the tool’s format, and users’ desire for more context around technical aspects.

Based on these findings, we made significant improvements. We rewrote several questions to enhance clarity and relevance, redesigned the tool’s format for a more intuitive flow, and incorporated additional information to educate users about key features.

The revised Defibrillator recommendation tool now offers a streamlined set of questions that directly address user needs, an improved format that guides users effortlessly through the decision-making process, and contextual information that empowers users to make informed choices. By involving users early in the design process and iterating based on their feedback, we created a more effective and user-friendly tool that matches potential buyers with the most suitable defibrillator for their needs. This tool is now in its pre go-live testing, and will launch soon.

Development and Results

Throughout the project, I provided detailed design and functional specifications to our external development agency and managed the agency relationship alongside the director of digital. This ensured a consistent design language and performance across both e-commerce platforms.

The redesign efforts have yielded impressive results, with a 50% increase in overall sales year-on-year, the successful launch of a dedicated defibrillator e-commerce platform, improved user satisfaction, and reduced customer service inquiries. Moreover, we’ve established a foundation for ongoing improvements and feature rollouts.

This case study demonstrates my ability to lead complex UX/UI projects, from initial discovery to successful implementation, resulting in significant business impact and improved user experiences.