Case Study 2 - Experience Vision
The Challenge
Grocery Store associates faced impersonal mobile experiences, limiting their ability to prioritize tasks, find answers, and report issues. Without role-specific tools or a connected feedback loop, efficiency and impact are reduced.
The Solution
To iteratively build a solution informed by research, associate feedback, and testing to meet associates' needs effectively. This includes a welcoming start to the day, AI-powered insights on store priorities, and a personalized landing page tailored to the roles and impact areas. Reusable features like Notifications, Search, and Feedback are refined to ensure a seamless, intuitive experience, empowering associates to stay focused, informed, and create value where it matters most.
The Process
As Senior Product Designer, I led the experience design strategy, focusing on intuitive, scalable, user-centered solutions. I conducted user research, designed high-fidelity prototypes in Figma, collaborated with engineers to align with Kroger’s design system, and championed associate-centric design in workshops and presentations.
To tackle this challenge:
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Discovery: Researched associate pain points and identified opportunities for personalization and task prioritization.
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Design & Validation: Collaborated with cross-functional teams to design and prototype personalized screens, AI-powered insights, and reusable components. Tested concepts with associates to refine designs based on real-world feedback.
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Implementation: Partnered with development teams to build scalable, reusable features like Notifications, Search, and Feedback while ensuring seamless integration with existing systems.
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Iteration: Leveraged ongoing testing, associate feedback, and performance data to continuously refine the solution, ensuring it aligns with associate needs and delivers business value.
Discovery
The first step was aligning with the team’s vision to enhance the mobile experience for store associates.
I conducted a cross-collaborative discovery process with business partners and other Kroger product teams, ensuring alignment and integration across the ecosystem.
Through research and associate feedback, we identified key opportunities to deliver personalized, need-to-know insights and intuitive, reusable tools.
This approach focused on empowering associates with the resources they need, where and when they need them, to boost efficiency and create lasting value.
Design & Validation
With a clear vision and alignment, we began creating wireframes to explore how personalized tools and experiences could be effectively incorporated into the associate journey. These wireframes allowed us to rapidly prototype user flows and evaluate ideas without the distraction of final visual design.
To ensure our concepts met user needs, we conducted usability testing and gathered valuable feedback from associates and business partners. This iterative approach helped us refine the designs to address key challenges and build a solid foundation for scaling personalized solutions and reusable components across
the ecosystem.
Implementation
Once we established a clear vision, we began crafting a flexible framework to seamlessly integrate personalized tools and experiences into the associate journey. To maximize impact, we focused on building reusable components and services incrementally, ensuring that each solution could adapt as business needs evolve.
One key element was designing an API that allows partner product teams to surface their metrics and tasks effortlessly, making it easy to integrate new goals as they emerge. This approach ensures that our solution remains flexible and interchangeable, empowering teams to stay aligned with shifting business priorities without disrupting the associate experience.
We started by developing a simplified, high-value concept that could be tested through proof-of-concept iterations. As we gathered feedback and insights, we refined our approach and made improvements to the framework. This iterative process not only accelerated delivery but also created a foundation for scaling and reusing components across the organization, ensuring long-term efficiency and adaptability.
Learnings
Things we were evaluating:
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% of the application launches and their launching point
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% of the profile launches
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% of users who complete a task or a series of tasks without errors.
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The average time it takes for users to complete tasks.
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User Satisfaction: Feedback from users regarding their satisfaction with the product's or experience's usability.
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% of errors users make while interacting with the product or completing tasks.
Things we saw:
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Less than 1% of the application launches on the device come from the pinned apps
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Stand alone application launches: 2,995,218
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Pinned application launches: 17,958
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Pinned application arrow taps: 937,004
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After updating profile navigation, we saw an increase of 8,465 daily taps over a weeklong A/B test, confirming improved discoverability.
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After introducing a feature tour, we saw not only the menu interactions increase, but by proxy the menu contents as well.
"How Might We" takeaways:
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Improve navigation and discoverability to ensure associates can quickly access the tools they need.
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Reevaluate the pinned apps experience to better support associate workflows.
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Surface high-value tasks and information on the Home tab to reduce unnecessary clicks.
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Create a more intuitive menu structure that aligns with associate behaviors.
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Provide personalized insights so associates can track what matters most to them.
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Establish a clearer feedback loop for associates to share what’s working and what’s not.
Unexpected Learnings:
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Device launch behaviors indicate associates rely more on standalone app launches than pinned apps.
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Workflows are highly varied, meaning a one-size-fits-all solution may not be effective.
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Communication gaps exist, leading to missed opportunities for informing associates about new features.
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Store-specific factors (layout, team size, technology access) influence how associates interact with HomeBase.
Outcome
Tabs
Overview:
Tabs were introduced to surface critical information and tasks, enabling associates to prioritize their work effectively and focus on high-impact areas. This enhancement provides a clear structure for associates to access the most relevant data for their roles and tasks.
Results and Value:
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Initial Rollout: Deployed tabs to 25 pilot stores.
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Enhanced Productivity: Priority in-stock tasks completed 23% faster than the division average.
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Scalability: Framework supports rapid addition of new tabs for evolving business needs.
Profile Menu
Overview:
The profile menu was redesigned to address navigation challenges, ensuring associates could easily access key tools and settings. The updated menu simplifies the user experience, making essential features more intuitive and accessible.
Results and Value:
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Improved Usability: Associates reported a 25% reduction in time spent navigating to key features.
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Increased Interaction: 40% more associates accessed preferences and feedback tools after the redesign.
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Adaptable Framework: Supports seamless integration of additional features and updates over time.
New Feature Tour
Overview:
The "New - Feature Tour" was introduced to help associates better understand and adapt to updates and enhancements. This tool ensures a smooth transition for users, reducing confusion and fostering confidence with new features.
Results and Value:
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Reduced Confusion: 25% drop in reported issues related to adapting to new features in pilot stores.
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Increased Adoption: Tutorial completion rates exceeded 85% during the first rollout.
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Stronger Engagement: Associates felt more confident using new tools, as reflected in post-tutorial survey feedback.