My Role
Responsibilities
As the lead UX Designer, I spearheaded the design process – from UX Research to the final development hand-off. This included reviewing pre-existing business requirements, conducting dealer interviews, creating user personas and empathy maps, and prototyping the new web-order system.
Areas
UX Research and Design, Usability Testing, Development Handoff
Objective
To transform the B2B shopping experience into an intuitive, user-friendly platform, optimizing for both modern user behaviors and the constraints set by current ERP, shipping, and warehouse systems.
Deepen the understanding of the end-user needs and desires within a B2B E-commerce ordering framework.
Streamline the ordering process, making both annual and seasonal replenishments seamless for the end-users.
Challenges
Outdated System: The last revamp was 10 years ago. Only basic maintenance was done, mainly for ERP system compatibility.
Data Limitations: Due to integration with various systems, including ERP, shipping, and warehouse storage, the scope of accessible data was limited.
Managing multiple carts: Commonly in B2B commerce dealers can utilize a "quick order" cart and a "standing order cart.
Multiple order entry options: Support quick entry, browsing and order imports
Approach
1. Understanding & Defining:
Initial Analysis: Began by delving into the pre-existing business requirements. Multiple interviews with business stakeholders offered deeper insights into the objectives behind introducing a new web-order system.
Dealer Interviews: 20 dealers from six distinct regions were interviewed. This mix of remote and in-person sessions focused on understanding their ordering patterns - both annual and weekly. The feedback was then categorized and analyzed in-depth.
2. Research & Analyze:
Personas: Based on dealer interviews, three distinct personas were formed – "the newcomer", "the traditional", and "the computer-skilled". This ensured a diverse design approach.
Empathy Maps: These were crafted to pinpoint the specific pains and gains of each persona.
User Journeys: Four unique user journeys emerged from the gathered data, differentiating primarily by delivery methods and product types. For instance, some dealers preferred weekly/monthly orders, while others made pre-seasonal bulk orders. Moreover, the ordering nature varied between stock products, bulky items, and immediate-need spare parts.
3. Building & Testing:
Prototyping: Utilizing Axure, I crafted a low-fidelity, wireframe-style prototype that simulated real-world interactions. During its creation, multiple UI and interaction pathways were tested to ensure its practicality.
Usability Testing: Dealers across Europe and beyond tested the prototype. This was done in their actual working environments using the "Think Aloud" method to gather direct feedback.
4. Going from Wireframes to Visual Design:
Design System: With Husqvarna lacking a formal Design System, I initiated one based on their brand guidelines. This not only served this project but was also adopted by other teams within Husqvarna. Key UI aspects like accessibility, clarity, and keyboard shortcuts were given top priority.
Impactful Outcomes
Identified inefficiencies and refined the prototype, leading to a 20% reduction in order processing time.
Achieved a 15% increase in order accuracy, by designing a quick input module complementing the digital product catalogue, catering to the 75% user base dependent on keyboard input.
Conclusion
The project was a testament to the power of user-centric design, especially in the B2B space. By deeply understanding dealer needs, leveraging data, and continual testing, we were able to deliver a transformative shopping experience for Husqvarna Group’s dealers.
Key learning
The significant insight from this project was understanding the value of setting up Usability Tests with participants who speak foreign languages. Leveraging local representatives played a crucial role in bridging language barriers, ensuring the collection of authentic and invaluable feedback.
