Turning a complex framing tool into a guided mobile flow.
Reimagined the desktop framing experience as a mobile-first, step-by-step flow that reduces cognitive load and increases confidence, driving higher AOV, conversion, and profitability.
ART.COM / MOBILE CUSTOMIZATION
+4%
category engagement
Validated experiment result
+ AOV
plus ATC + retailer visits
Directionly positive in test
$1M
projected annual new profit
Internal Shipt analysis
THE CUSTOMER PROBLEM
Customers think in terms of needs and occasions.
Shipt’s store-first model made discovery harder when shoppers knew what they needed but not which retailer carried it.
X Too many clicks to find everyday items
X Hard to compare and discover across stores
X Friction leads to substitution or abandonment
“If customers could start with a product category, they could find the right retailer more easily.”
— THE HYPOTHESIS
User feedback
“I want to pick a category first to see what stores in my area carry what I’m looking for.”
~ Moderated + unmoderated customer feedback
The opportunity
The retailer-first model created discovery friction for inspiration-led shoppers and limited opportunities to grow basket size.
The business goal
Make category discovery easier and increase Average Order Value.
CUSTOMER PROBLEM
Customers had to choose a retailer before choosing a product.
Shipt’s store-first model made discovery harder when shoppers knew what they needed but not which retailer carried it.
DESIGN PRINCIPLES
Design with focus.
Build with intention.
These principles keep us focused, efficient, and customer-centered from problem to proof.
DISCOVERY + LEADERSHIP
I turned broad collaboration into a focused direction.
The goal was not to show every artifact. The goal was to build shared understanding, surface constraints, and decide what deserved validation.
Moderated interviews
Partnered with research to test North Star flows.
30+ designers
Co-created concepts across the design organization.
Weekly reviews
Aligned stakeholders as evidence changed the direction.
PM + engineering
Scoped an MVP version the team could realistically ship.
Validate the behavior before building the destination.
WHAT WE TESTED
Evidence earned the next round of investment.
Validate the behavior with a lightweight homepage carousel before investing in a global category platform.
Validation question:
Will customers begin with a category?
We tested the concept as a behavioral proposition, not as a polished final interface.
No new functionality.
Use current CMS/Design system components.
Worked closely with an art director on which brand illustrations to use.
A/B test: Top-level categories vs. Level two/three categories.
DECISION STORY 1: STRATEGIC TURNING POINT
Testing revealed that deeper categories introduced too much complexity too early. I used evidence to narrow the experience rather than defend the original concept.
The MVP was intentionally small, and built for learning.
MVP DIRECTION
We used the existing CMS and design system to launch faster, measure behavior, and avoid overbuilding the marketplace vision.
What shipped:
Top-level category entry points: A clear path from the homepage into category-related retailers and products.
What we deferred:
Deeper hierarchy, filters, sponsored content, personalized modules, and richer merchandising.
The scope balanced customer value, technical feasibility, and speed to evidence.
The homepage gained a new, intuitive way into shopping.
FINAL EXPERIENCE
Customers could start broadly, choose a category, and continue into a retailer category landing page (where you can add to cart from multiple stores) and product discovery without committing to a store first.
MVP: Concept exploration to validate category entry
Next: Validated Phase 1 user flow direction
+4%
category engagement
+ AOV
primary business metric
$1M
projected annual new profit
Internal Shipt analysis
What the results meant
Customers responded to category-first discovery, and the lean release produced enough behavioral and business evidence to justify the broader vision.
Reflection
The strongest solution was not the most expansive concept—it was the clearest test of the customer need.
What the results meant:
Customers responded to category-first discovery, and the lean release produced enough behavioral and business evidence to justify the broader vision.
Reflection:
The strongest solution was not the most expansive concept. It was the clearest test of the customer need.
A simpler entry point changed shopping behavior.
IMPACT
+ ATC
+ retailer homepage visits
Projects research/design
discovery snapshot figma simpets
Stakeholder/Development walkthrough and development handoff
Brainstorming workshop with +30 designers, PM’s and development.
Brainstorming workshop scoring
Market research
Updated sitemap for category flows
Updated design system work
Paper sketching
What I learned
A broad North Star helped align the team, but validation showed that deeper category levels added complexity before they added value. Narrowing the scope made the customer behavior easier to test.
What I’d do next
I would measure the full category-to-cart journey, then use repeat behavior to decide where deeper hierarchy, personalization, and merchandising deserved investment.
What I carried forward
Simplification is a strategic decision. A focused release can preserve long-term ambition while creating clearer evidence for what to build next.
The homepage gained a new, intuitive way into shopping.
REFLECTION