REVAMPING MOBILE UX FOR ONE OF THE LARGEST MULTINATIONAL RETAIL CHAINS IN THE WORLD

Costco native app experience

My Role

UX Research , Usability Testing, UI design

Duration

UX Research , Usability Testing, UI design

Our services

Provide a general summary of the services you provide, highlighting key features and benefits for potential clients.

Costco

UI/UX Design & Research

Revamping the mobile experience for one of the largest and most successful multinational retail chains in the world

a man riding a skateboard down the side of a ramp
a man riding a skateboard down the side of a ramp
a man riding a skateboard down a street next to tall buildings
a man riding a skateboard down a street next to tall buildings
Service title

Write a short text about your service. Highlight key benefits for potential clients.

Write a short text about your service. Highlight key benefits for potential clients.

Service title
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Costco logo
Costco logo

Over a 16-week period, I did a personal project revamping the native application experience for Costco's mobile app users. I conducted an app audit, and created user stories & journey maps to understand user frustrations and created prototypes and presented it to its power users to gain valuable feedback on design.

Key Challenges

The current application faces issues with:

Inefficient Browsing

Limited Personalization

Limited filtering of content

Redesign Objectives

Highlighting promotions and categories

Redesign Objectives

To simplify navigation with a cleaner layout, ensuring effortless browsing.
By enhancing the visual hierarchy, users can easily find what they need.
Highlighting promotions and categories prominently ensures customers never miss out on great deals.
With personalized recommendations and quick access buttons, I aimed to tailor each visit for maximum convenience.

Key Issues

The current application faces issues with:

Inefficient Browsing
Limited Personalization
No Multi-Filter Option

Collaborated with fellow design students for user testing.
Lead a KJ analysis to understand feature priority.

User story

"As a busy parent, I want the option to order groceries online from Costco so that I can save time and conveniently shop for my family's essentials without having to visit the store physically"

I decided to use “As a [user], I want [goal or action] so that [outcome or reason].” by Eduardo Ferreira and Interaction Design Foundation to draft the user story since it helps convey the user pain point in the most effective way.

Usability Testing

Think-Aloud Protocol:

Participants were encouraged to verbalize their thoughts, feelings, and reactions as they navigated through the application to help gather insights from their decision-making process, confusion points, and overall experience.

Facilitation & Observation:

I facilitated the user testing while I had another designer observe the participants as they interacted with the application. They paid attention to areas such as ease of navigation, clarity of instructions, efficiency in completing tasks, and overall satisfaction.

Usability Testing- Findings

User 1:

  • Positive feedback on icon clarity, carousel, and easy navigation.

  • Suggested improvement in left-hand placement and a home button.

User 2:

  • Appreciated clarity in pricing options and product selection.

  • Recommended a clearer home button and product reviews placement.

KJ Analysis

Image of my team and I conducting KJ analysis
Image of my team and I conducting KJ analysis
image of sticky notes suggesting search option preferences
image of sticky notes suggesting search option preferences
image of sticky notes suggesting home icon
image of sticky notes suggesting home icon
image of sticky notes suggesting filter option
image of sticky notes suggesting filter option
I led a KJ analysis with a team of two other designers to understand what features need to be prioritized and implemented for a better user experience.

Takeaways

One-Handed App Access

  • Users expressed a preference for accessing the app with one hand during user testing.

  • Designing the app interface with this insight in mind can enhance user experience and convenience.

  • Prioritize placing essential controls and features within easy reach for one-handed navigation.

Familiar Navigation Button

  • User testing revealed that users preferred navigation buttons that are familiar and similar to those in other applications.

  • Incorporating common navigation patterns can reduce user confusion and improve usability.

  • Utilize recognizable icons and layouts to facilitate intuitive navigation within the app.

Value of reviews

  • Feedback from user testing emphasized the importance of reviews in driving purchase decisions.

  • Integrating a review system within the app can provide valuable insights and social proof to users.

  • Positive reviews can enhance trust and credibility, ultimately contributing to increased sales.

Seamless Shopping experience

  • Despite offering same-day delivery, Costco's app lacks direct purchasing options.

  • Users must navigate to Instacart to make purchases, adding unnecessary steps to the shopping process.

  • Integrating in-app purchasing functionality can streamline the shopping experience, improving convenience and user satisfaction.

Information contained within the projects is solely my own and may not necessarily align with the perspectives of the respective companies.
All projects adhere to the terms of any NDAs Signed.

swapnapalavesakannan@gmail.com