LIFE SCIENCES SECTOR
E-Commerce Innovation Garage
App Design Lead
Innovation Hub Research Lead
Project Background
IBM’s first engagement with the life sciences retail client was to re-platform and redesign their e-commerce site.
Sherpa labs was then introduced as a 6-week innovation garage with the client’s digital department, to identify, design and test 8 innovation concepts, supporting the client’s users’ end-to-end experience with the brand.
An ongoing generative research stream identified innovation opportunities. These were added to an innovation funnel process, during which each concept’s feasibility was assessed against business impact, user impact and technical feasibility.
The concept solutions were to be built as a Mobile App, a Service Chatbot and a Multivariate testing tool. Within each one-week sprint we defined the concept, designed high-fidelity prototypes and tested these with users to estimate future engagement.
Tools used included: Sketch; Invision; Lookback; Mural; Sharepoint; Microsoft Teams; Trello.
Objective
To support our users’ overall experience through their end-to-end research journey
To offer timely personalised support throughout the e-commerce journey
To examine opportunities to use new technologies and channels to meet researchers’ needs
Sprint Planning
We designed and tested 5 innovation concepts within a 6 week garage engagement.
This required one-week rapid prototyping sprints, including ideation, wire-framing, high-fidelity prototyping and user testing the designs.
User Research
62 Research Participants
5 User Profiles
Types of Research
Remote Generative Interviews and Testing
Co-Design
Pop-up testing
Lab Visits
SME Sessions
Prototyping
I led a team of 3 junior designers, ideating and prototyping the high-fidelity mobile app designs. We designed 4 concepts in 6 one-week sprints.
Bench Tools
Search Capability
Community
Learning and Knowledge
I applied the sketch design system created by the e-commerce team and altered the components to fit a mobile device.
Due to the rapid timelines of one week per concept, we followed a tight schedule. All team members, including the client’s PO, our BA and Developer, would contribute to paper prototyping and vote for promising ideas.
I created a logical screen flow, incorporating the chosen features and moved straight into high-fidelity prototyping on sketch.
User Testing
Each design concept was thoroughly user tested through a research tool called ‘Lookback’. Participants were recruited through emailing the client’s customer list and incentivised through an Amazon voucher.
Testing would be conducted by providing the participant with an Invision prototype link. Users were given a scenario to complete in the prototype.
Cognitive Walk-Through
The user was tested on usability heuristics to validate the UX of the tool. Additionally, participants had the opportunity to provide further feedback after the cognitive walk-through.
Insights were recorded per screen to collect positive feedback, additionally required features and negative usability test results.
Innovation Recommendations
We assessed all generated concepts and compared the development feasibility with the user testing feedback to consult the client on viable innovation options.
The highest impact and most feasible option was developing the app and web-version of Bench Tools, Product Information and Search, falling under the App Design stream I led.
“Meike’s UX work speaks for itself and the confidence with which she speaks about it really brings value and helps the client widen their perspective.”
“Meike did a great job as user research lead for the client’s garage project. She faced off the client Product Owner and was able to capture some great insights on the client’s customers and business users. This was no easy task, given the complex nature of their business in the Life Sciences space. ”