Digital Transformation Journey
Optimizing User Experience for O2O

Overview
The "Digital Transformation Journey: Optimizing User Experience for O2O" project was initiated with the primary goal of transitioning offline customers to online shopping on Pharmacity's web and app platforms. The project focused on creating a seamless and engaging user journey, ensuring customers could effortlessly navigate and complete their shopping experience online.
By emphasizing user-centric design principles, the initiative aimed to not only attract offline users but also optimize the overall digital shopping experience. This included addressing pain points in the online purchasing process, enhancing usability, and ensuring a consistent and enjoyable experience across platforms.
Goal
Despite Pharmacity having a web and app platform during the COVID-19 pandemic to allow customers to shop online, both the app and web experiences were not up to par. Evidence of this is seen in the low active user rates, even though many customers knew about and downloaded the app. Particularly concerning was the high churn rate, with about 30% of users uninstalling the app.
The primary goal of this project was to increase user engagement with the Pharmacity app and website, aiming to boost user retention and improve conversion rates (CR). By optimizing the user experience and interface design, the goal was to encourage more frequent usage, enhance customer satisfaction, and ultimately drive higher sales through increased app/web interactions.
Role
Lead UI/UX designer
Tools
Figma, Miro
Team
2 UI/UX designers, 4 Dev, 1QC, 1 PO
Gather information
To begin, we first gathered current data on the web and app performance by reviewing metrics on the dashboard and Firebase. This provided insights into user behavior, app usage patterns, and any existing pain points. Simultaneously, we collected feedback from high-level stakeholders to understand their goals and expectations for improving the user experience.
Next, we conducted a thorough audit of the entire UI and UX of the Pharmacity website and app. This audit helped us identify areas where the user interface and user experience were falling short, whether in terms of design, navigation, or overall usability.
Finally, we carried out usability testing with Pharmacity’s customers to gather direct feedback on the usability of the website and app. This testing revealed critical insights into how real users interact with the platforms and highlighted specific areas for improvement.

Our customer
To better understand the diverse needs and behaviors of Pharmacity's customers, we developed four distinct user personas. These personas represent key segments of the user base, each with different goals, pain points, and behaviors when interacting with Pharmacity's web and app platforms.
Un-informed Customer
This persona represents customers who are new to online shopping or Pharmacity's platform. They may not have much experience with e-commerce or may be unfamiliar with Pharmacity’s services. Their main challenge is navigating the website or app and understanding the range of products and services available. They often need more guidance and information to make informed purchasing decisions.
Informed Deliberate Shopper
These customers are well-informed and often do extensive research before making a purchase. They are methodical and take their time comparing products, prices, and reading reviews. They value transparency and detailed information, and their main goal is to find the best value for money. They are less likely to make impulsive purchases and prefer a smooth, efficient shopping experience.Prescription Shopper
This persona represents customers who primarily shop for prescription medications. They may require a high level of trust and clarity in the pharmacy's product offerings, as well as easy access to their medication orders. These users often have a more specific and urgent need and appreciate a straightforward, reliable process for ordering prescriptions online.Conscientious Wellness Seekers
This group includes health-conscious individuals who are focused on maintaining or improving their overall well-being. They shop for a variety of health-related products, including vitamins, supplements, and wellness items. They value product quality, safety, and evidence-based information. Their goal is to find products that contribute to a healthy lifestyle, and they prefer a platform that offers expert advice and personalized recommendations.
Usability Testing
After defining the key user personas for Pharmacity, we decided to invite a select group of users to participate in a usability testing (UT) session. The objective of this session was to evaluate the usability of the Pharmacity website and app, identify any pain points, and gain deeper insights into user behaviors and preferences.
By conducting usability testing with real users, we were able to gain valuable feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of the platform. This direct user feedback formed the foundation for making design improvements and ensuring the platform aligns with users' needs and expectations.

UT Scripts example
Define
After gathering valuable insights from our usability testing, we convened as a team to analyze the findings and define the core problems affecting the user experience. This step was crucial in ensuring we fully understood the challenges our users were facing, allowing us to create a targeted approach to solving these issues.
By analyzing user feedback and combining it with data from our earlier research, we were able to pinpoint the most significant usability issues. These included difficulties in navigating the platform, lack of clarity in certain areas, and barriers to completing key tasks like ordering prescriptions or finding health-related products. With these problems clearly defined, we proceeded to brainstorm and identify solutions to address each one. This collaborative effort allowed us to set clear objectives and determine the most effective course of action to enhance the user experience and achieve our project goals.
Through a combination of qualitative and quantitative data collected, as well as after exploring numerous ideas, we reached a consensus on the following solutions to address the identified issues:

Ideation Workshop
1. Improving Search Results Quality
We decided to focus on enhancing the quality of search results to make it easier for users to find the products or services they are looking for. This includes refining the search algorithm to ensure relevant and accurate results, as well as providing better filtering options to narrow down the search process.



Incorporating Gamification to Encourage Engagement
To keep users motivated to return to the Pharmacity app and reduce app churn, we implemented gamification elements. These features provide users with rewards, achievements, or progress indicators to incentivize regular usage, creating a more engaging and enjoyable experience.
Adding Health Profile Feature
We also introduced a health profile feature, which allows users to personalize their experience based on their health needs and preferences. This feature provides tailored recommendations, tracks health metrics, and offers personalized advice, enhancing the overall value of the app for health-conscious users. (This feature will be detailed in another case study.)



Revamping UI for Web and App
Finally, we undertook a complete overhaul of the UI for both the web and app platforms. This revamp aimed to improve the overall look and feel, enhance navigation, and make the user journey more intuitive. We focused on streamlining key actions and ensuring the design was visually appealing and easy to use for all user segments.


















- 100+
- Design screens
- +1M
- Online User Converted
- +36%
- Active User Increased
- +500K
- App Downloads
There is more
There are countless screens and features that we couldn't showcase here. Why not click scan the QR code and download the Pharmacity app to explore it for yourself?
Discover a seamless and personalized shopping experience, and let us know what you think!

Try it out



