OMNICHANNEL DESIGN
Designing for Omnichannel Retail: Lessons from Endless Aisle
My Role
UX Designer
Timeline
January 2014 -
March 2014
Designing for Omnichannel Retail: Lessons from Endless Aisle
Overview
The Endless Aisle project was an ambitious initiative by Sears’ Integrated Retail Labs (IRLabs) to redefine the in-store kiosk experience. The goal was to enable customers to interact with merchandise that might not be physically available in-store by designing a seamless, engaging, and intuitive virtual browsing experience. The project was also a pilot to explore how small, agile teams could innovate within a large corporation.
My Role
My role as Co-Lead UX Designer was central to the project. I worked alongside a Visual Designer and two Front-End Developers over three months, in a tight-knit Agile team dedicated to delivering a cutting-edge solution. While the project didn’t proceed to implementation, it provided invaluable insights into the design process, team collaboration, and navigating organizational challenges.
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2 UX Designers
2 Engineers
a little magic
a new experience!
The Challenge
How can we create a kiosk experience that bridges the gap between physical and virtual retail?
Specifically, how do we:
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Engage users with merchandise that isn’t physically in-store.
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Ensure users can explore, understand, and purchase items through an intuitive interface.
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Test the feasibility of Agile workflows within a traditionally Waterfall-oriented organization.
The Endless Aisle
The Process
Ideation and Brainstorming
We began with a week-long brainstorming session in a dedicated workspace. By fostering open communication and encouraging out-of-the-box ideas, we aligned as a team and generated diverse concepts.
This collaborative effort laid the foundation for our two primary design directions:
Interactive Hero Image
Users could closely inspect product features by interacting with large, high-resolution images.
Circular Interface
A rotating interface allowed users to browse and select products in a dynamic, engaging way.
Sketching, Brainstorming, and Ideation for direction
After testing both concepts, we selected the Circular Interface for its familiarity and ease of use, which resonated with users.
Prototyping and User Testing
We created wireframes and an animated storyboard to detail the user journey from browsing to checkout. These prototypes allowed us to:
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Visualize the flow of interactions.
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Identify pain points and refine the design.
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Present our ideas effectively to stakeholders.
Agile Collaboration
Our team embraced Agile methodologies, working iteratively and closely with developers to ensure feasibility. However, this approach required navigating organizational expectations, as our deliverables differed from the traditional outputs other departments were accustomed
Key Deliverables
After three months of development, our team showcased the process and prototype to department managers for approval.
Before revealing the prototype, we prepared a comprehensive presentation that highlighted our journey, including the storyboard and user touchpoints.
While these artifacts were provided for further review, the storyboard was also animated to create an engaging walkthrough of the user journey, which added an emotional and impactful element to our pitch.
Reflection and Impact
Reflection
Although the Circular Interface was not adopted, the Endless Aisle project was a rich learning experience.
Key takeaways include:
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Collaboration Matters: Working closely with visual designers and developers was crucial in aligning design intent with technical feasibility.
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Stakeholder Buy-In is Essential: Early and transparent communication with department heads is necessary to gain support for experimental workflows.
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Agile in a Large Organization: Transitioning to Agile methodologies requires organizational alignment and patience. Balancing innovation with familiar processes can ease the shift.
Impact
The project demonstrated the potential of small, cross-functional teams to innovate within a large corporation. While the solution was not implemented, our efforts provided a roadmap for future agile projects and highlighted the importance of adaptability, communication, and collaboration.
The Endless Aisle remains one of the most impactful projects in my career, offering insights into navigating design challenges and driving innovation in complex organizational environments.