UI/UX

Redefining the Online Shopping Experience: A Complete Redesign of the Hillman B2B Portal

Hillman's B2B portal provides a streamlined shopping experience for retail markets in North America, featuring an expansive product range from hardware to robotic kiosk technologies. The recent redesign focuses on enhanced navigation, promotional content, and AI-powered product recommendations.

Project Overview :

Role: UI Designer
Collaborators: Product Managers, Marketing Team, Developers
Platforms: Web (B2B eCommerce Website)
Project Duration: 6 months

- Increase overall user engagement on the homepage through enhanced navigation and promotional content.
- Boost product page visits with the introduction of AI-powered sections for Popular Products and Recently Purchased items.
- Improve conversion rates through a more intuitive site-wide header and navigation, leading users seamlessly through the shopping process.
- Enhance user satisfaction scores by streamlining the Browse Our Categories section for easier product discovery.
- Increase average session duration through engaging promotional content blocks and improved brand showcasing.
The old Hillman Online portal faced usability challenges, with multiple clicks required for basic tasks, leading to reduced user satisfaction and lower conversion rates. Our objective was to simplify the user experience by designing a more intuitive interface for both desktop and mobile platforms. We concentrated on improving product discovery through personalized recommendations, streamlining the checkout process, and optimizing the mobile experience to deliver a faster and more seamless shopping journey.

Before

After

Solution

The redesign of the Hillman Online portal focused on creating a streamlined and engaging UI that addressed key user pain points and enhanced the overall shopping experience across multiple areas, including the homepage, product list page, and product detail page. To meet the project goals, we implemented the following solutions:

Site-Wide Header and Navigation: A clean and intuitive site-wide header and navigation area, making it easier for users to access key sections like product categories, promotions, and account management.
Expanded Promotional Content Blocks: A visually engaging promotional content block on the homepage to address the users' desire for better visibility of new products and promotions.
Improved Brands Section: The brand section was revamped to provide a more comprehensive and interactive showcase of Hillman’s product range.
AI-Powered Sections: An AI-powered section for Popular Products and Recently Purchased items was introduced to personalize the shopping experience.
Extended "Browse Our Categories" Section: Redesigned the "Browse Our Categories" section to be more prominent and user-friendly, facilitating easier exploration of Hillman’s extensive product range.
Product List Page: We simplified the product list page to make browsing and comparing products easier for users. Filters and sorting options were enhanced, and quick view features were added to allow users to evaluate products without needing to open individual product detail pages.
Product Detail Page: Redesigned the product detail page to offer a richer product experience. Larger images, detailed specifications, enhanced content about the brand, and related product suggestions were integrated to keep users engaged and improve cross-selling opportunities. The new "Brand Information" section provided users with more insight into Hillman’s offerings, while related product suggestions helped users discover additional relevant items.

Prototyping

Once we understood the desired functionality better, I created prototypes using Figma to visualize the redesigned Hillman Online portal across key areas, including the homepage, product list page, product detail page, and checkout process.

Home Page

Product List Page

Product Detail Page

The redesigned Hillman Online portal launched in September 2024, with core features now live and additional updates still in development. While we await comprehensive performance metrics, early feedback from stakeholders and initial user testing has been encouraging. In the coming months, we will closely monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) such as user engagement, conversion rates, and user satisfaction across both desktop and mobile platforms. As ongoing improvements are finalized and post-launch data is gathered, this case study will be updated to reflect the full impact of the redesign.

Results

Visit the Hillman Shop website here

The project aims to transform early childhood education with an AI-powered platform that helps parents find local daycare centers, preschools, and education programs. It offers personalized recommendations, provider profiles, virtual tours, and community features, streamlining decisions and enhancing transparency, accessibility, and efficiency for families.

Project Overview :

Role: UI/UX Designer
Project Duration: 4 months

Personal Project

Define

Leveraging technology to empower parents with the information and tools they need to make informed decisions about their child's education journey.
A future where parents are empowered to make informed decisions about their child's education journey, with the support of a centralized online platform that offers personalized recommendations and fosters community engagement.

Goals

Personalized Recommendations

Utilize AI algorithms to deliver personalized recommendations based on individual child profiles, ensuring alignment with specific needs and preferences.

Virtual Tours

Facilitate virtual tours of facilities to offer parents a firsthand glimpse into the environment and amenities, aiding in the decision-making process.

Streamline the Search Process

Simplify the cumbersome task of finding suitable daycare centers, preschools, and education programs by offering a user-friendly interface and intuitive search functionalities.

Community Engagement

Foster a sense of community among parents by enabling interaction, sharing experiences, and accessing relevant resources and support networks.

Detailed Provider Profiles

Provide comprehensive profiles for each daycare center, preschool, and education program, including key information such as curriculum, facilities, staff credentials, and parent reviews.

Potential Challenges

Data Accuracy and Maintenance:
Ensuring that the information about early education providers remains accurate and up-to-date can be challenging, especially considering the industry's dynamic nature with openings, closures, and changes in services offered.

AI Integration:
It can be technically challenging to implement AI capabilities effectively to provide personalized recommendations while maintaining transparency and fairness in the recommendation process.

Community Building:
Building an active and supportive community of users may take time and effort, especially in the early stages of platform adoption.

Research

Competitive analysis highlights

GreatSchools.org
GreatSchools is a widely recognized platform that provides parents with information and reviews about schools, including early education options. Their design stands out for its simplicity and ease of navigation. However, there is room for improvement in terms of personalization and integration of AI-driven features to enhance user experience.

Yelp
Noodle is an education-focused platform that offers comprehensive information on various educational opportunities, including early education programs. Their design emphasizes transparency and user-generated content. Opportunities exist for incorporating more advanced search functionalities and AI-driven recommendations.

Care.com
While primarily known for childcare services, Care.com also offers resources and information on early education options. Their platform design emphasizes trust and safety, with robust background checks for caregivers. Opportunities exist for enhancing user engagement through more interactive features and personalized recommendations.

ChildCare.gov
Operated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, ChildCare.gov provides resources and information on childcare and early education programs. Their design focuses on accessibility and government-backed credibility. However, there is room for improvement in terms of user interface design and integrating more dynamic content.

Opportunities Improvement in the Competitive Landscape

Personalization
Most platforms lack advanced personalization features, such as AI-driven recommendations tailored to each user's preferences and needs. Implementing such features can significantly enhance user experience and engagement.

Interactive Content
While some platforms offer basic information, there's a lack of interactive content such as virtual tours or multimedia resources that can provide parents with a more immersive understanding of early education providers

Integration of Emerging Technologies
There's an opportunity to integrate emerging technologies such as blockchain for credential verification and AI for personalized recommendations, enhancing the credibility and effectiveness of the platforms.