OjaExpress
OjaExpress is an online grocery shopping and delivery platform that specializes in same-day delivery of grocery items that are intrinsic to various global ethnic communities such as African,Caribbean, Latin American, Middle Eastern, European and South Asian cuisine.
Post pandemic, the shopping habits of people had changed. As the primary product designer of OjaExpress, I had to make the website more culturally inclusive by incorporating design aspects from various cultures as we were getting new customers. I aimed to design a website for people who came from very different ethnic backgrounds, who were not tech-savvy and make them feel included.
The main goal of this redesign was to adopt these new trends and behaviors into a seamless design.
COMPANY NAME
OJAEXPRESS
ROLE
PRODUCT DESIGNER
TEAM
CTO
CEO
MOBILE APP DEV
FRONT END ENGINEER
TOOLS
WHIMSICAL, GOOGLE ANLYTICS, FIGMA
TIME
18 MONTHS
The process
I started off the process by understanding the main objective behind the redesign, researching and gathering user pain points.
We wanted to facilitate a platform that promotes cross-cultural experiences through food, that was product and consumer led and simple to use.
1. Implement a Design Process
2. Improve usability across the platform
3. Establish a standardized design kit
4. Establish a standardised Design System
GOALS:
Add a Title
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Design Process
The process at OjaExpress is developed based on the Double Diamond Theory and Lean UX process. I aim to incorporate the key phases of Discovery, Definition, Ideation and Implementation in all of our projects.
Foundational Research
I already had a brief understanding of OjaExpress’ user based on a couple of projects that I’d done before. None the less I still felt the need to get an overall understanding of the online grocery shopping trend, before any brainstorming sessions.
Market Research
I started off with a thorough secondary research. I found many articles online done by Business Insiders, Forbes and Mercatus which gave me a deeper insight into the E-grocery shopping trend which had changed significantly following the pandemic.
🦠 Effect of Covid-19
The coronavirus pandemic had rapidly accelerated the widespread adoption of online grocery shopping.
Business Insider reported that more than 40% of Americans ordered groceries online during the week leading up to the pandemic and more than 90% reported that they’d like to continue shopping online. As covid-19 also brought new regulations and consumer concerns to light, many e-grocery retailers have made major changes to their business models.
📊 Market Trends
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61% of ethnic or multicultural Americans are unable to find all the groceries they want at their main grocery store.
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51% of multicultural American consumers go to more than 2 grocery stores to get all their groceries.
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$42 B was spent on ethnic groceries by the ethnic grocery stores in the year 2020.
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Immigration population is expected to grow to 70 M by the year 2030
Competitive Analysis
A quick summary of the competitive analysis we conducted.
The User
User Persona
With an understanding of the user’s goals, needs, motivations and frustrations I set out to create a user persona based on the insights gained previously.
User Journey
To get a deeper understanding of the user’s needs and frustration I worked closely with the product team to see their shopping trends. I also made use of google analytics to understand the users' trends.
With the data collected I created a storyboard to help myself and the product team to visualize the user’s experience.
Define
The Problem Statement
People who shop for culturally diverse foods on OjaExpress need a trustworthy, white-glove experience to find and purchase groceries because they delight in discovering significant items and want to feel confident entrusting that responsibility to an online platform.
Project Goals
Based on all the research done previously, I began to identify and focus on the core problems that needed an immediate fix. Some were simple, others a little complicated.
To have a better sense of clarity, I created a Venn diagram that focuses on the different goals of the business, consumers and the developers.
Building the site map
Based on the research findings I created a list of pages and add-ons our website would feature. Oja had a large assortment of pages that needed to be designed. I also had to map put the pages carefully, making sure the users would find it easy to navigate throughout.
Rebranding
OjaExpress just underwent a complete rebranding to provide a fresh style to it's users. I worked closely with the marketing and graphics department for a seamless integration.
Old
New
Visual Designs:
I have included the selected visual designs of all the OjaExpress' product.
Conclusion
The redesign not only improved the platform’s usability but also strengthened user trust and engagement. By focusing on simplicity and clarity, the new experience made it easier for customers to complete key actions without friction. These outcomes validated our user-centered approach and demonstrated how thoughtful design can directly impact both satisfaction and business goals.