Browns
Building the User Research stream at Browns
2019-2022
From the moment I joined Browns, I started implementing multiple research streams to identitfy user needs and pain points. Through the years, I successfully established user research as an essential component of business, product and design strategy for the whole organisation.
When I joined Browns, most of the projects we worked on were related to business needs or directives from senior management. The roadmap was planned per quarter, but in order to build a data and insight-driven roadmap we needed to understand:
- how our products were performing
- what our users' needs and pain points were
Usability Healthcheks
First, I set up to conduct usability tests on both our website and app to understand how our products were performing.
Together with the Lead Product Manager, we defined a user testing script focused on the key steps of the shopping funnel (e.g. product discovery, inspiration, product page, checkout) so that we could uncover any points of friction and user needs across the journey.
For the first “Usability Healthcheck”, I set up unmoderated usability tests across both desktop and mobile with users from our main markets. After collating all the insights, grouping them by theme, and prioritising them by impact (high, medium, low) I then agreed on priorities with the PM and Engineering Leads, and added actions next to each item.
Since then, Browns has been performing quarterly Usability Healthchecks on the website and app to monitor performance and test new features. They have allowed the team to bring to light points of friction, bugs, areas of improvement, and to influence the roadmap.
IMPACT
- The usability heatlchecks became an integral part of the roadmap building and prioritisation, ensuring the customers' needs were top of mind
- Findings from the healthchecks highlighted bugs and friction points throughout the shopping funnel, which were then optimised and resulted in an improvement of micro-metrics, including increases of 12% for add to wishlist, 19% in checkout conversion, and 100% engagement with product recommendation
- Presenting those insights to the wider business led to an increased awareness of how our products were performing, whichh led to a greater buy-in from senior leadership
Exploratory User Research
In addition to the Usability Healthchecks, I introduced exploratory user research for key roadmap deliverables.
At the beginning of each quarter, I would regroup with our Senior Product Managers to plan in-depth, exploratory user research pieces for key projects on the roadmap. I defined a briefing template for Product Managers to fill in so that we could align on what the main objectives, goals, and assumptions were before deciding on the best methodology. Most of the time, these exploratory pieces involved conducting user interviews and/or usability tests with Browns customers.
IMPACT
- User Research became an essential part of the design process, allowing the team to validate assumptions and prioritise initiatives
- Presenting user research insights and interviews to the rest of the organisation led to a better knowledge of our customers across the business and various teams (PR, Buying, Marketing) requesting user research to inform their own strategy
Multichannel Healthchecks
With the reopening of our stores after the pandemic, we introduced a new Multichannel Healthcheck to assess our in-store experience.
Folllowing the launch of the new Mayfair flagship store in 2020, Browns introduced multiple touchpoints across the boutique to create a "connected" in-store journey (e.g. interactive mirrors in the changing rooms). The goal of the Multichannel Healthchecks was to assess how both the Browns Customer and in-store teams were interacting across the "Connected Journey" by conducting user interviews and shadowing both Browns customers and our in-store teams.
IMPACT
- Provided insights into how the different touchpoints are being used, how they impact the customer journey, where the pain points occured, as well as identifying opportunities to improve and innovate
- Highh impact across the Farfetch group, leading to significant shifts in the overall in-store strategy
