Lead Product Designer · E-commerce
Refining a Bank E-commerce Marketplace
A bank partnership marketplace that allows customers to earn bonuses through card purchases and use them to buy products and services from partner brands at discounted prices.
Partnership: AIS & EPAM (designers & developers)
Platforms: Web & iOS / Android (web-view)
Partnership: AIS & EPAM (designers & developers)
Platforms: Web & iOS / Android (web-view)
My Role
I joined the project as a Lead Product Designer, with the initial goal of improving key purchasing journeys and helping increase marketplace sales.
As I explored the product, I identified broader challenges beyond individual screens: friction in core user flows, inconsistencies between web and mobile experiences, complex navigation, inefficient design handoff, and a lack of shared design standards across teams.
My role expanded from refining customer journeys to helping make both the product experience and the team's design process more consistent, intuitive, and scalable.
As I explored the product, I identified broader challenges beyond individual screens: friction in core user flows, inconsistencies between web and mobile experiences, complex navigation, inefficient design handoff, and a lack of shared design standards across teams.
My role expanded from refining customer journeys to helping make both the product experience and the team's design process more consistent, intuitive, and scalable.
Results
+27%
average monthly orders
After refining the purchasing journeys based on user research, sales of products and services increased.
After refining the purchasing journeys based on user research, sales of products and services increased.
€15k
additional funding for charitable initiatives
New concepts and layouts supported internal charitable projects focused on social and environmental causes.
New concepts and layouts supported internal charitable projects focused on social and environmental causes.
20%
resources required
A shared component library, documentation, and clearer design processes reduced the time spent on design approvals and development.
A shared component library, documentation, and clearer design processes reduced the time spent on design approvals and development.
The Concept
PART ONE
Refining the Product Experience
The Challenge
One of the main business challenges was that customers often preferred transferring cashback directly to their bank accounts instead of spending their bonuses in the marketplace.
Our goal was to make purchasing through the marketplace easier and more intuitive, while increasing order volume by at least 20%.
Rather than introducing a major redesign, we focused on identifying friction in the existing experience and refining the journeys users already knew.
The visual updates were intentionally subtle. We softened some interface shapes, refreshed the iconography and illustrations, and made small visual adjustments, while preserving the overall look and feel of the product.
The main change happened in the experience itself: navigation, product discovery, and checkout became more familiar, predictable, and easier to understand.
Our goal was to make purchasing through the marketplace easier and more intuitive, while increasing order volume by at least 20%.
Rather than introducing a major redesign, we focused on identifying friction in the existing experience and refining the journeys users already knew.
The visual updates were intentionally subtle. We softened some interface shapes, refreshed the iconography and illustrations, and made small visual adjustments, while preserving the overall look and feel of the product.
The main change happened in the experience itself: navigation, product discovery, and checkout became more familiar, predictable, and easier to understand.
01. Understanding the real user journey
I collaborated closely with the UX Research team to prepare and conduct moderated usability testing.
We observed how users checked their bonus balance, searched for products, navigated the catalog, and completed a purchase.
The research revealed that several existing flows did not match users' expectations.
While the intended journeys looked straightforward on paper, users frequently moved back and forth between sections, misunderstood labels, and struggled with the sequence of actions during checkout.
These findings helped us identify where the experience needed to be refined rather than visually redesigned.
We observed how users checked their bonus balance, searched for products, navigated the catalog, and completed a purchase.
The research revealed that several existing flows did not match users' expectations.
While the intended journeys looked straightforward on paper, users frequently moved back and forth between sections, misunderstood labels, and struggled with the sequence of actions during checkout.
These findings helped us identify where the experience needed to be refined rather than visually redesigned.
02. Refining the purchasing journey
Based on the research findings, I revisited the main marketplace flows and adjusted them around familiar e-commerce patterns.
The goal was not to reinvent the product, but to remove friction and make existing interactions feel more natural.
The goal was not to reinvent the product, but to remove friction and make existing interactions feel more natural.
Navigation and catalog
I simplified the navigation hierarchy and made the user's current location within the marketplace clearer.
The catalog structure was refined so that primary categories were easier to scan and understand, while search and filtering became more accessible throughout the browsing experience.
The catalog structure was refined so that primary categories were easier to scan and understand, while search and filtering became more accessible throughout the browsing experience.
Checkout
The checkout flow was reorganized into a more familiar sequence.
Delivery, address information, payment options, and combined bonus payments were presented in a clearer order, with additional explanations where users had previously shown confusion.
We also introduced autofill and saved-address functionality to reduce repetitive actions.
These changes made the flow slightly more explicit, but significantly easier to understand.
Delivery, address information, payment options, and combined bonus payments were presented in a clearer order, with additional explanations where users had previously shown confusion.
We also introduced autofill and saved-address functionality to reduce repetitive actions.
These changes made the flow slightly more explicit, but significantly easier to understand.
03. Subtle visual updates
The interface itself changed only minimally. We deliberately avoided a noticeable visual redesign, so existing users would not feel that they were learning a completely new product.
Instead, we focused on softening interface shapes and cards, refreshing icons and illustrations, improving visual hierarchy, and making small spacing adjustments.
The visual language remained familiar, while the underlying experience became more consistent and easier to use.
Instead, we focused on softening interface shapes and cards, refreshing icons and illustrations, improving visual hierarchy, and making small spacing adjustments.
The visual language remained familiar, while the underlying experience became more consistent and easier to use.
Product impact
The updated purchasing journeys contributed to a 27% increase in average monthly orders. UX improvements across several areas also supported a 7% increase in active users, while all planned functionality and scenarios were successfully released.
PART TWO
Improving the Design Process
As I worked on the product, I identified another layer of problems that affected not only customers, but also the teams building the experience.
Frequent designer changes, multiple external vendors, and a high volume of tasks had resulted in large Figma files, duplicated scenarios, inconsistent platform experiences, and an unclear handoff process.
I initiated a separate stream of work focused on making the design environment more structured, scalable, and easier for designers and developers to work with.
Frequent designer changes, multiple external vendors, and a high volume of tasks had resulted in large Figma files, duplicated scenarios, inconsistent platform experiences, and an unclear handoff process.
I initiated a separate stream of work focused on making the design environment more structured, scalable, and easier for designers and developers to work with.
01. Aligning web and mobile
While reviewing the user journeys, I noticed that several scenarios had evolved differently across the website and mobile application.
I raised the issue with the team and mapped the product structure across platforms.
I created a shared information architecture that helped us identify inconsistencies in navigation and scenario logic and align several flows between web and mobile.
The result was a more coherent cross-platform experience and a clearer foundation for future product development.
I raised the issue with the team and mapped the product structure across platforms.
I created a shared information architecture that helped us identify inconsistencies in navigation and scenario logic and align several flows between web and mobile.
The result was a more coherent cross-platform experience and a clearer foundation for future product development.
02. Restructuring the design workspace
To understand where the process was breaking down, I looked at how tasks entered the design team, how mockups were handed over to development, and how different development teams worked with Figma files.
Based on this, I reorganized the files around the actual development workflow.
Mockups were grouped more clearly, development-ready pages were explicitly marked, and scenarios were separated by release so that approved designs remained stable once implementation had started.
This made it easier for both designers and developers to find the right screens and understand their current status.
Based on this, I reorganized the files around the actual development workflow.
Mockups were grouped more clearly, development-ready pages were explicitly marked, and scenarios were separated by release so that approved designs remained stable once implementation had started.
This made it easier for both designers and developers to find the right screens and understand their current status.
03. Building reusable foundations & Improving design handoff
I also introduced a local component library, shared guidelines, and documentation for recurring design patterns. This included grid rules, reusable components, platform-specific guidance, and standards for recurring marketing assets such as advertising banners. These shared foundations reduced repetitive work and allowed designers to focus more on solving product problems rather than rebuilding common UI patterns.
They also simplified design handoff, as developers could rely on documented patterns instead of interpreting each screen independently. I worked with designers and developers to establish a clearer process for reviewing, approving, and transferring designs to development. By combining structured files, shared documentation, and clearer ownership of approved layouts, we reduced ambiguity between design and implementation.
They also simplified design handoff, as developers could rely on documented patterns instead of interpreting each screen independently. I worked with designers and developers to establish a clearer process for reviewing, approving, and transferring designs to development. By combining structured files, shared documentation, and clearer ownership of approved layouts, we reduced ambiguity between design and implementation.
Process impact
The introduction of shared libraries, documentation, and clearer workflows helped reduce the resources required for design approvals and development by approximately 20%.
More importantly, the team gained a shared structure for working across platforms, releases, and vendors, making the product easier to maintain and evolve.
More importantly, the team gained a shared structure for working across platforms, releases, and vendors, making the product easier to maintain and evolve.
Outcome
The project started with a business goal: make marketplace purchases easier and increase order volume.
But by looking beyond individual screens, I identified opportunities to improve both the customer experience and the system behind it.
User research and careful flow refinement contributed to a 27% increase in average monthly orders, while cross-platform alignment, reusable foundations, and clearer design processes made the product easier for the team to build and scale.
But by looking beyond individual screens, I identified opportunities to improve both the customer experience and the system behind it.
User research and careful flow refinement contributed to a 27% increase in average monthly orders, while cross-platform alignment, reusable foundations, and clearer design processes made the product easier for the team to build and scale.
