Walmart.ca Case Study
Timeline
12 Weeks
Role
UX/UI Researcher & Designer
Tools
Challenge
Walmart's online shopping experience in Canada serves over 1.5 million daily users across 400+ stores. However, the experience often feels overwhelming with too many options, inconsistent layouts, and small usability issues that add up.
This project focused on improving the product discovery and checkout experience for first-time users, while also supporting Walmart's business goals: promoting partner brands, encouraging informed decisions, and simplifying the journey from homepage to purchase.
Solution
My team and I conducted a targeted heuristic audit of the Walmart.ca website to identify usability issues (e.g. Homepage, Category Page, Product Page, and Cart Page). This was followed by redesigned wireframes for each page. Resulting in an improved product search, adding to cart, and completing a purchase; a smoother experience with less mental effort.
- Streamlined navigation, filtering systems and standardized terminology
- Improved visual hierarchy on product tiles
- Reduced cognitive load across pages
- Enhanced accessibility
- Created consistent UI patterns across departments
Process & Approach
Audit
We completed a targeted website audit of the existing site against established UX principles* and discovered a number of usability hurdles.
- Menu Navigation Issues: Too many items and unclear labels in the main menu and "Departments" section.
- Usability Issues: Filter sliders are unsuitable for "Speed" and "Price," product page font sizes are too small, and it's unclear that hyperlinked items are editable.
- Inconsistent Page Layouts and Redundant Filters: Department main pages have inconsistent layouts, and the horizontal filter bar is unnecessary.
- Limited Cart Functionality: Pickup/delivery details are not visible while scrolling, and promo codes cannot be applied until after checkout.
View UX Principles Used*
- Jakob Nielsen's Usability Heuristics
- Don Norman's Design Principles
- Cognitive Dimensions Framework
- WCAG Guidelines
Design
Based on the audit findings and user hypotheses, brainstorms were conducted and redesigns were executed through wire-framing and high-fidelity prototypes. Some of the key changes implemented were:
- Navigation was made cleaner and easier to scan
- Optimized filter controls and improved information hierarchy
- Product tiles prioritized information more effectively
- Fonts and UI elements met accessibility standards
- Cart visibility and interactions were improved
Testing
In-person usability testing with interactive Figma prototype helped validate key design decisions, while heat maps offered deeper insights into real user behaviour. Here's what was discovered:
- Users expected quicker access to categories from the homepage and clearer menu labels (e.g. "Department" wording was confusing).
- Filtering needed to feel faster as users expected instant results when selecting options, without having to click "Apply."
- On product pages, users found "Related Items" interrupting the product information.
- In the cart, users expected to see a variety of related product options and preferred "Add to Favourites" prompt over "Save for Later." prompt
Key Changes
Simplified Navigation
Reduced menu items and created clearer labeling browsing experience.
Standardized Layouts
Consistent structure across department category pages for reduced cognitive load.
Optimized Filtering
Single sidebar filter with clearer categories. Added an "Apply" button for multi-selection of filters.
Enhanced Accessibility
Increased font sizes and improved visual hierarchy for better readability and usability.
Interactive Prototype
Results & Impact
The audit, redesign, and usability testing led to a smoother shopping experience for our testers. Navigation became more intuitive, product discovery was faster, and many of the key frustrations were addressed through thoughtful interaction and layout updates.
While the redesign addressed many critical usability issues, further testing is recommended to inform deeper, more impactful changes in the following areas:
- Search Optimization: Research is needed to refine search-based interaction flows based on real user behaviour
- Localization Features: Current language and visual cues caused confusion for non-English speakers, indicating a need for better localization support
- Cart and Checkout: These areas remained largely unaffected by the updates, highlighting an opportunity for future iterations
Key Achievements
- Conducted a thorough website audit identifying critical usability flaws
- Applied principle-based redesigns for better online shopping experience
- Executed mixed-methods usability testing with think-aloud and eye-tracking
- Validated key design hypotheses through user testing
- Iterated designs based on nuanced qualitative and quantitative feedback
Lessons Learned
What Worked Well
- Heat mapping validated the user reliance of a search bar
- Implemented user feedback to improve the design
- Improved labeling and visuals for cleaer navigation
Challenges Overcome
- Balancing search complexity with ease of use
- Managing large volumes of product reviews effectively
- Accommodating different user expectations for filter interactions
Future Improvements
-
Search Optimization
Prioritize research and optimization of search-based interaction flow based on user behavior patterns
-
Localization Features
Enhance support for non-English speaking users through improved visual cues and localization
-
Mobile Experience
Further optimize the mobile shopping experience for on-the-go users