Transforming frustrating substitution experiences into moments of trust through improved product tagging, clearer communication, and service design thinking.
This project focused on the service redesign of a regional grocery delivery platform to address user pain points identified through interviews. As part of a three-person design team, I helped lead the research and ideation workshops, analyzed research data, and developed the flowcharts, wireframes, and low-fidelity prototypes.
Our goal was to enhance the overall user experience and streamline backend processes related to the selection of substitution and backup items when ordering grocery delivery through a popular midwest grocer.
Lead UX Designer
4 months
Users encountered frustrating navigation, inconsistent product categorization, and unclear substitution processes, resulting in abandoned carts and low satisfaction pre- and post-delivery.
Through user interviews and journey mapping, we discovered that the core issue wasn't just about interface design—it was about trust and transparency. Users felt out of control when their items were substituted without clear communication or quality guarantees.
For grocery delivery services, trust is everything. When users can't rely on getting what they ordered (or understanding why substitutions happen), they stop using the service. This wasn't just a UX problem—it was a service delivery problem that required systems-level thinking.
Original user flow highlighting key frustration points in the substitution process
We conducted interviews with 6 users, focusing on their experiences with the full mobile grocery shopping experience, from item selection to substitution selections and final grocery delivery. Participants represented a broad demographic, and the goal was to uncover underlying pain points and preferences regarding the service.
Users couldn't find items where they expected them to be, leading to frustration and abandoned searches. The taxonomy didn't match mental models formed by in-store shopping experiences.
Substituted items were often lower quality than the original selection, but users had no way to communicate preferences or reject poor substitutions before delivery.
Rather than random or default substitutions, users wanted intelligent suggestions that matched the price point, brand preference, or dietary needs of their original selection.
To better understand the broader grocery delivery landscape, a competitive analysis was conducted comparing our client's service with those of the two next most popular in the local area. This comparison highlighted key differences in features, such as substitution handling, shopper communication, and delivery tracking. These insights provided valuable context for identifying areas where the client's experience could be improved to better align with user expectations.
Based on the interviews, a user persona was developed representing the client's target users. The persona encapsulated common characteristics, motivations, and challenges real users face while using the grocery delivery service. This helped us keep the user perspective at the forefront during the design process.
This wasn't just about redesigning screens—it was about understanding the entire service delivery system. We created a service blueprint to visualize customer actions alongside frontstage, backstage, and support processes, uncovering key service gaps and opportunities for improvement.
The service blueprint revealed that substitution problems weren't just a UI issue—they were rooted in backend tagging and categorization processes. By mapping the invisible infrastructure, we could design solutions that addressed the root cause, not just the symptoms.
Service blueprint mapping the end-to-end grocery delivery experience, with focus on the substitution process and backend support systems
The backend product tagging system was inconsistent, making it difficult for shoppers to find appropriate substitutions. This meant users received poor replacements not because shoppers didn't care, but because the system didn't give them good options.
By improving the backend tagging and categorization system, we could enable better substitution suggestions for shoppers AND give users more control over the process—addressing trust at the systems level.
We implemented a seamless service redesign that improves user flow through enhanced product tagging systems, clearer substitution communication, and improved UX writing—simplifying the entire shopping experience while respecting user agency.
Redesigned user flow showing improvements to substitution selection and transparency
Users can now see intelligent substitution suggestions based on the original item's category, price point, and dietary attributes. They can accept, modify, or reject suggestions before the shopper begins.
This gives users control and transparency—two key factors in building trust with the service.
We proposed improvements to the backend product tagging and categorization system to enable better substitution matching. This included collaborating with Information Architects to redesign the taxonomy.
This systems-level change would improve the entire service—not just for users, but for shoppers trying to do their jobs well.
"Solutions that fit seamlessly into the existing design system are easiest for current users to adopt."
This project reinforced that good service design requires looking beyond the interface. The substitution problem wasn't just about better UI—it was about backend infrastructure, shopper workflows, and communication systems. As someone coming from social work, this felt familiar: you can't fix individual problems without addressing the systems that create them. That's what service design is really about.
Explore other projects or get in touch to discuss how I can help with your next service design challenge.