Unifying 500+ brands for 17M monthly users
Role
Product Designer
Timeline
4 months (2024)
Design Team
2 Product Designers
UX Researcher
Skills
Product Design
Product Strategy
Research
Prototyping
Stakeholder presentation
tldr;
Coca-Cola's websites had fragmented designs leading to maintanence costs and disengagement
The Problem
With Coca-Cola's digital ecosystem spanning 500+ global brand websites, they faced significant challenges in design fragmentation, leading to high maintenance costs and low Gen Z engagement.
The Research
Gen Z-focused user research revealing critical navigation barriers and experience gaps across digital platforms
The Solution
By collaborating closely with internal and Coca-Cola teams, I developed a 'unified hub' design strategy that standardized design language, and introduced new components to simplify user workflows.
Stakeholder buy-ins obtained for Coca-Cola initiatives.
Layout guidelines added to Coca-Cola's internal playbook.
New components added to Coca-Cola's design system.
The red represents countries where Coca-Cola products are sold.
Problem
Hundreds of websites in need of consistency
Imagine standing in front of a digital maze with 500 websites, each representing a different Coca-Cola brand, scattered across 200 countries. This was my design challenge: Transforming a fragmented digital landscape into a unified, engaging platform that could speak to 17 million monthly users.
Stakeholder RACI map
For a brand forward company like Coca-Cola, this meant lost conversions and increased costs
Lack of scalability
Each new campaign meant reinventing the wheel; no repeatable structure existed to streamline future initiatives and save time.
Increased operating costs
With each brand operating in its own digital silo, Coca-Cola was hemorrhaging money on redundant systems and fragmented data management.
Gen Z Disengagement
Picture a GenZ user trying to find a campaign they participated in, only to get lost in a maze of disconnected websites. Frustration was leading to disengagement.
Solutions
Final designs addressed fragmented workflows
Over 4 months, I collaborated with internal and external stakeholders and design teams to deeply understand the existing design system and navigated complex technical and business constraints to develop solutions.
Streamlined Redemptions
Coca-Cola's internal A/B testing showed all participants preferred the new redemption flow and components.
Improved Wayfinding
85% of Coca-Cola's internal testing participants found the new layout easier to navigate.
Better Error States and Recovery
All Coca-Cola internal testing audience found the new error states easy to understand and recover from.
Learning
So how did
we get there?
The first step in my design process is understanding the 'Why' behind the issues, allowing me to address the root causes and align my designs with high-level stakeholder goals.
Process
Understanding the Why behind the issues
01
Inefficient user task flows
User tasks crucial for sign-ups and engagement were fragmented and overly long—a disengagement silver bullet for the Gen Z target audience.
02
Data handling constraints
Policy constraints created communication gaps, lowering user trust and effectiveness in reaching the audience.
03
Lack of personalization
Absence of features like notification systems meant lack of personalized user engagement, crucial for GenZ audiences.
The process was further complicated by underlying systems already in place along with company and technical jargon used internally at Coca-Cola. Yikes!
New constraints and a pivot in design strategy
01
Time to implement new components was too high
Legacy systems and the company’s scale meant introducing new components could take up to a year—a timeline incompatible with the first iteration MVP.
02
Functionality was restricted according to geographical location
International laws prevented implementation of features, like Single Sign-On across some markets, which I had proposed to streamline registrations.
Learning
Some ideations from the first iteration wireframes would make it to the final design despite initial hesitance from stakeholders
Balancing user needs and tech constraints
To meet the MVP deadline, I pivoted to leverage existing systems, focusing on optimizing rather than reinventing tasks. This led to a few wins!
01
Advocating user-friendly components
I advocated for key features like a wallet system to reduce user confusion and drive sign-ups.
02
Securing Approval with Coca-Cola research
With backing from Coca-Cola's internal research team, we secured approval for new wireframes by demonstrating their value. Yay teamwork!
A change in
screen dimensions
For the second iteration, we prioritized mobile wireframes since most site redirects would come from social media, primarily on mobile phones.
Simplified view of some of my second iteration Mid-Fi wireframes created after revisions.
Gen Z User Research for better engagement
In order to understand best practices and pain points for better engagement and driving business, I collaborated with the user researcher to perform primary research via trusted sources like Nielsen Norman and marketing studies while assisting in usability tests, leading to insights:
95%
of users prioritized components that gave incentives
Users expected tangible incentives or rewards before registering, emphasizing the need to clearly communicate benefits upfront to drive sign-ups.
87%
of users were interested in new/custom products
Secondary research revealed that Gen Z users prefer personalized or seasonal products over familiar ones, highlighting the importance of novelty to maintain engagement.
65%
of users had a negative onboarding experience
Users struggled with the sitemap as promotions, campaigns, brands, and the homepage were listed without clear hierarchy, making navigation confusing.
45%
of users were open to registering
Without clear incentives, users were reluctant to create accounts, finding the process unnecessary and cumbersome. This lack of motivation impacted engagement.
Reducing interaction costs and to drive better engagement, the user research helped us make 7 key layout recommendations.
Here's a couple:
Outcomes
The Success Story
After two months of refining wireframes, resolving technical challenges, and managing stakeholder dynamics, we presented our designs to over 40 global stakeholders. Despite initial nerves, the collaborative approach paid off. The presentation was a success, with our designs receiving praise and approval for implementation across Coca-Cola’s digital landscape—a proud moment as we set a new standard for the brand.
Keyur and I have collaborated on several projects, but (this) one in particular highlighted Keyur's pivotal role. The project was a resounding success, largely due to Keyur's ability to simplify and visualize complex workflows, tailoring the user experience for each scenario. I highly recommend Keyur for any design team.
Keyur's incredibly smart and a natural problem solver, always coming up with creative solutions to tricky design issues. Keyur’s dedication and hard work shine through in every project, and his attention to detail ensures a seamless user experience every time.
On top of his technical skills, Keyur is a joy to work with. His positive attitude and collaborative spirit make team projects enjoyable and productive. He's not just a great designer but also a fantastic team player who truly elevates the work environment. Any team would be lucky to have him on board.
