Ulta Beauty
2021
One of the largest cosmetics companies, Ulta Beauty offers both high-end and drugstore cosmetics, skincare, and fragrances, as well as in-store services and app-based beauty tools.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Tasked to redesign the Ulta Beauty app homepage for mobile
6-month project. Product launched in 2021.
Mobile device - iOS and Android
Senior UX Designer: Project Lead, Research, User Testing, UX, UI
Sketch, Miro
PROCESS
• Audited and evaluated the mobile app homepage.
• Engaged key stakeholders.
• Conducted research to uncover any unforeseen user needs.
• Created and executed a redesign strategy.
• Produced the final design.
TEAM COLLABORATIONS
Everyday
UI Designer
Weekly
Senior UX Manager
UX and UI Design Team
Senior UX Research Program Manager
Product Manager of Digital Experience
Time to Time
Director of Merch Team
VP of ECOMM
Director of Digital
Director of Loyalty
Production
Director of Merch Team
VP of ECOMM
Director of Digital
Director of Loyalty
PRODUCT IMPROVEMENTS
• Increased loyalty program engagement.
• Consolidated and focused event deals.
• Prioritized and personalized product recommendations.
• Elevated and prioritized all sales and deals.
• Increased loyalty member Birthday Event engagement.
• Included desired product rails that encourage empowered browsing.
• Reduced frivolous content – focusing the user’s happy path.
• Incentivized user feedback participation.
AUDITING THE ORIGINAL DESIGN
Initial look at the existing Ulta Beauty app homepage
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Outlined project objectives.
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Interviewed internal stakeholders.
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Interviewed internal stakeholders.
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Framed the design challenge
ORIGINAL DESIGN - MY INSIGHTS
• No true hierarchy, no happy path, no visual cohesion, nor attention to layout.
• Sections are placed haphazardly throughout the homepage and on two different tabs.
• “Featured” Tab has 11 sections.
• “For You” Tab has 10 sections.
• Each section has up to fifteen pieces of content within it.
• 7½ screen lengths per tab.
ORIGINAL DESIGN -STAKEHOLDER'S INSIGHT
Users found the amount of product content is overwhelming.
Users often don’t experience the homepage in its entirety.
Users rarely, if ever, click on the “For You” tab.
If discovered, “Offers” at the top of the homepage are deals that users consistently interact with and use.
The Birthday Event module gives loyalty guests an easy way access to specific perks and gifts during their birthday month.
FURTHER RESEARCH
Reviewed mobile app usability studies for Ulta and its chief competitor, Sephora (iOS & Android).
Expanded competitive research to other ecommerce platforms and industries.
Synthesized themes in research and created actionable insights that identified design opportunities.
How Might We...
go deeper with our identified successes while exploring how to include other features the homepage could offer?
INSIGHTS & PROVOCATIONS
Loyalty rewards program motivates users to stay with Ulta.
Amplify the Loyalty benefits.
Users ignore most of the homepage because it is overwhelming.
Slim down and personalize the homepage.
Coupons and sales are user’s main reason to use the app.
Deals and sales up front and center.
The Birthday Event gets loyalty users to engage the app almost daily.
Clarify Birthday Event benefits.
Users expect the app to get more personalized as they use it.
Look into ways product rails can be relevant and personalized.
App is used as a "walking library" research tool to aid in offline shopping.
Consider the app a tool. Not a selling and marketing platform.
Users don’t utilize the “For You” tab. It rarely gets tapped.
This is a missed personalization opportunity. How can we get this content in front of users?
Iterating first design concepts
1 category rail
4 deals
2 editorial reads
1 event - special
1 event - normal
1 greeting, status, offers area
1 loyalty hub
3 messages
1 product highlight
6 product rails
1 search bar, inbox, cart
4 user beauty tools
26 sections in total. 12 unique sections.
TESTING
I needed to know more from the customer
TEST OBJECTIVE
Understand which sections are important to the customer.
Have actionable insights to inform the hierarchy, layout, and content of the homepage.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
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What information are our guests looking for?
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Are certain sections more important to our guests than others?
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Is any information missing?
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Is any information superfluous or unnecessary?
METHODOLOGY
An unmoderated study of 25 power and 25 low frequency users.
25 Power App Users
• Loyalty member of Ulta.com.
• Uses the Ulta app once or more weekly.
• Frequent online beauty shoppers with recent purchases.
25 Low Frequency or Lapsed Users
• Not a loyalty member of Ulta.com.
• Uses Ulta app once monthly or less.
• Frequent online beauty shoppers with competitors.
3-PART TEST
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Sections used and liked in other apps
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Pre-study card sort and ideal app
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Full test card sort
PART 1 - LIKED SECTIONS IN OTHER APPS
Test subjects who organically mentioned these e-commerce homepage sections and features.
27
mentioned Deals, Sales, and Coupons
50
Test Subjects in Total
15
mentioned Picked For You
8
mentioned Loyalty Hub
7
mentioned New Arrivals
6
mentioned Top Trending and Purchase History
5
mentioned Favorites and Recently Viewed
PART 2A - PRE-SCREEN CARD SORT
Test subjects were given written descriptions of existing Ulta Beauty app homepage sections. Below is the order of how they’d like to see them.
Deals at Ulta
A listing of deal messaging, coupons, featured app-only deals, and Ultamate Rewards Offers. These different deals are based on your membership tier level, deals sent to all shoppers, app-only users, and to any Ultamate loyalty member.
#1
Picked For You
A list of specific products relevant to how you shop, based on what you’ve bought, and items that you’ve saved.
#2
Your Favorites & Purchases
A list of products that you have favorited and previously bought. Favorited items that you haven’t bought are shown first.
#3
Greetings and Activities
Personalized greeting to you and current member loyalty level. Jumplinks and notifications about orders, services, and loyalty program offers.
#4
Loyalty Hub
Your progression towards your next loyalty status level, points level, and cash value level. An action prompt allows you to complete a task so you can progress towards your next loyalt tier and gain points.
#5
New Arrivals
A list of products that are the newest items available from Ulta and the brands it retails. New products relevant to you will be shown first.
#6
Power Event
An event that features specialized savings and offers highlighting certain products. Each day has unique offers throughout the time of the event. Additionally, Ulta's Beauty Tools are showcased here.
#7
Top Trending
Showing you a list of products that are trending in popularity based on top selling items over the past week.
#8
Explore Ulta
Beauty Tools uses your phone's camera and AR to "try on" products. Beauty Tips include quizes and buying guides. Beauty Services are in-store salons. Current Ad is a link to Ulta's print magazine of deals.
#9
Messaging
Technical app or store issues, delays in shipping, shopping tips, and general announcements.
#10
Beauty Trends
Monthly or seasonal trends with curated product assortments based on insights from Ulta contributing professionals, guest contributors, and influencers. Some Beauty Trends allow for you to earn 3x or 5x points on participating products.
#11
Speciality Highlight
Showcasing new brand launches, new Beauty Tools added to Ulta, and specialty product highlights with you in mind.
#12
PART 2B - USER’S IDEAL APP
The number of test subjects that organically indicated their priority sections.
7
6
mentioned Search
mentioned My Profile
10
mentioned New Arrivals
27
mentioned Deals, Sales, and Coupons
50
Test Subjects in Total
15
mentioned Your Items (Favorites + Purchased)
16
mentioned Picked for You
18
mentioned Points & Loyalty
13
mentioned Trending
PART 3 - FULL TEST CARD SORT PREFERRED ORDERING
Test subjects were shown “Work In Progress” module designs of the Ulta app homepage. Below is how they ranked the modules.
FINALIZING LAYOUT AND HIERARCHY
Messaging
Greetings
and Activities
Loyalty
Information
Deals
Picks For You
Your Favorites
and Purchases
Major Event
New Arrivals
Top Trending
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Removed and/or consolidated low-interest sections.
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Old design: 26 sections (12 unique).
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New design: 10 unique sections.
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Less content simplifies and focuses on the app experience.
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Prioritized personalized sections in the scroll hierarchy.
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Users still have avenues to browse relevant products.
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Low-priced items are grouped and elevated in the scroll hierarchy.
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Clear UI and visual design.
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Emphasized benefits of the Ulta Loyalty program.
Original Guidance
How might we go deeper with our identified successes while exploring how to include other positive features the homepage could offer?
DESIGN ITERATIONS
UX, UI, and IX improvements
Final Design
• Increased loyalty program engagement.
• Consolidated and focused event deals.
• Prioritized and personalized product recommendations.
• Elevated and prioritized all sales and deals.
• Increased loyalty member Birthday Event engagement.
• Included desired product rails that encourage empowered browsing.
• Reduced frivolous content – focusing the user’s happy path.
• Incentivized user feedback participation.