Contents

Overview

GrowthFactor

Challenge

Thought Process

User Research

Research informed design

Iterations

Final Designs

Feedback

Reducing Retailers’ Decision Time by 80%:

How I led End-to-End Research & Product Design at GrowthFactor

role

Founding Designer

Founding Designer

Timeline

2024 - current

2024 - current

Collaborated with

Real Estate Managers,

Engineers, CPO, CEO

Real Estate Managers,

VPs of real estate, CPO, CEO

Problem Statement

Retailers struggle with slow, manual site selection processes, lacking a unified tool to make data-driven business expansion decisions.

Retailers struggle with slow, manual site selection processes, lacking a unified tool to make data-driven business expansion decisions.

Why is this important for retail real estate agents?

Let's role play. Imagine you're the CEO of Guy-fil-A's. And you're looking to expand your franchise in Boston.

Where do you put your store? Where do you start?

Let's role play. Imagine you're the CEO of Guy-fil-A's. And you're looking to expand your franchise in Boston.

Where do you put your store? Where do you start?

GrowthFactor helps you to look where to go and most importantly, where NOT to go.

GrowthFactor helps you to look where to go and most importantly, where NOT to go.

What was the challenge?

I had a CS background. The company I work for was in retail real estate….

I had a CS background. The company I work for was in retail real estate….

This left me disconnected from user pain points. If I don't feel their pain, how can I design a solution to ease it?

This left me disconnected from user pain points. If I don't feel their pain, how can I design a solution to ease it?

So I put myself in a simulation: I am working for a taco truck owner and I have 3 hours to find a spot in Boston to put my new truck. OR my owner is gonna fire me.

So I put myself in a simulation: I am working for a taco truck owner and I have 3 hours to find a spot in Boston to put my new truck. OR my owner is gonna fire me.

White Boarding my thought process

To help my taco business, what would be some of my priorities?

To help my taco business, what would be some of my priorities?

Fig: some of my raw thoughts

Now that I have these, where do I collect data, what do I understand from the data, what do I do with the data? how do I make a decision from the data?


These questions helped me understand the pain that agents face while making a decision.

Now that I have these, where do I collect data, what do I understand from the data, what do I do with the data? how do I make a decision from the data?


These questions helped me understand the pain that agents face while making a decision.

User Research & Interviews

My iterative solution for a user to find all necessary information when they look into a site

My iterative solution for a user to find all necessary information when they look into a site

Fig: User Journey and findings from user interview

Fig: User Journey and findings from user interview

How Research Informed Information Architecture & Design

From Fragmented to Unified

Users were overwhelmed by having to

  1. juggle more than three different tools just to gather cohesive information about a single site.

  2. when evaluating multiple sites, there was no central place to compare key factors like competitors, complementary stores, traffic, and market growth.


This fragmented workflow was not only time-consuming but also mentally exhausting, as users had to piece together data from scattered sources.

Users were overwhelmed by having to

  1. juggle more than three different tools just to gather cohesive information about a single site.

  2. when evaluating multiple sites, there was no central place to compare key factors like competitors, complementary stores, traffic, and market growth.


This fragmented workflow was not only time-consuming but also mentally exhausting, as users had to piece together data from scattered sources.

Prioritizing What Matters Most

Through research, I learned that users valued comprehensive information—complements, competitors, demographics, and visibility were all important.

Through research, I learned that users valued comprehensive information—complements, competitors, demographics, and visibility were all important.

The iterations and how I evolved through them

The initial versions

To address these needs, I prioritized must-have information first, followed by nice-to-have data such as traffic metrics.

To address these needs, I prioritized must-have information first, followed by nice-to-have data such as traffic metrics.

Fig: The first version when we had only Site Evaluation on our road map

This version didn't work well because it was too many clicks to get to the map and comparing sites wasn't easy

And, there's a lot of information all over the place

Fig: The second version when we had only Site Evaluation on our road map

Information was organized, compare sites was easy to find but still not intuitive enough when there are zero sites

The 'View On Map' would open up the below modal

Fig: The 'View On Map' would open up this modal

The map was very useful but having 2 clicks to get to this map wasn't ideal

Final Designs

Designing for the User’s Workflow

To address these evolving needs of our product, I prioritized must-have information first, followed by nice-to-have data such as traffic metrics. And continued to build the product with multiple features, bringing everything together in a holistic view

To address these evolving needs of our product, I prioritized must-have information first, followed by nice-to-have data such as traffic metrics. And continued to build the product with multiple features, bringing everything together in a holistic view

Fig: The lo-fi wireframe to organize all the information in a single screen along with the map

Fig: The final screen that was developed

Fig: Compare sites on a different page

All-in-One Overview

By consolidating all relevant data into a single interface, I minimized clicks and eliminated the need to switch between multiple tools. The design now matches users’ workflow and preferences, making it intuitive and efficient.

By consolidating all relevant data into a single interface, I minimized clicks and eliminated the need to switch between multiple tools. The design now matches users’ workflow and preferences, making it intuitive and efficient.

Feedback & Tests

User testing confirmed the success of this approach - all participants expressed strong approval and provided constructive feedback, such as the desire to compare even more locations. As a result, decision time was reduced by 80%, workflows were streamlined, and user satisfaction was significantly enhanced.

User testing confirmed the success of this approach - all participants expressed strong approval and provided constructive feedback, such as the desire to compare even more locations.


As a result, decision time was reduced by 80%, workflows were streamlined, and user satisfaction was significantly enhanced.

Next Case Study:

Next Case Study:

See how I designed a tool by bringing machine learning–powered confidence to benchmark new sites and predict sales performance

See how I designed a tool by bringing machine learning–powered confidence to benchmark new sites and predict sales performance

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