Introduction

At Bime Bazar, we recently undertook a comprehensive application redesign to enhance user experience, improve functionality, and align with our evolving business goals. The redesign process was meticulously planned and executed, following a structured approach to ensure all aspects of the application were addressed.

The primary purpose of this piece is to underscore a critical point: unlike the ideal scenarios often portrayed in redesign discussions, the reality of working on an actual product frequently involves making decisions with incomplete information or under time constraints. In such situations, it becomes essential to prioritize among the available options and optimize the process accordingly.

In my recent experience with redesigning an application, we had to accept a significant amount of ambiguity in our decision-making process. Additionally, we didn’t have the luxury of extensive time to lay out a flawless flow.

Ultimately, for a redesign project, we planned and executed the following steps. We divided the steps into four main sections:
1. 🔍 Research
2. 🩻 User Flow Design
3. ✏️ UX Writing
4. 🖼️ User Interface.

🔍 Research

To ensure a thorough understanding of user needs and market conditions, we began our redesign process with comprehensive research. This included conducting stakeholder interviews, usability tests, heuristic evaluations, and competitive analysis to gather valuable insights and identify areas for improvement.

1. Stakeholders Interview: To gather insights from key stakeholders about their needs, goals, and expectations, ensuring alignment with business objectives and user requirements.
2. Usability Test: To identify usability issues and pain points that real users experience, improving overall user experience and functionality.
3. Heuristic Evaluation: To quickly identify potential usability problems based on established usability principles, allowing for early corrections and improvements.
4. Competitive Analysis (Usability Test): To understand the strengths and weaknesses of competitors’ websites, identifying best practices and opportunities for differentiation.

🩻 User Flow Design

In the User Flow Design phase, we focused on organizing and structuring the user experience to ensure a seamless and intuitive journey. This involved reviewing research data, analyzing competitive flows, creating detailed flow charts, and developing a robust information architecture. We also conducted benchmarks, SEO, and marketing reviews, and created wireframes. Each step was carefully reviewed and approved through multiple sessions, including PM and technical feasibility checks, to finalize the wireframes and estimate the work required.

1. Research Review: Based on the research step, the first action in this phase is to review the research findings and consider them in the User Flow stage.
2. Review Competitive Flows: We analyzed our competitors’ user flows to identify best practices and areas for improvement. This helped us benchmark our design and ensure our application provides a superior user experience.
3. Create Flow Chart: To visualize user journeys and interactions, ensuring a logical and intuitive flow that meets user needs.
4. Benchmark: To set performance and design standards based on industry best practices, ensuring high quality and competitiveness.
5. Information Architecture: To organize and structure content in a way that is intuitive and easy to navigate, enhancing the user experience.
6. SEO Review: To optimize the website for search engines, improving visibility, traffic, and rankings.
7. Marketing Review: To ensure the redesign supports marketing goals and strategies, enhancing user engagement and conversion rates.
8. Wireframe: To create a visual guide to the structure and layout of the website, allowing for early feedback and adjustments.
9. Review Session: To gather feedback from stakeholders and design team members, refining and improving the design before moving forward.
10. PM Review: To ensure the project manager’s approval and alignment with project goals and timelines.
11. Tech Feasibility Check: To assess the technical feasibility of the design, ensuring it can be effectively implemented within the given constraints.

✏️ UX Writing

In the UX Writing phase, we focused on creating clear, concise, and user-friendly content to guide and engage users. This included crafting instructional text, error messages, and other microcopy to enhance overall usability and ensure consistency with our brand voice. Each piece of content was carefully reviewed to support the overall design and improve user experience.

🖼️ User Interface

In the UI phase, we focused on creating a visually appealing and functional user interface. This involved conducting a Mobbin check, reviewing competitive UIs, and designing the UI. The design was then reviewed by the team, project manager, and developers to ensure it met all requirements and was technically feasible. Finally, the design was refined and finalized based on the feedback.

1. Competitive UI Check: To analyze competitors’ UI designs, identifying strengths and weaknesses that inform our own design decisions.
2. Mobbin Check: To review the implementation of various components, we needed to check the Mobbin site and see how other apps have used components in similar cases.
3. UI Design: To create visually appealing and functional interface designs that enhance user interactions and satisfaction.
4. Team Review: Collaborate with team members, gathering diverse perspectives to ensure the design meets all requirements and standards.
5. PM Review: To obtain the project manager’s approval, ensuring the design aligns with project objectives and timelines.
6. Tech Feasibility Check: To collaborate with developers, ensuring the design is technically feasible and can be effectively implemented.

Conclusion

It is important to note that these steps were specifically tailored to the needs of our product during the redesign phase. These steps are not meant to be a one-size-fits-all solution for all redesigns.

Transformative Steps: Bime Bazar’s Redesign Journey was originally published in UX Planet on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.