Finding products in large grocery stores can be frustrating and time consuming. For my thesis project, I explored how ICA could improve navigation in its physical stores and designed Hitta Rätt Lätt, a concept that helps customers locate products more efficiently. During testing, the prototype reduced the average time needed to find products by 63% and achieved a SUS score of 85.4.
Role: UX Designer and Researcher
Project: Independent master’s thesis
Responsibilities: Research planning, user research, analysis, concept development, interaction design, prototyping, usability testing and evaluation
Collaboration: ICA stakeholders, customers and academic supervisors
Year: 2022
A Personal Experience
Have you ever struggled to find a product in a grocery store?
I have. One day, I was searching for coriander seeds at my local ICA. Naturally, I went to the spice department. But after several minutes of searching, I discovered the seeds were in the Asian food section. That moment of frustration made me realize how common this challenge is, and it inspired me to investigate ICA customers' pain points and create a solution that improves the shopping experience.
Challenge
Difficulty locating products, leading to frustration and inefficiency. For ICA, this risks lost sales as customers leave empty-handed or turn to competitors.
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User insight
I was searching for a product that I assumed was out of stock, only to find it placed in a different location than where it’s usually stocked in my regular ICA store.
Solution
Hitta Rätt Lätt is a digital service that uses GPS mapping and product images to help users locate products quickly and easily. My redesign improves ICA’s existing app, addressing user pain points while delivering value to both ICA and its customers.
GPS
Users navigate faster with GPS guidance, aided by color-coded departments for clarity.
Before
After
Product images
Product images allow users to identify products instantly, reducing search time.
Before
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After
Testing & Outcome
System Usability Scale (SUS) Test:
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The prototype scored 85.4, indicating excellent usability.
Physical tests at ICA Maxi with three groups:
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Users with prototype: Average time to find products – 3 minutes.
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Users without prototype (using paper shopping list):
Average time – 8 minutes.
Product finding time decreased by 63% during testing.
Potential value
For ICA:
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Increased sales as customers find products more easily.
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Competitive advantage and customer retention.
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Fewer questions for staff and better resource allocation.
For Customers:
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Saves time and energy.
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Enhances the shopping experience.
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Simplifies navigation with visual and interactive tools.
