Reimagining Omnichannel Journeys
A Data-Driven Roadmap for Business Growth
CLIENT
Athleta
TEAM
2 Senior designers, Copywriter, research team
DATE
Feb, 2024
My Role
Traditionally, user journeys can feel dull and confusing—especially when overwhelmed by data. In my role as Senior Product Designer, I redefined how these journeys are experienced by transforming complex insights into clear, actionable narratives that drive strategic decisions. Leveraging Figma, Agile sprints, and close collaboration with research, analytics, design, and copywriting teams, I led an iterative, user-centered approach that resulted in a dynamic tool. This solution empowers teams to make impactful, data-driven decisions through a streamlined interface, ultimately driving revenue growth.
Objective
Our team was tasked with creating a single, easy-to-digest user journey that captured Athleta’s extensive research on customer interactions across stores, websites, mobile channels, and customer service. Our goal was to synthesize vast amounts of data into an actionable deliverable that informs strategic decision-making.
Collaborative workshop in Miro: Synthesizing omnichannel data and stakeholder feedback into a cohesive, user-centric framework
Approach
From the outset, our aim was to craft a concise, easy-to-understand user journey that aligned with Athleta’s need for clarity. Guided by user-centered design principles, we gathered insights from stakeholders and conducted thorough research to lay the groundwork for strategic problem-solving.
Maintain Brand & Accessibility:
We ensured visual consistency with Athleta’s brand guidelines and adhered to accessibility best practices.
Identify Key Touchpoints:
We mapped out major interactions—store, online, mobile—to create a high-level, linear journey.
Collaborate with Research & Stakeholders:
We collected user insights, motivations, and pain points from various departments to ensure the journey’s relevance.
The Unexpected Challenge
Early on, we created basic digital wireframes to map out Athleta’s omnichannel journey. Our initial plan was to design a straightforward, linear flow that executives and UX teams could quickly reference. However, as research data accumulated—from virtual interviews and shop-alongs to deep analytics—it became clear that a static journey couldn’t capture the full depth of our insights.
Initial Wireframes:
Basic digital mockups established a foundational structure, but as we layered in data, the designs quickly became cluttered.
Competitive & Best-in-Class Journeys:
We examined static journey maps and examples with basic interactivity. Although some provided a high-level overview, they fell short in accommodating the rich, detailed data we had.
Placeholder - Initian explorations
Early on, it became clear that a static journey—the original plan—wouldn’t fully capture the depth of Athleta’s research. Recognizing these limitations, we began treating the entire experience as a product. This shift went beyond a standard user journey, empowering stakeholders to interact with insights for more strategic decision-making.
Placeholder - The ammount of consolidated data was too much
Placeholder - Initial interactive explorations
Embracing a Product Mindset
Rather than confining the journey to static pages, we reimagined it as a dynamic, interactive product. This shift enabled us to:
Integrate Interactivity:
Allow users to click on elements to reveal additional information, ensuring they could focus on the details that mattered most.
Enable Scalability:
Build a modular design system in Figma that lets the journey evolve as new data emerges or additional insights are discovered.
Ensure User-Centeredness:
Employ iterative feedback loops to tailor the experience for diverse departments, from high-level executive insights to granular UX details.
Placeholder - Touch point exploration or Choosinga. journey
Placeholder - Expanding Panel anim
Placeholder - Overview to journey anim
Solution
At this point, we were ready to build our product—designing key features that offered real-time insights, flexible exploration, and forward-looking perspectives.
The Journey
Our final product comprises three integrated parts, delivering a seamless, interactive experience:
Omnichannel View
We combined online and offline interactions into a single dashboard, giving teams a clear picture of customer movements across channels. This unified view helps stakeholders coordinate efforts and identify improvement opportunities.
Placeholder
Placeholder
Placeholder
Touchpoint Panel
At each step of the journey, our touchpoint panel surfaces relevant details without overwhelming users. Stakeholders can click to reveal additional information, making it easier to identify issues or opportunities and respond quickly.
Placeholder
Placeholder
Placeholder
Future Journey Map
We added an overlay that displays potential improvements alongside the current state. By toggling between present and future scenarios, teams can pinpoint where changes will have the greatest impact, aiding in strategic planning.
Placeholder
Placeholder
Placeholder
One Unified Product
After finalizing the omnichannel views, touchpoint panels, and future journey maps, we consolidated them into a single, app-like interface.
Journey Overview
A high-level snapshot consolidates key data points across Athleta’s omnichannel ecosystem, enabling stakeholders to quickly identify friction areas and opportunities for improvement.
Placeholder
Placeholder
Placeholder
Global Navigation
This feature allows stakeholders to switch seamlessly between multiple journeys, making it easy to locate the insights they need in seconds.
Placeholder
Placeholder
Placeholder
Onboarding experience
Designed to simplify the learning curve, our onboarding experience guides users through the system’s features step by step, ensuring everyone—from executives to UX designers—can navigate confidently.
Placeholder
Placeholder
Placeholder
Recap & Impact
Transforming a static concept into a dynamic, product-like tool empowered Athleta’s stakeholders to rapidly interpret complex data. The interactive Figma prototype integrated omnichannel views, touchpoint panels, and future journey maps, aligning cross-functional teams around unified insights.
Faster Decision-Making
Reduced time spent sifting through research, enabling swift, data-driven pivots.
Scalable Framework
Treating the journey as a product ensured modular, future-proof design, cutting overhead for new updates.
Boosted Collaboration
A centralized system and intuitive design encouraged continuous input from diverse departments.
Transforming Our Design Practice
After completing the project, a retrospective revealed that our dynamic journey framework was more than just a deliverable—it was a game changer. When shared with company leaders, they recognized an opportunity to brand and resell the framework. Since then, it has become the initial touchpoint for new clients, leading to expanded projects that extend well beyond the original journey. The development of a white-label version further underscores its versatility and the significant impact it has had on the growth of our design practice.
The process of creation should be an act of discovery.
Bret Victor
Contact me at hello@dianapadron.com - Diana Padron. Miami, Florida