Gourmet Marketplace Navigation Redesign
This project focused on designing a user-centric navigation system for a gourmet food marketplace by combining deep competitor analysis with hybrid card sorting techniques. I began by dissecting the information architecture of four leading gourmet food retailers to identify best practices and structure patterns. To ensure alignment with real user behavior, I conducted a hybrid card sorting study involving a diverse group of participants. Their input revealed a clear preference for intuitive labels, layered categorization, and flexible search pathways.
The insights gained directly informed the development of a streamlined, scalable information architecture aimed at enhancing discoverability, reducing cognitive load, and driving conversion. This project reflects my approach to UX design—data-driven, empathetic, and rooted in the belief that thoughtful structure empowers users to explore with confidence and clarity.
Competitor Analysis
I began by analyzing four leading competitors, focusing closely on their information architecture and categorization strategies. Through detailed investigation, I identified common patterns and best practices across all four companies. The goal of this analysis is to design navigation menus and search hierarchies that align with user expectations, ensuring a seamless and intuitive browsing experience that naturally connects users to the products they’re looking for.
User Research
I conducted a hybrid card sorting activity that balanced structure with user flexibility, producing meaningful and reliable insights into natural organization patterns. Seven participants—ranging from beginners to experienced home cooks, including working professionals and retirees aged 27 to 66—sorted 89 randomized cards into 19 intuitive categories, creating a well-rounded, representative snapshot of our target audience's mental models.
IA Redesigned
Based on the results of the card sorting activity, we identified three key takeaways to guide the design of a user-centered information architecture. First, participants consistently relied on broad, recognizable descriptors, highlighting the importance of clear, intuitive labeling for quick product discovery. Second, the desire for layered navigation through subcategories emphasized the need to support deeper exploration and uncover specialized items. Lastly, the frequent duplication of items revealed that users expect flexible pathways—by description, use, or region—making it essential to design a structure that accommodates diverse mental models and search behaviors.