Umamicart
Umamicart
Umamicart
Simplifying how customers find and buy products by improving design and navigation
Simplifying how customers find and buy products by improving design and navigation
Simplifying how customers find and buy products by improving design and navigation
Project
Improving site navigation, Redesigning search page (web, app)
Wireframes, Prototype, Mockups
My Role
UI/UX Design, Research,
Interactions and Visuals
Project
Improving site navigation, Redesigning search page (web, app)
Wireframes, Prototype, Mockups
My Role
UI/UX Design, Research,
Interactions and Visuals
Project
Improving site navigation, Redesigning search page (web, app)
Wireframes, Prototype, Mockups
My Role
UI/UX Design, Research,
Interactions and Visuals
TEAM
Andisya S. - Product Lead
Nadine T. - Front End Developer
Timeline
Summer 2023
TEAM
Andisya S. - Product Lead
Nadine T. - Front End Developer
Timeline
Summer 2023
TEAM
Andisya S. - Product Lead
Nadine T. - Front End Developer
Timeline
Summer 2023
Intro
Intro
Intro
Umamicart is an online grocery store that emerged as a one-stop-shop for home cooks interested in Asian cuisines. With its commitment to delivering a wide range of high-quality, authentic Asian products directly to consumers’ doors, Umamicart has successfully bridged the gap between traditional Asian cuisine and the convenience of online shopping.
I joined Umamicart in July 2023 as their first in-house designer, collaborating closely with the Director of Growth and Product Lead to enhance user experience and expand the platform.
Umamicart is an online grocery store that emerged as a one-stop-shop for home cooks interested in Asian cuisines. With its commitment to delivering a wide range of high-quality, authentic Asian products directly to consumers’ doors, Umamicart has successfully bridged the gap between traditional Asian cuisine and the convenience of online shopping.
I joined Umamicart in July 2023 as their first in-house designer, collaborating closely with the Director of Growth and Product Lead to enhance user experience and expand the platform.
Umamicart was featured in
The Problem
The Problem
The Problem
61% of consumers will shop with a competitor after only one bad experience.
Umamicart is designed to serve a wide range of customers, from culinary enthusiasts and professional chefs to everyday home cooks looking for authentic Asian ingredients that are hard to find in regular grocery stores.
Even though the site was getting good traffic, many people found it difficult to use. The main issues were around navigation and search. The menu structure was not clear, the search page felt cluttered, and there were no intuitive sorting or filtering options. With so many products available, the experience quickly became overwhelming, and customers struggled to find what they needed.
61% of consumers will shop with a competitor after only one bad experience.
Umamicart is designed to serve a wide range of customers, from culinary enthusiasts and professional chefs to everyday home cooks looking for authentic Asian ingredients that are hard to find in regular grocery stores.
Even though the site was getting good traffic, many people found it difficult to use. The main issues were around navigation and search. The menu structure was not clear, the search page felt cluttered, and there were no intuitive sorting or filtering options. With so many products available, the experience quickly became overwhelming, and customers struggled to find what they needed.
61% of consumers will shop with a competitor after only one bad experience.
Umamicart is designed to serve a wide range of customers, from culinary enthusiasts and professional chefs to everyday home cooks looking for authentic Asian ingredients that are hard to find in regular grocery stores.
Even though the site was getting good traffic, many people found it difficult to use. The main issues were around navigation and search. The menu structure was not clear, the search page felt cluttered, and there were no intuitive sorting or filtering options. With so many products available, the experience quickly became overwhelming, and customers struggled to find what they needed.
The Goal
The Goal
The Goal
The goal was to make it much easier for customers to find and buy products. With hundreds of items across many categories, the site needed a clearer structure, a more helpful search experience, and a cleaner, more modern look. I wanted to simplify how people moved through the website by redesigning the navigation and search so they did not feel overwhelmed or lost. In the end, the aim was to guide customers more naturally from browsing to checkout and help them feel confident that they were in the right place.
The goal was to make it much easier for customers to find and buy products. With hundreds of items across many categories, the site needed a clearer structure, a more helpful search experience, and a cleaner, more modern look. I wanted to simplify how people moved through the website by redesigning the navigation and search so they did not feel overwhelmed or lost. In the end, the aim was to guide customers more naturally from browsing to checkout and help them feel confident that they were in the right place.
The goal was to make it much easier for customers to find and buy products. With hundreds of items across many categories, the site needed a clearer structure, a more helpful search experience, and a cleaner, more modern look. I wanted to simplify how people moved through the website by redesigning the navigation and search so they did not feel overwhelmed or lost. In the end, the aim was to guide customers more naturally from browsing to checkout and help them feel confident that they were in the right place.
slide left and right to see before and after
slide left and right to see before and after
My Role
My Role
My Role
I was the sole UX and UI designer on this project and worked closely with the engineering team from start to finish. I was responsible for researching how customers were using the site, presenting my findings to the team, and running competitive analyses to understand how other brands approached navigation and search. I analyzed Umamicart alongside three other companies: Bokksu, Weee!, and Yamibuy, and used this to identify gaps and opportunities in our experience. From there, I created prototypes, designed a completely new design system, and delivered a refreshed user interface that supported clearer navigation, better search, and a more calm and organized shopping experience.
I was the sole UX and UI designer on this project and worked closely with the engineering team from start to finish. I was responsible for researching how customers were using the site, presenting my findings to the team, and running competitive analyses to understand how other brands approached navigation and search. I analyzed Umamicart alongside three other companies: Bokksu, Weee!, and Yamibuy, and used this to identify gaps and opportunities in our experience. From there, I created prototypes, designed a completely new design system, and delivered a refreshed user interface that supported clearer navigation, better search, and a more calm and organized shopping experience.
I was the sole UX and UI designer on this project and worked closely with the engineering team from start to finish. I was responsible for researching how customers were using the site, presenting my findings to the team, and running competitive analyses to understand how other brands approached navigation and search. I analyzed Umamicart alongside three other companies: Bokksu, Weee!, and Yamibuy, and used this to identify gaps and opportunities in our experience. From there, I created prototypes, designed a completely new design system, and delivered a refreshed user interface that supported clearer navigation, better search, and a more calm and organized shopping experience.
The Process
The Process
The Process
We took a user centric approach and focused on making it easier for people to move through the site without feeling lost or overloaded.
Navigation and department optimization
First, we worked on navigation and departments. The main navigation bar was reorganized so that departments felt more clear and logical. Categories were grouped in a way that matched how people actually shop, which made it easier to scan, click into the right section, and move around the site without jumping back and forth.
Search bar enhancement
Next, we improved the search bar experience. We added predictive search so that as users type, the field suggests terms and products that might match what they are looking for. From the search dropdown, users can go straight to a product page, which removes extra steps. We also surfaced trending searches and recent searches so people can quickly pick up where they left off or discover what others are exploring.
Search results page redesign
We then redesigned the search results page to feel more modern and easier to use. The new layout follows common user experience standards so it feels familiar and intuitive. We introduced more advanced filters so users can narrow down products by category, brand, or other attributes and find what they need faster, even in a large catalog.
We took a user centric approach and focused on making it easier for people to move through the site without feeling lost or overloaded.
Navigation and department optimization
First, we worked on navigation and departments. The main navigation bar was reorganized so that departments felt more clear and logical. Categories were grouped in a way that matched how people actually shop, which made it easier to scan, click into the right section, and move around the site without jumping back and forth.
Search bar enhancement
Next, we improved the search bar experience. We added predictive search so that as users type, the field suggests terms and products that might match what they are looking for. From the search dropdown, users can go straight to a product page, which removes extra steps. We also surfaced trending searches and recent searches so people can quickly pick up where they left off or discover what others are exploring.
Search results page redesign
We then redesigned the search results page to feel more modern and easier to use. The new layout follows common user experience standards so it feels familiar and intuitive. We introduced more advanced filters so users can narrow down products by category, brand, or other attributes and find what they need faster, even in a large catalog.
We took a user centric approach and focused on making it easier for people to move through the site without feeling lost or overloaded.
Navigation and department optimization
First, we worked on navigation and departments. The main navigation bar was reorganized so that departments felt more clear and logical. Categories were grouped in a way that matched how people actually shop, which made it easier to scan, click into the right section, and move around the site without jumping back and forth.
Search bar enhancement
Next, we improved the search bar experience. We added predictive search so that as users type, the field suggests terms and products that might match what they are looking for. From the search dropdown, users can go straight to a product page, which removes extra steps. We also surfaced trending searches and recent searches so people can quickly pick up where they left off or discover what others are exploring.
Search results page redesign
We then redesigned the search results page to feel more modern and easier to use. The new layout follows common user experience standards so it feels familiar and intuitive. We introduced more advanced filters so users can narrow down products by category, brand, or other attributes and find what they need faster, even in a large catalog.
Challenges
Challenges
Challenges
One of the biggest challenges we ran into was discovering that our store was built on an older Shopify template. This setup limited how much we could customize and how many of our original ideas we could implement. Some of the design elements and interactions we planned simply could not be built as intended within the existing framework.
To work around this, I partnered closely with a front end developer. Together, we adjusted the designs to fit the technical constraints while still protecting the core user experience improvements. It became an exercise in compromise and creativity, finding ways to get as close as possible to a pixel perfect result without breaking the template or overcomplicating the build.
One of the biggest challenges we ran into was discovering that our store was built on an older Shopify template. This setup limited how much we could customize and how many of our original ideas we could implement. Some of the design elements and interactions we planned simply could not be built as intended within the existing framework.
To work around this, I partnered closely with a front end developer. Together, we adjusted the designs to fit the technical constraints while still protecting the core user experience improvements. It became an exercise in compromise and creativity, finding ways to get as close as possible to a pixel perfect result without breaking the template or overcomplicating the build.
One of the biggest challenges we ran into was discovering that our store was built on an older Shopify template. This setup limited how much we could customize and how many of our original ideas we could implement. Some of the design elements and interactions we planned simply could not be built as intended within the existing framework.
To work around this, I partnered closely with a front end developer. Together, we adjusted the designs to fit the technical constraints while still protecting the core user experience improvements. It became an exercise in compromise and creativity, finding ways to get as close as possible to a pixel perfect result without breaking the template or overcomplicating the build.
Results
Results
Results
Despite the technical constraints, the redesign had a clear impact on both user experience and site performance. The new navigation and improved search made it easier for people to move through the site, which led to a noticeable drop in bounce rates and an increase in overall engagement.
In the first two weeks after launch, we saw strong early signals from the search experience alone:
14% click rate on the search page
5% add to cart rate directly from the search page
Users were also able to find products much faster thanks to predictive search and recommendations shown directly in the open search bar. From there, they could jump straight to product pages without extra steps, making the path from intent to action much smoother.
Despite the technical constraints, the redesign had a clear impact on both user experience and site performance. The new navigation and improved search made it easier for people to move through the site, which led to a noticeable drop in bounce rates and an increase in overall engagement.
In the first two weeks after launch, we saw strong early signals from the search experience alone:
14% click rate on the search page
5% add to cart rate directly from the search page
Users were also able to find products much faster thanks to predictive search and recommendations shown directly in the open search bar. From there, they could jump straight to product pages without extra steps, making the path from intent to action much smoother.
Despite the technical constraints, the redesign had a clear impact on both user experience and site performance. The new navigation and improved search made it easier for people to move through the site, which led to a noticeable drop in bounce rates and an increase in overall engagement.
In the first two weeks after launch, we saw strong early signals from the search experience alone:
14% click rate on the search page
5% add to cart rate directly from the search page
Users were also able to find products much faster thanks to predictive search and recommendations shown directly in the open search bar. From there, they could jump straight to product pages without extra steps, making the path from intent to action much smoother.
Key Metrics
Key Metrics
Key Metrics
In the first two weeks after launch,
we saw strong early signals from the search experience alone:
14%
click through rate from the search page to product
5%
add to cart rate directly from the search page
In the first two weeks after launch,
we saw strong early signals from the search experience alone:
14%
click through rate from the search page to product
5%
add to cart rate directly from the search page
In the first two weeks after launch,
we saw strong early signals from the search experience alone:
14%
click through rate from
the search page to product
5%
add to cart rate directly
from the search page
In the first two weeks after launch,
we saw strong early signals from the search experience alone:
14%
click through rate from
the search page to product
5%
add to cart rate directly
from the search page
Testimonials From Peers & Coworkers
Testimonials From Peers & Coworkers
Testimonials From Peers & Coworkers
Here are a few kind words people have to say about collaborating and solving problems with me.
Here are a few kind words people have to say about
collaborating and solving problems with me.
Here are a few kind words people have to say about collaborating and solving problems with me.
Within 6 months, Sylwia modernized our brand feel from top to bottom, re-designing our homepage, upgrading landing pages, and revamping all email communications. She learned the business quickly and became an integral team player; from day 1, she was never shy to ask the hard questions and challenge the team’s thinking, while always getting the work done.
Alex wong
Director of Growth (Umamicart)
I've been fortunate to collaborate with Sylwia on a few different projects, and each time I'm impressed by her ability to creatively problem solve and deliver a product that completely exceeds expectations. Sylwia is a smart, intuitive designer who seamlessly combines her understanding of the user with her knack for creating clear and beautiful designs. She is also a lightning-fast learner who genuinely loves learning new things, which makes working alongside her fun and refreshing.
Lindsey Sprinkle
Senior Product Manager (Oddball)
Sylwia was a key member of our team. She created intuitive and visually aesthetic designs that enhanced the user experience on our website and mobile app. She collaborated seamlessly with our tech team to implement her designs, and her attention to detail ensured that every aspect of each project was executed flawlessly. Sylwia is also a go-getter; she proactively identified impactful projects and drove them forward with minimal oversight.
Andisya Siregar
Product Lead (Umamicart)
Sylwia is a smart, nimble thinker when it comes to UX principles and design. Able to grasp strategies and concepts quickly, Sylwia possesses problem-solving skills that prove invaluable when it comes to getting projects across the finish line. Sylwia is someone who asks the right questions and always keeps the big picture in mind.
Trever campbell
Copywriter (Pathfinders)
Do you want to start
a project together?
sylaforys@gmail.com ✌️
This website was developd | by me. All Rights reserved
Do you want to start a project together?
sylaforys@gmail.com ✌️
This website was developd | by me. All Rights reserved
Do you want to start a project together?
sylaforys@gmail.com ✌️
This website was developd | by me. All Rights reserved
Do you want to start a project together?
sylaforys@gmail.com ✌️
This website was developd | by me. All Rights reserved