We launched the first multi-merchant shopping experience to Image Search utilizing the current architecture.
Next, we became the first vertical to run multiple LE’s on a new framework called Pathlight, that aimed to make Image Search more contextual and visual.
All within a year.
My Role:
UI Design (Lead)
UX Design
PPG's Original app
Make it easy for me to shop what I see – i.e. close the gap between inspiration and purchase on Image Search where 20% of queries are commercial in nature.
Google being the great aggregtor of data, this was one of our key elements.
Inspirational
Delightful, immersive experience with low-commitment interaction model
“It's fun, I can spend hours swiping through ideas. There’s always something fresh or cool.”
Actionable
Oriented to usefulness along CUJs with deep understanding of styles, products, offers, & related content
“Google understands every visual content so I can buy what inspires me and find the right price.”
Elevated content
Brands, merchants and tastemakers can create delightful, engaging, and informative storytelling content
“I never considered bringing our sports illustrated assets into Google, now it's time. Nike”
Being the first of its kind in a well known architecture, the design approach had to solve for a number of complexities including:
Setting expectations with the SRP and communicating a new value for users while avoiding ad perception,
Leverage multiple tap targets to users in the viewer
Respecting current browsing patterns utilizing related images.
This effort spanned across 4 Google teams (Ads, Image search, Shopping, Lens).
Required close xFN partnership with UXW, ENG, Legal and PM on both Image search and Shopping.
Launch impact
Impact: Trigger rate: 9.4% of all IS queries with ~1M daily multi-merchant viewers impressions.
This launch increased click quality to merchants by ~19% (i.e users ended up on a site with a positive experience) , increased merchant visibility by 28% and traffic to torso/tail merchants by 12%all top line success metricsfor Image Search and Commerce.
These views carried over similar conventions, so color options were not hidden on mobile.
Drive Users to Key Tasks
Our linear process was successful, but through testing we found that some options were more important to users than others, and getting the user through the app quickly was critical to retention. With this feedback, we simplified and combined choices to streamlined the experience.
One piece of feedback we received was that users “didn’t see their room” in the stock imagery. This was in response to the stock imagery they were seeing, which was all of a certain style. Creating new photography was prohibitive for PPG, but we were able to address the issue by combining two screens into one. By making “Upload Your Photo” the first option in every stock photo category, users could simply upload their own, if they didn’t see anything familiar.
First iteration
Reduce Cognitive Overhead
Rather than putting the onus on users to choose their own route, we reduced cognitive overhead by consolidating all the options into a single, efficient user experience that PPG’s users loved.
Original applications with options on separate paths.
The Results
After 3 months, PPG was able to provide us with results. Thanks to our redesign, more people were interacting with the app, and completing processes than ever before.
