Safeway

United States

Process Development

Product Design

Product Innovation

User Experience

As the Principal Product Designer for Safeway’s Pickup and Delivery product suite, I lead the strategic development of scalable, customer-centric design solutions to enhance the Drive Up & Go and grocery delivery experiences. My work focuses on crafting intuitive and inclusive solutions that address customer pain points and optimize associate workflows, ensuring a seamless experience from order placement to completion. Collaborating closely with product, engineering, and cross-functional teams, I design and implement high-impact features, leveraging systems thinking to establish a cohesive design language that aligns with Safeway’s brand. By bridging the gap between design and development, I equip teams with reusable design frameworks and components while using storytelling to influence stakeholders and shape the future of our products. Prioritizing accessibility and scalability, I create guidelines, maintain Figma libraries, and train teams to deliver consistent, high-quality experiences that meet the needs of diverse customers and associates alike.

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Case Study: Enhancing Safeway’s Pickup and Delivery Experience

Overview
As Principal Product Designer for Safeway’s Pickup and Delivery product suite, my goal was to elevate the Drive Up & Go and grocery delivery experiences, ensuring seamless and efficient interactions for customers and associates. By addressing pain points in the fulfillment process, I focused on creating intuitive, scalable, and inclusive design solutions that aligned with Safeway’s operational goals and customer expectations.

Challenge
Safeway’s pickup and delivery services needed to address several challenges:
    • Operational Complexity: High associate turnover and varying workflows created inconsistencies in order fulfillment.
    • Customer Pain Points: Customers faced difficulties with order placement, timing expectations, and real-time communication during pickups and deliveries.
    • Scalability: Existing solutions lacked the flexibility to scale efficiently across Safeway’s extensive store network.
    • Brand Alignment: Designs needed to reinforce Safeway’s brand identity while maintaining accessibility and inclusivity.

Approach
1. User-Centered Research
    • Conducted customer interviews and usability testing to identify frustrations in the ordering and pickup processes.
    • Partnered with associates to understand workflow challenges, such as managing order handoffs and adapting to variable store layouts.

2. Strategic Collaboration
    • Partnered with product managers and engineers to align on key business metrics, such as reducing wait times and increasing order accuracy.
    • Facilitated workshops with stakeholders to prioritize features and set a shared vision for the pickup and delivery experience.


3. Prototyping & Testing
    • Designed prototypes for key features, including real-time order tracking, enhanced notifications, and streamlined associate workflows.
    • Conducted usability testing to validate designs, iterating based on feedback from customers and associates.

4. Storytelling & Advocacy
    • Presented the design vision to stakeholders, leveraging storytelling and data to build consensus and influence product direction.
    • Advocated for accessibility and inclusivity in all design decisions, ensuring the product served diverse customer needs.

Solution
    • Enhanced Customer Experience:
    • Introduced real-time order tracking, enabling customers to monitor progress and receive timely updates.
    • Improved the order handoff process by designing intuitive interfaces for both customers and associates.
    • Streamlined Associate Workflows:
    • Created a mobile-friendly interface to simplify order management and reduce training time for associates.
    • Standardized workflows with visual cues and reminders to ensure timely and accurate order handoffs.

Impact
    • Customer Satisfaction: Increased customer satisfaction scores due to improved communication and reduced wait times.
    • Operational Efficiency: Reduced associate onboarding time by 25% through simplified workflows and training tools.
    • Scalability: Enabled faster rollout of new features across stores, supported by the reusable design system.
    • Brand Alignment: Strengthened Safeway’s reputation as a reliable and customer-focused grocery provider.

Reflection

This project highlighted the value of integrating user insights and systems thinking to solve complex fulfillment challenges. By fostering collaboration and prioritizing scalability, I was able to deliver a product suite that enhanced the experience for both customers and associates while supporting Safeway’s operational goals. This case study demonstrates the transformative impact of thoughtful, user-centered design in grocery retail.