Metagenics Personalization
Details
Category
Product Design and Research
Time Frame
June 2023–September 2023
Role
Senior Product Designer and Researcher
What is Metagenics Personalization?
The Personalized Metagenics Health Journey focused on providing educational content, custom product recommendations, and personalized guidance. We learned that these elements are highly valued by consumers in the health and wellness space. By offering valuable content and personalized recommendations, we created an opportunity for value exchange and collection of email addresses for ongoing engagement.
Business Problem
Metagenics, a leader in nutritional products with practitioners, desired to engage health-conscious consumers successfully. Metagenics needed to create a seamless digital experience for consumers. Goals were to increase traffic, educate consumers on their products, and establish Metagenics as a trusted advisor.
Design Process
Research Actions
Research, Empathy, Definition of Needs & Problems, Iterative Prototype Design and Testing.
Process Overview
We employed a design thinking methodology, emphasizing empathy for users.
• Competitive analysis, user interviews, and usability testing to validate needs and pain points.
• Empathy maps to understand challenges and user journey maps for the entire experience.
• Low-fidelity prototypes were created and refined through user testing, ensuring an intuitive interface.
Prototype Flow Diagram
The flow diagram visualizes the participant's journey through our prototype, helping product designers and business partners align on design and research activities. This shared understanding was crucial for effective collaboration and refining the user experience.
Initial Design Exploration
The early design exploration assisted collaborative design concept discussions.
User Research Interviews
The research involved user interviews and usability testing with a small group of women aged 39-65 who were interested in health and open to using educational resources and digital tools.
Prototype Design Refinement
This prototype version is the result of our iterative design process, where we refined the design based on research insights, usability, aesthetics, and functionality. The goal was to create a personalized and engaging experience.
Learnings
Consumers value understanding before purchase and also need support post-purchase. Personalized guidance and recommendations reduce decision fatigue. Custom product recommendations, valuable content, and intuitive assessments are favored by consumers. Collecting email addresses as a value exchange enables ongoing engagement through reminders, learning content, and promotions.
Reflections
This project provided insights into personalized health journeys during significant changes at Metagenics. Leadership transitions, including the departure of the CEO and Global VP of Product, and shifting priorities caused instability. Balancing business goals with user needs was challenging. Despite disruptions, I mentored my team in Design Thinking methodologies: user interviews, empathy mapping, iterative prototyping, and usability testing. This approach ensured user needs remained a priority. Earlier leadership stabilization and clearer communication of evolving priorities could have enhanced outcomes.
Results
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Mentored colleagues in user research, usability testing, user interviews, and participant sourcing, elevating skills and confidence.
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Ensured iterative product design was validated with real users, enhancing quality.
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Provided research insights that enabled executives to create informed and effective product requirements.
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Resolved internal disagreements and provided a unified direction.
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Advanced team capabilities and highlighted the value of user-centered design to leadership.