The COVID-19 pandemic brought to light some new behaviours and trends that business had to quickly adapt to. Aldi were looking into developing an e-commerce solution for their users but also fit in with Aldi’s lean business model. ‍

1. Our Team and Project Prep

Meet the team

• Kirsten Fraser : UX Lead  / Project Manager
• Maria Jose Gallo: UX strategy / Product Designer
• Oliver Wallace: UX Research / Visual Designer

Although we assigned ourselves roles we were working collaboratively across all aspects of the UX Process. My key responsibilities was management of tasks and projects, managing the team, developing stakeholder presentations and driving the product forward. The whole team was involved in developing a research plan and well as collaborating in ideation techniques, Wire-framing, User testing and prototyping.

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2. Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic hit hard and fast giving way to dramatic changes in user behaviour in their grocery shopping habits. Aldi's lean business model meant that they rely mostly on on their brick-and-mortar sales, they made the decision to transition to am e-commerce solution to adapt to the throws of not only lockdowns and restrictions but also the fears and feelings of customers during this tumultuos time. After conducting our quantitive and qualitive research we were able to propose a solution that fit both the user’s needs and Aldi’s business goals with the use of purchasable, pre-made grocery boxes. Our outcome was presented through a lo-fidelity clickable prototype.

Scope and constraints

We had 2 weeks deliver this project. All collaboration had to be conducted completely remotely due to the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Who are the users?

Anyone who manages the groceries for their household and Aldi shoppers.

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3. Research

3a. Business Overview

Aldi is not your run-of-the-mill super market, they have their own processes that sets them apart. They are a well piled machine of lean cost efficiency allowing them to provide the lower prices to their customers. From cashiers sitting at checkouts and throw your groceries at you while you frantically fumble them into your reusable bag to the efficient layout and placement of its goods.

Ecommerce was seen as sub-optimal when it comes to the profit margin as this requires more employees, more logistics and delivery costs which will be our challenge to navigate.

3b. Competitor Analysis

Understanding Aldi’s positioning against the rest of their main competitors allows us to see how we would be able to tackle the expansion into e-commerce.

4. User Research

After conducting a series of user interviews we were able to identify key behavioural changes in the users.

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5. Insights

5a. The Affect of Covid-19 on users

We discovered that the effects of covid affected users changed the way they manage their groceries. User’s have easily adapted to delivery systems in supermarkets however have come across a number of pain-points and preferences.

These are our 3 main takeaways:

5b. User Persona

From our affinity map we created a user persona.

Meet Martha, she stood out to us as she shares some concerns regarding the safety of her family in the environment of the pandemic. Due to an aversion from spending time in public which leaves Martha to try to find the most efficient grocery delivery service.

6. Goals

Thus we have completed the defining Aldi’s goals and Martha’s Goals leading us further to Ideations and development of Aldi’s new ecommerce product.

7. Ideation

One Ideation technique we used what crazy 8's this allowed use to develop the start of an idea and explore all scenarios with our user's motivations and needs front of mind. We prioritised viable ideas through a voting system and defined 3 major services that we were to include in our solution for Aldi.

8. Introducing: Aldilivery

After working hard in developing a viable solution for Aldi to stretch into the ecommerce market during the pandemic with came to develop a service that allows customers to order pre-packaged food boxes with Aldi's unique stock.

The food box allows Aldi to be maintain their high margins as they will be able to offer these boxes to compete on price against the current market with, there are also opportunities to support the Aldi brand through supporting local growers and farmers that appeal to Aldi's target demographic.

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Task Flow and User flows

Crucial to the ecommerce system is mapping out how our users will flow through the system.

Wireframe Sketches

Fleshing out our product further we developed a paper prototype to quickly layout our key information and efficiently test and create quick iterations until we have the screens that we are viable.

Figma Prototype

And to prototyping our in a low fidelity prototype to help communicate what this system would look like in the context of their current website.

Whats Next?

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