Equalize

evolution

Equalize evolution

Equalize

evolution

Enabling dynamic
search configuration
for e-commerce sites

Enabling dynamic
search configuration
for e-commerce sites

Context

Context

Empathy's existing search configuration tool, Equalize, was limited by a single active global configuration, poor user experience, and lack of competitive features like A/B testing. This made it difficult for merchandisers to adjust search settings for specific markets, seasonal trends, and special promotions, which negatively affected both user satisfaction and business performance.

Empathy's existing search configuration tool, Equalize, was limited by a single active global configuration, poor user experience, and lack of competitive features like A/B testing. This made it difficult for merchandisers to adjust search settings for specific markets, seasonal trends, and special promotions, which negatively affected both user satisfaction and business performance.

process

process

Research and Analysis

Research and Analysis

Internal technical research

I conducted comprehensive research to understand the entire actual search configuration process, identifying pain points and opportunities.

Competitors benchmark

I analyzed competitors to benchmark against industry standards and uncover gaps in features.

Proto-user discovery sessions

Ran discovery sessions with customer-facing teams to gather insights on real user needs and problems.

Design and Development

Design and Development

A whole new configuration

Conceptualized and designed a multi-configuration management system, allowing merchandisers to run multiple, tailored configurations.

Conceptualized and designed a multi-configuration management system, allowing merchandisers to run multiple, tailored configurations.

A better way to visualize the configuration

Enhanced the user interface with better guidance, real-time previews, and an intuitive layout.

Enhanced the user interface with better guidance, real-time previews, and an intuitive layout.

The changelog

Added a default changelog feature after discovering customers were using notes to manually track changes.

Added a default changelog feature after discovering customers were using notes to manually track changes.

Collaboration and Testing

Collaboration and Testing

Managing collaboration

Coordinated cross-functional teams, ensuring alignment and effective collaboration.

Coordinated cross-functional teams, ensuring alignment and effective collaboration.

User-testing validation

Conducted group testing sessions with customer-facing teams to validate hypotheses and refine features.

Conducted group testing sessions with customer-facing teams to validate hypotheses and refine features.

Building together

Implemented iterative improvements based on feedback, focusing on usability and functionality.

Implemented iterative improvements based on feedback, focusing on usability and functionality.

Outcome

Outcome

Equalize Evolution successfully transformed the search configuration tool, providing merchandisers with the flexibility to manage multiple configurations, enhancing user understanding and usability, and integrating advanced features like an automated changelog analysis.


Despite being a project intended for mid-term integration, more than 60% of the features were successfully integrated into the product in a couple of sprints. The revamped tool significantly improved user satisfaction and operational efficiency.

Equalize Evolution successfully transformed the search configuration tool, providing merchandisers with the flexibility to manage multiple configurations, enhancing user understanding and usability, and integrating advanced features like an automated changelog analysis.


Despite being a project intended for mid-term integration, more than 60% of the features were successfully integrated into the product in a couple of sprints. The revamped tool significantly improved user satisfaction and operational efficiency.