Role: UX Researcher & Strategist
Company: Locafox GmbH
Location: Berlin, Germany
Duration: October 2016 – October 2017
Overview
Locafox helps local retailers digitise their product ranges and compete in an increasingly omnichannel world. Brought on board to evolve their MVP, I was tasked with setting up a user-centred design process for their Point-of-Sale (POS) system and local marketplace platform.
Challenge
The MVP lacked real-world validation and faced usability challenges in retail environments. The goal was to implement a scalable design process and validate features with real users—quickly and effectively—while aligning with business objectives.
My Role & Contributions
- UX Strategy & Process Setup
- Established a lean, user-centred design process from scratch.
- Collaborated cross-functionally to align product, design, and customer service feedback loops.
- Research & Discovery
- Conducted in-store observations and face-to-face interviews.
- Ran regular testing sessions to understand user pain points and behaviors.
- Facilitated workshops with customer support to fast-track user feedback into the backlog.
- Rapid Prototyping & Testing
- Delivered validated UX flows using low- and high-fidelity prototypes.
- Scheduled and ran testing sessions every 1–2 weeks.
- Offered early-access incentives to customers who participated in user testing.
- Agile Execution
- Completed full UX iterations within two-week sprints.
- Ensured every feature was tested before development and release.
Impact
- Created a scalable and repeatable design process adopted company-wide.
- UX became a strategic function, informing all product decisions.
- Product growth:
- Captured 50% of the German POS market, competing with Comarch within 18 months.
- Expanded operations to Spain and the Netherlands.
- Focused solely on POS due to validated user demand; marketplace was sunsetted.
Key Takeaways
- Lean UX processes can deliver measurable business impact quickly.
- Weekly testing with real users creates both customer loyalty and better products.
- Embedding feedback loops between support teams and design ensures the backlog stays user-informed.