IKEA
Designing a user-centered tool to streamline financial decision-making and drive business growth.
Role
As the Lead UX Designer, I drove the project from discovery to delivery.
Responsibilities
I collaborated with data analysts, product managers, and developers to ensure the tool met business needs while offering an exceptional user experience.
My responsibilities spanned user research, prototyping, usability testing, and delivering high-fidelity designs.
The Challenge
When IKEA approached me, they had a clear vision, to empower their business leaders to make smarter, data-driven financial decisions. Despite their strong foundation in innovation and sustainability, they faced challenges in extracting actionable insights from their financial data. Existing tools were complex, inconsistent, and lacked the intuitive design needed to support quick, informed decisions.
The Research
Understanding decisions.
Through interviews and surveys with 20 business leaders, I uncovered a key issue that most struggled to interpret financial data without external support. The tools they relied on were fragmented, leading to inefficiencies and decision delays.
One insight stood out: 65% of leaders reported spending too much time consolidating data from multiple sources, which impacted their ability to act swiftly.
I conducted a competitive analysis, reviewing financial tools used by other industry leaders. While some excelled in visualisation, they lacked IKEA’s focus on simplicity and sustainability. This gap highlighted an opportunity to create something unique, an intuitive tool that simplified insights without sacrificing depth.
Ideation
Imagining Solutions Together.
During ideation workshops, I collaborated with stakeholders to brainstorm features like interactive dashboards, scenario modelling, and predictive analytics. Sketches and whiteboard sessions helped crystallise ideas.
One breakthrough came with the concept of modular widgets, customisable components that users could arrange based on their priorities. This approach balanced simplicity with flexibility.
I created user flow diagrams to illustrate how leaders would navigate the tool from logging in to generating insights and exporting reports. These diagrams helped refine the structure and interactions.
Design Process
Shaping the Solution.
I began with low-fidelity wireframes to outline the structure and validate ideas. Feedback from stakeholders helped prioritise features like quick filters and visual summaries.
Moving to high-fidelity prototypes, I focused on IKEA’s design principles, clean layouts, bold typography, and eco-friendly colours. Interactive prototypes showcased dynamic charts and widgets, giving users real-time feedback as they adjusted parameters.
The final designs emphasised IKEA’s minimalist aesthetic while supporting accessibility standards.
Features included:
- Predictive analytics with scenario modelling tools.
- Colour-coded data visualisations for quick insights.
- Drag-and-drop widgets to customise dashboards.
Testing & Validation
Refining through feedback.
I conducted remote usability tests with 15 participants. Watching them interact with the tool revealed insights I hadn’t anticipated for example, users wanted tooltips to explain metrics without leaving the page.
I made adjustments, adding contextual tooltips and improving responsiveness for mobile use. These refinements ensured the design catered to both desktop and tablet users.
Results & Impact
Measurable Outcomes.
For IKEA, the tool not only improved efficiency but also aligned with their sustainability values by reducing manual reporting and data waste.
- Data processing time reduced by 40%, enabling faster decision-making.
- User adoption rates hit 90% within the first month.
- Sustainability goals supported through reduced paper-based reporting.
Leaders reported higher confidence in their decisions, with one noting:
“I feel empowered to act quickly without second-guessing the data.”
— David
Reflection & Learnings
Insights and Lessons Learned.
Translating complex data into digestible visuals was no small feat. I relied heavily on collaboration with data teams and iterative prototyping to strike the right balance.
User testing was my north star, reminding me that the best designs emerge from real-world feedback. I also learned that aligning tools with organisational values, like IKEA’s focus on simplicity and sustainability creates deeper connections and trust.
This project highlighted the power of design to transform workflows. It showed me that great UX isn’t just about usability, it’s about empowering people to make meaningful, data-driven decisions that drive business growth.