2009

Conversion Optimization

In 2009 I was trusted with the optimization of critical elements of the Nokaut.pl product page. Together with the engineering team, we've worked out a series of hypotheses based on factors affecting human attention (contrast, color, movement, pattern...) and we've performed a series of multivariable split tests. The result was amazing. 24% increase in the conversion rate.

read this story

Context

In 2008 I was hired as the first in-house product designer at a Polish eCommerce startup – Nokaut.pl (later known as Grupa Nokaut). Before I joined, all the design tasks were either outsourced or performed by engineers. Shortly after I came on board, I noticed that most of the team seemed to consider design to be a mere decoration.

Nokaut.pl was a consumer–focused company, and this disregard for design, started to harm the business. To help Nokaut.pl grow, I had to introduce a proper design process (UCD) and prove the value of design. Beginnings were not easy, but ultimately,thanks to my mentor – the co-founder and VP of Product, I found my way to prove the value of design. A combination of direct collaboration with engineers and constant work on improving business metrics brought outstanding results.

One of the initiatives that helped me establish design at Nokaut.pl was a series of projects focused on optimizing the conversion rate. I tried to use my knowledge about human cognition to optimize the key aspects of user interface. For the team, it was an opportunity to observe how design hypotheses can lead to real, measurable, change.

There are very few documents and assets of my old work. After all, it was, 10 – 11 years ago and Grupa Nokaut, after a successful IPO, ultimately failed and seized to exist (years after I left). However, one case study of my early work survived thanks to talks that I had at local meetups and conferences.

In 2009 I was trusted with the optimization of critical elements of the Nokaut.pl product page. A product page was really a collection of millions of individual pages representing every product listed in Nokuat.pl. Collectively, those pages had the most significant impact on the overall conversion rate.

Together with the engineering team, we've worked out a series of hypotheses based on factors affecting human attention (contrast, color, movement, pattern...) and we've performed a series of multivariable split tests.

An example of Nokaut.pl product page
An example of the Nokaut.pl product page in 2008 - 2009

Results

  • One of the tests – the test of a contrast of color of buttons, led to 24% conversion rate growth and changed Nokaut.pl forever.
  • The change was exciting for the entire team and was essential in establishing design process in the organization.
  • Soon after, I was promoted to the leadership team.
Great design is a result of understanding and empathizing with people.
Buttons used in the test. Blue has increased conversion rate by 24%.

Tools

  • Axure (wireframing, prototyping)
  • Notable (comments on visual design)
  • Photoshop (visual design)
  • Proprietary multiveriable split testing tool
  • Google Analytics

More Projects?

Ready for more of stories? Choose the next project below.
2010

Paper Prototyping Redesigned

The story of the notepad that changed my life

read this story
2011

Homepage for 2.5M People

In 2011 I led the process of the redesign of the Nokaut.pl Homepage. At that time, Nokaut.pl was attracting 2.5 million users a month and the owner of Nokaut.pl – Grupa Nokaut was preparing their IPO. An intense project!

2011

Mobile App for 3 Platforms

Web products of Groupa Nokaut had been dominant (2.5 million unique visitors per month in 2011), but the company didn't have much success on the mobile market. Our mobile offering, at the time, was limited to a dated mobile version of the core service built for old cell phones. This service was a highly popular couple of years earlier, but with the growing popularity of smart phones users expected "richer" experiences.

In 2010 Grupa Nokaut asked me to lead the process of designing and building a mobile app for 3 platforms: iOS, Android and Windows Mobile.

read this story
2011

eCommerce Video Portal

For over two years I worked as part of the R&D Group at Grupa Nokaut. We were tasked with coming up with new product ideas that address the most critical strategic problems of the business. One of the projects that we realized in 2011 was Nokaut.tv – the eCommerce Video Portal that quickly attracted over 100,000 viewers. I had a pleasure to lead the design and product development process.

read this story
2015

The New Design Editor

In 2015 UXPin was an established design tool serving over two thousand companies. We've just raised our Series A (led by True Ventures and Jeff Veen – former VP of Design at Adobe).

We knew that this is not enough. We knew that we have to do even more to realize our mission and help the design tools industry move forward. Soon, we've started a design process that changed the entire industry.

2018

The Open Source Adventure

Since 2012 I'm operating as a full–time CEO of a growing startup – UXPin (over 50 employees, profitable). Despite that, I've never stopped being a designer, coder, and a product person. To relax and contribute to UXPin and the overall design and engineering community, I tend to take on side projects.

In 2017, after talking to a bunch of friends working on design systems, I decided to devote my weekends to the creation of an open source repository of analyzed design systems.

For two subsequent weekends in January 2018, I designed and coded (React.js and Node.js) the repository. The popularity of this project exceeded my most optimistic expectations.

read this story
2019

Designing for yourself is tough

I've spent way over a decade designing all sorts of products, but hardly ever – brand identities. Nevertheless, I have a deep affection for the very special connection between art and storytelling always present in great brand design.

When I decided to build my personal website, I knew that this is a great opportunity to define my brand – my story, aesthetics and message with a holistic design process.

I quickly became my own most demanding client and yet... I thoroughly enjoyed the process of designing Treder Design brand.

read this story