My role:
UX Research, Visual Design
Project:
Retail Management System Localization (Kenya)
Goal:
Improve user retention and adoption by simplifying and localizing a complex Chinese- developed retail system for Kenyan Market
Increase Client retention, improved system effeciency, reduced training time
The company had successfully introduced a powerful Retail Management System developed in China to the Kenyan market. The system was feature-rich but quickly faced a critical issue: client churn.
New clients would onboard, but their enthusiasm would fade as they wrestled with the software. The core problem was a significant complexity gap. Kenyan users, accustomed to simpler, locally-developed solutions, found the imported system:
Overly Complex: Daily workflows required too many steps (often 6-7 clicks for simple tasks).
Confusing Terminology: The language and labels were a direct translation, feeling alien and academic rather than practical for everyday retail operations.
Data Inaccessible: Essential business insights (like daily sales summaries) were buried deep in report-generation modules, requiring tedious exporting instead of being available at a glance.
Problem Statement:
The system, despite its power, was viewed as a hurdle, not a tool, leading to a frustrating user experience and high post-onboarding dropout rates. My mandate was clear: localize, simplify, and drive adoption.
Through on-site visits and usability tests, several patterns emerged
- Users struggled to understand system terms like ‘voucher settlement’ or ‘sales reconciliation’.
Analytics were buried deep in report exports, making it hard to access simple business insights.
Everyday actions like creating invoices or managing stock required too many steps.
“Kenyan retailers valued speed, clarity, and visibility — not layered processes.”
Based on the research, I developed four core design strategies to simplify the system and re-engineer the user experience.
The Change: Implemented a Quick Actions in the main navigation.
Before: Actions like "New Sales Order," "Transfer Order," or "Add Product" were nested deep within specific modules.
After: Everyday actions were made readily available on the main navigation bar, accessible from any module screen. This dramatically reduced search time and cognitive load.
Result & Impact
The Change: Implemented a persistent, context-aware action bar (or "Quick Actions" in the main navigation).
Before: Actions like "New Sale," "Receive Stock," or "Client Lookup" were nested deep within specific modules.
After: Everyday actions were made readily available on the main navigation bar, accessible from any module screen. This dramatically reduced search time and cognitive load.
35%
Improved onboarding process
25%
Increase in user retention
84%
Increase in time spent on website
Solution 2: Simplifying the Lexicon (Speaking the Local Retail Language)
The Change: Overhauled the system's labels and terminology.
Before: Users saw terms like "Inventory Inflow Log," "Client Relationship Maintenance," or "Asset Depletion Ledger."
After: These were simplified to "Add Product," "Clients," and "Reports." We replaced complex, formal language with the clear, direct vocabulary used by the target users in their daily conversations.
Solution 3: Analytics at a Glance (From Reports to Real-Time Snapshots)
The Change: Introduced summary analytics directly onto the landing page of every major module.
Before: To check sales for the day, a user had to go to the "Reports" module, select parameters, and export a spreadsheet.
After: The "Sales" module now shows a prominent, real-time summary dashboard: "Today's Sales Value," "Top 5 Selling Items," and "Open Orders." This allows managers to make instant decisions without reporting friction.
Solution 4: Workflow Compression (Maximum 3 Clicks)
Result & Impact
The localized version of the system was met with positive feedback. The design changes transitioned the system from a clunky, foreign tool to an intuitive, powerful partner for Kenyan retail businesses.