Overview
As part of an initiative to enhance Overstock’s internal tools, I was tasked with designing two crucial interfaces: a language translation tool and an internal search engine rule creator. These tools were intended to empower internal teams—including offshore translation teams and internal search teams—to easily translate product attributes into multiple languages and customize the search rules for the vast array of products on Overstock.com.
The Challenge
- Design a user-friendly interface for language translation that would allow teams to quickly translate product attributes into multiple languages.
- Develop an intuitive search engine rule creator that enabled internal teams to modify search parameters for a large and diverse product catalog.
- Provide efficient workflows for internal users (translation teams and search teams) to quickly perform tasks while maintaining accuracy and speed.
- Ensure that the interfaces were adaptable to a variety of internal use cases while being scalable and easy to use for both technical and non-technical users.
My Role
As Lead Product Designer, I was responsible for:
✅ Designing the language translation interface to facilitate quick and efficient product attribute translation across multiple languages.
✅ Designing the search engine rule creator to provide internal teams with an easy-to-use tool for modifying product search criteria.
✅ Conducting user research, including interviews and usability testing, to gather feedback and iterate on the design.
✅ Creating clickable prototypes to test with real users and refine the interface based on feedback.
✅ Working closely with cross-functional teams, including developers and internal stakeholders, to ensure the tools were both practical and impactful for everyday use.
Approach & Solution
1. Language Translation Interface
- Design Strategy: The goal was to create an interface that was straightforward and intuitive, allowing users to quickly translate key product attributes like sizes, colors, and descriptions into multiple languages.
- User Workflow: To keep the process simple, I designed the interface with clear progress tracking and easy-to-access translation fields for both manual and automated inputs.
- Collaboration: I worked with our offshore translation teams to ensure the tool met their specific needs while maintaining the highest standards of accuracy and efficiency.
2. Search Engine Rule Creator
- Design Strategy: The rule creator tool was developed to provide internal search teams with flexibility and control over how products appeared in search results. The tool needed to accommodate a wide variety of product attributes and search modifiers.
- User Workflow: I focused on creating a user-friendly interface with filterable options and clear rule application steps, enabling internal teams to easily create, modify, and test search rules.
- System Integration: I ensured the tool was tightly integrated with Overstock’s existing search platform so that rules applied in the interface were automatically reflected in the search results on the site.
Results & Impact
✅ Enabled internal teams to efficiently translate key product attributes into multiple languages, improving product accessibility for a broader global audience.
✅ Empowered internal search teams to quickly modify search rules and fine-tune the presentation of Overstock’s vast product catalog, enhancing search relevancy.
✅ Streamlined workflows, resulting in increased operational efficiency and faster time-to-market for new products.
✅ The usability testing and real-time feedback from users allowed for continuous iteration, leading to a highly functional and intuitive tool.
Key Takeaways
✔ User research and feedback loops were critical in creating tools that met the needs of real users and helped refine the design in real-time.
✔ It is crucial to design tools that balance user-friendly workflows with powerful functionality, ensuring they meet the needs of both technical and non-technical teams.
✔ Prototyping and iteration with real users provided valuable insights, leading to a tool that significantly improved productivity for internal teams.
