Solving the root cause of reduced sales to transform shopping and improve the lives of 14,000 people.
Loyal World Market is a daily needs superstore that sells over 25,000 products from over 80 countries.
There is one Loyal World convenience store located in the Infosys Mysore campus.
12000+
Trainees
2000
Employees
12
Foodcourts
(Accommodates 2-3K people at once)
01
Loyal World store
The campus’s store faced a unique challenge. At first glance, the problem didn’t make sense.
The store was always packed — you could barely walk through the aisles during peak hours. But the sales numbers told a different story.
About the Project
Role & Duration
UX/UI Designer · 12 Weeks
Focus
Research · Problem Solving · Product Design · Strategy
Domain
Retail
Focus
5 Product Designers · 1 Senior Designer · 1 Manager · Subject Matter Experts
Shanmugam, the store manager, summed it up best:
“We have people coming in all the time, but they’re not buying much.”
It was a simple statement but, raised a big question - Why would a store full of customers not be purchasing anything?
That question became the starting point of our research.
Round One: Talking to Customers and LW staff
We began by interviewing over 180 trainees and employees, along with Loyal World staff.
Here’s what we heard over and over again:
“It’s always too crowded.”
“I hate waiting in line.”
“Sometimes I just leave without buying.”
"I usually make a quick stop to buy groceries after work"
"I wish they had a delivery service"
"We visit in a group after the training session"
Key Insights after interviews
Avg time spent at the store.
Visit the store 2-3 times a week.
Prefer online Shopping
Dissatisfied with current experience.
After talking to trainees, employees, and staff, it was clear people were frustrated and short on time. They wanted shopping to be easier, faster, and more convenient.
Did the interviews help? — NO❌
The research hinted at the need for a digital shopping experience, but the research failed to identify the root cause of the low sales.
I led the team to spend the next 7 days observing the store at various times throughout the day to understand the store's daily operations, store environment, frustrations in the process, behaviors, and mindsets of both staff & Customers.
Then it clicked. Right after training sessions, hundreds of trainees poured in at once. Aisles clogged, checkout counters backed up, and frustration was everywhere. Some pushed through, some gave up, and others left without buying anything.
Then it clicked. Right after training sessions, hundreds of trainees poured in at once. Aisles clogged, checkout counters backed up, and frustration was everywhere. Some pushed through, some gave up, and others left without buying anything.
I then simulated a top-down view of the store during rush hour. I identified several potential bottlenecks—areas where customers got stuck, making it harder for them to move freely through the store, especially around the billing counters.
Figure shows: Top-down view of the Loyal-World store
Seeing it firsthand was different from the interviews. It wasn’t that people didn’t want to shop. They simply didn’t have the time or patience to deal with the chaos.
Long billing queues
+
More wait
time
+
Reduced instore navigation
=
Reduced Sales
This was the real reason behind the low sales — not lack of customers, but an experience that couldn’t handle customer volume.
Reframing the Problem
Once we saw that, everything shifted.
It wasn’t about attracting more customers. It was about serving existing customers better.
Opportunities for Improvement
Our research pointed to three major opportunities — ways to make shopping simpler, faster, and more enjoyable for everyone on campus.
Shopping App
We realized that not everyone needed to be in the store. Many trainees — especially those comfortable with tech — wanted a faster, digital way to shop. A campus shopping app could take the pressure off the physical store and let people order what they need without standing in line.
But we also knew we couldn’t go fully digital. Some shoppers still valued the physical experience — browsing aisles, interacting with staff, or just picking fresh produce themselves.
So instead of replacing the experience, we decided to blend the two worlds — digital ordering for convenience, in-store shopping for those who prefer it. That balance would keep everyone happy.
Self-Billing
Long queues were one of the biggest frustrations we witnessed. A self-billing system could make checkout much smoother — letting customers scan, pay, and go.
Still, not everyone would find it easy. To stay inclusive, we suggested assisted counters and clear step-by-step instructions, so anyone could use it confidently.
Delivery
The final piece was convenience. Many shoppers mentioned they’d love to have their groceries delivered — especially trainees juggling tight schedules.
The idea wasn’t just about speed, but flexibility. We proposed a simple delivery model: a few delivery slots each day, free standard deliveries, and paid options for faster or more flexible timing.
And here’s the best part — we suggested that deliveries be handled by trainees themselves. A peer-to-peer model that created small income opportunities while keeping it all within the campus community.
It wasn’t just about solving a store problem anymore. It was about redesigning an entire shopping experience — one that respected people’s time, habits, and needs.
With these opportunities in mind, we started shaping the experience around real people.
Personas
We developed two key personas — one representing shoppers, and another for those interested in becoming delivery buddies.
These personas became our compass. They helped us imagine real scenarios, map out journeys, and understand what each user truly needed at every step.
From those journeys, clear patterns began to emerge — and with them, a focused set of features designed to solve the right problems. Every feature tied back to a specific pain point or opportunity we’d uncovered.
Process Flow
Once the requirements were in place, we zoomed out to look at the bigger picture: how everything would connect.
We mapped a simple, seamless workflow that linked the customer, the store, and the delivery partner into one continuous loop — from browsing to checkout to delivery — ensuring the experience felt effortless from start to finish.
Figure shows: Affinity mapping on Figjam.
Iteration and Design
We tested our initial sketches and prototypes, focusing on usability, familiarity, clarity, simplicity, and consistency. Then, based on feedback from users, stakeholders, and senior leadership, we iteratively refined the designs.
Figure shows: Affinity mapping on Figjam.
Feedback Incorporated:
Simplified navigation paths
Clear instructions for self-billing and delivery options
Enhanced visual hierarchy to guide user attention
Proposed Solution: Designing for a Seamless Experience
After identifying the opportunities, our goal was simple — make shopping at Loyal World smoother, faster, and more enjoyable for everyone. We wanted the experience to feel effortless, whether someone chose to walk into the store or shop from their phone.
Streamlined Ordering
Scanning barcodes directly via the app offers a hassle-free, fast, and intuitive self-billing experience, reducing wait times and the need for physical interaction. This aligns with user needs for convenience and efficiency.
Offering a secure payment gateway through the app provides users with peace of mind, while the ease of checkout makes the process quicker and more seamless, enhancing overall user satisfaction
Allowing users to either have their order delivered or pick it up themselves maintains the balance between digital convenience and a physical presence, giving them the choice that best fits their lifestyle.
Efficient Delivery
By enabling trainees on campus to become delivery partners, we create a peer-driven solution that not only facilitates faster deliveries but also fosters a sense of community involvement.
Assigning delivery routes based on delivery partners' home locations optimizes the process, ensuring faster and more predictable deliveries, meeting user demands for speed and reliability.
Allowing delivery partners to accept or decline requests based on their convenience not only keeps them engaged but also ensures a high level of service by aligning tasks with partner availability.
Positive reinforcement and engagement
Sharing order information at the store allows for a smooth pick-up experience, reducing confusion and making the process more efficient for both customers and delivery partners.
Tracking orders with the Map My Buddy feature gives users real-time updates, which fosters a sense of trust and reliability. This is a critical element in maintaining user satisfaction and engagement.
Allowing delivery buddies to redeem points for shopping rewards creates a cycle of engagement, motivating them to contribute while also enhancing their personal shopping experience.
Next Steps
Just as we were gearing up for testing, everything changed. The Infosys Mysore campus went into lockdown, and the project was put on hold indefinitely due to the pandemic.
Before the project paused, we had a clear path forward.
We planned to conduct task-based testing to identify usability gaps and refine key interactions. Our goal was to design a clean, intuitive interface that felt unmistakably Loyal World — simple, friendly, and efficient.
We also wanted to dig deeper into the delivery model, exploring how it could operate sustainably within the campus. There was so much potential still waiting to be unlocked.
Opportunity
But looking back, the experience was far from a loss. It taught me more about design, teamwork, and adaptability than I could have imagined.
01
Empathy at the Core
This project deepened my commitment to user-centered design. I learned to listen more closely, understand frustrations, and turn real human needs into thoughtful design decisions.
02
Problem-Solving with Purpose
The challenge of crowded stores and long queues taught me how to see beyond the obvious and design creative, user-focused solutions.
03
The Power of Collaboration
Working closely with my teammates and project managers reminded me that great design is rarely a solo effort — it’s the result of shared vision, clear communication, and trust.
04
Project Management in Action
Coordinating research, timelines, and deliverables gave me a new appreciation for structure and accountability in the design process.
05
Innovation Through Constraints
Exploring ideas like self-billing and campus delivery opened my mind to what’s possible when you blend creativity with practicality.
06
Design That Empowers
Most of all, I saw how technology can truly make everyday life easier. It strengthened my belief that good design should empower — not just impress.
Reflection
For me, the Loyal World Digital project wasn’t just about solving business challenges or improving sales. It was about transforming a daily routine — making shopping on campus simpler, faster, and more human.
Even though the project was paused, the journey left a lasting mark. It reaffirmed why I design in the first place: to create experiences that make life just a little bit better for the people who use them.
By transforming a playful but ineffective landing page into a guided funnel, we turned passive visitors into committed businesses on the waitlist. The redesign didn’t just change the look — it changed the outcome, helping Myna build traction and momentum before launch.
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