Redesigning a Gaming Accessory Site: From Usability Issues to Intuitive Navigation
Spearheaded the UX turnaround for a post-launch gaming e-commerce site. By directing comprehensive heuristic evaluations and tree testing, we restructured the product taxonomy and achieved an 85% improvement in task success.
Resolving Post-Launch Navigation Friction
Shortly after launch, heuristic evaluations and Hotjar analysis revealed severe usability issues. The navigation structure did not align with user mental models for gaming products, causing high drop-off rates and frustrating the core enthusiast audience.
Unearthing Critical Pain Points via User Telemetry
Heuristic & Hotjar Audit
Conducted rigorous heuristic evaluations and analyzed Hotjar session recordings to pinpoint exact friction points in the user journey.
Key Finding
Users were abandoning product searches because the category taxonomy was built for internal logistics, not for how gamers actually shop.
System Constraint
The new taxonomy needed to integrate seamlessly with the existing e-commerce backend without requiring a complete platform migration.
From Sitemap to Interactive Experience
Using OmniGraffle, I created a comprehensive sitemap and product taxonomy to provide a visual representation of the new site navigation. This structure was validated through tree testing before moving into high-fidelity prototyping.
Information Architecture Artifacts
Information Architecture Sitemap
Comprehensive sitemap showing the redesigned navigation structure with Performance and Fire Power product categories and improved footer organization.
Product Taxonomy Structure
Detailed taxonomy illustrating the hierarchical organization from high-level categories (Peripherals, Hardware) down to specific product attributes.
Experience the Interactive Prototype
Now that you've seen the IA, experience the fully interactive prototype. Navigate through the new information architecture, test the product discovery flows, and see how the gaming-focused aesthetics come to life.
View Live Prototype (opens in a new tab)Driving Strategic Change
Directing Cross-Functional Alignment
Led a cross-functional team of developers, SEO specialists, and content strategists to implement the new taxonomy. Ensured that the UX improvements also satisfied critical SEO requirements.
Stakeholder Persuasion via Data
Presented compelling Hotjar data and tree-testing results to executive stakeholders, successfully convincing them to pause new feature development to fix the foundational navigation issues first.