Because this was my first UX project with the company, I introduced design thinking methodologies to help guide the product strategy and align the team around user needs. I began by meeting with the executive leadership team and facilitating brainstorming sessions to explore how the SPC program could evolve in a more digital-first direction. These conversations helped define the broader vision for the platform and clarified the business goals for the redesign.

To understand the competitive landscape, I reviewed other student-focused discount platforms and digital membership programs. This research helped identify where SPC could differentiate itself and where user expectations had already been shaped by competing products. I also conducted in-person research with students across multiple university campuses in the Greater Toronto Area. Speaking directly with students provided valuable insight into how they discovered discounts, how often they used the SPC program, and what they expected from the website and mobile experience.

Using these findings, I created a primary user persona and mapped the student journey to highlight opportunities for improving discovery and redemption of offers. These artifacts helped the marketing and development teams better understand who we were designing for and how the product needed to evolve. From there, I developed early wireframes and interactive prototypes to test potential solutions. I returned to university campuses to conduct in-person usability testing, observing how students interacted with the prototypes and identifying areas of confusion or friction. Each round of feedback informed further iterations until the team felt confident in the direction of the MVP.