Role

Head of Experience Strategy & Design

As the project lead, I guided a multidisciplinary team of researchers, strategists, behavioral economists, UX and UI designers through a strategic, collaborative, and creative process to evolve Wagamama’s online presence.

  • Align the digital experience with Wagamama’s refreshed brand vision.
  • Improve customer engagement and usability.
  • Streamline the online ordering process.
  • Enhance storytelling and visual identity through immersive UI and interaction design.
  • Develop a scalable design system for consistency across digital touchpoints.
  • Communicate the new design direction and experience for alignment within the business.

Activities

  • Competitor analysis
  • Requirements definition
  • Creative workshopping
  • Information architecture
  • User flow mapping
  • Wireframing
  • Copywriting
  • Creative concepting
  • UI, interaction & motion design
  • Vision video production
  • User testing
  • Design system creation

Approach

Research & Strategic Analysis

The project began with in-depth competitor analysis, evaluating and comparing digital experiences from key competitors to identify respective strengths & weaknesses, as well as opportunities for differentiation.

Observations & insights gained from this research informed conversations and decisions in the definition phase, and creative workshopping played an important role in shaping the strategic approach, with cross-functional teams exploring flows, opportunities and ideas that could bring the brand vision to life.

A structured measurement framework was established, incorporating KPIs for both business performance – such as conversion rates and order value – and customer experience metrics like engagement, ease of use, and satisfaction. This approach ensured that every design decision contributed to measurable improvements in both brand impact and user interaction.

Approach

Product Design

The design definition work started with an evaluation of the existing information architecture; reworking and simplifying to address navigation issues, streamlining the order process, and consolidating the expansive the shop area.

Low-fidelity wireframes were created to illustrate core flows and content hierarchy, followed by rounds of conceptual prototypes informed by user testing and stakeholder feedback.

Conceptual designs that had been created for the original pitch formed the basis of ongoing creative work – exploring opportunities to create an up-to-date and engaging theme, whilst retaining the familiar Wagamama brand aesthetic.

Rounds of user testing and stakeholder feedback helped validate design decisions, ensuring that design development was optimised to ensure that the final experience met both business and user needs.

Once the detailed UI & interaction design was finalised, a vision video was produced, bringing the future-state digital experience to life and aligning the business around a shared vision.

Approach

Design System Creation

A comprehensive new design system was built to ensure consistency, scalability, and efficiency across all Wagamama’s digital touchpoints.

The three-part system covered:

  • Core, foundational brand elements such as logos, typography and imagery
  • An extensive, multi-breakpoint, atomic component library
  • Global rules around grids, font sizes, margins & breakpoints

The system was structured to support both current and future digital initiatives, allowing for updates while maintaining brand integrity. Accessibility was also a key focus, with WCAG-compliant color palettes, typography, and interactive elements designed to enhance usability for all customers.

Project

Outcomes / Impact

The strategic redesign of Wagamama’s digital experience successfully transformed the way customers engaged with the brand online, reinforcing its market-leading position while staying true to its ethos of fresh, nourishing, and soulful dining.

  • A reimagined digital experience that aligned seamlessly with Wagamama’s new brand vision.
  • Enhanced user engagement and improved conversion rates for online orders.
  • A more intuitive, visually compelling interface that strengthened brand identity.
  • A scalable design system ensuring consistency across all digital touchpoints.
  • Increased customer satisfaction and positive brand perception.

21%

increase in online order conversion rate

7%

increase in CSAT scores

5%

increase in loyalty programme engagement