UX Strategy leadtāst Coffee
The challenge presented by tāst Coffee was not simply building a website, but translating an authentic, locally-rooted brand identity into a scalable, high-converting Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) e-commerce system. The company lacked a cohesive digital strategy and foundation. My primary objective was to define the entire Product Vision and UX Strategy from a blank slate, ensuring the final experience balanced the founder's rich narrative (art, literature, design) with the functional need for clear purchase paths. This required me to operate as the UX Strategy Lead and internal advocate for the future user experience.
Strategic Vision & Design PrinciplesGoing Deep
I initiated the project by synthesizing competitive analysis of the DTC coffee landscape, which revealed a pattern of visual overload that often undermined clarity. Based on this insight, I established three core design principles that governed the entire process:
Prioritize Brand Storytelling Upfront (Emotional Resonance)
Guide Users Through Purposeful Navigation (Conversion Clarity)
Ensure Every Element is Intentional (Scalable Minimalism).
I defined the content structure and Information Architecture (IA) to reflect this balance, designing a system that would make users feel the brand's ethos before guiding them seamlessly to the shop.
UX Leadership & ExecutionI personally guided the full design lifecycle, overseeing all key artifacts from research synthesis to final design specification.
My leadership focus was on creating a robust blueprint for the developer handoff. Key deliverables included the Sitemap, User Journey Map, and high-fidelity wireframes which detailed the checkout flow and product page optimization based on our conversion hypotheses. For instance, I strategically structured the product pages to emphasize origin and flavor transparency, hypothesizing that clarity would increase customer confidence and therefore boost the product-page-to-cart conversion rate. This process ensured a successful transition from vision to implementation.
LO-fidelity wireframes
hi-fidelity wireframes
Metrics & Quantifiable Impact
The strategic design, transparent product storytelling, and performance-driven UX delivered significant, measurable results within the first four months of 2025:
Checkout Conversion Rate: Increased checkout conversion rate to 73%, validating the improved purchase funnel and simplified user flow.
Sales Impact: Achieved over $7.6K in sales within the period, confirming strong market acceptance.
Trust & Experience: Achieved zero returns, reflecting a seamless user experience, high product satisfaction, and clear expectations set during the shopping journey.
Customer Loyalty: Strengthened customer loyalty, evidenced by the top returning buyer placing 29 orders during the period.
Traffic & Engagement: Drove 1,000+ sessions from Instagram, with high engagement across major U.S. cities, validating the success of the cohesive art direction and UX storytelling.
Outcome & Strategic TakeawaysThe outcome was a fully realized digital flagship that successfully elevated tāst Coffee's presence, providing a foundational e-commerce system that was immediately ready to scale. The project validated the hypothesis that identity is an essential layer of UX strategy. By defining a system where artistic vision and functional design work in tandem, I delivered a platform that not only reinforced brand integrity but was also strategically optimized to support future integrations of subscriber data and personalized experiences. This project directly demonstrates my ability to transform complex ideas into efficient, outcome-driven solutions.