Founded in 1999 with Alibaba.com, Alibaba Group, ranked 68th in the Fortune Global 500, now operates 30+ platforms across consumers, merchants, brands, retailers, and third-party services.
Xuanyuan is an internal sales merchant platform under Alibaba’s food delivery business line, operating across both PC and mobile platforms to enhance merchant management efficiency and streamline sales workflows. This project focuses on the mobile end.
Role
Product Designer
Duration
4 Weeks
Tools
Figma
Sketch
Methods
UX/UI Design
Data Analysis
Content Design
Team
1 Product Manager
1 Software Engineer
1 Data Scientist
About Project
Problem
Xuanyuan's merchant diagnosis features aimed to improve sales efficiency but suffered from low engagement due to complex execution flows, overloaded information, and ambiguous visuals, making it difficult for sales teams to use effectively.
What I did
I iterated on the existing interface by refining information hierarchy, improving recommendation accuracy, and enhancing visual clarity, optimizing usability across content, interaction, and user flow.
Impact
These improvements led to a 2x DPV, a 20% increase in task CTR, and a more seamless user flow that enhanced sales efficiency in assisting merchants.
Users
Stage 1: Define User Needs
We conducted interviews with both junior and senior sales, focusing on observing their page navigation patterns Vs. working behaviors.
Stage 2: User Analysis ｜ Misaligned User Flow
We found that junior sales do focus on the diagnosis score but ignore the guide, finding it overwhelming. They prefer asking merchants directly and analyzing issues later. Senior sales also check the score but rely on experience to solve problems, and they both making adjustments later in the office.
Stage 3: Align with Data ｜ Funnel Analysis
Through data analysis, we can observe user drop-off at different interaction steps on the page. Additionally, the low page retention time aligns with interview feedback, confirming that sales representatives tend to ignore the system's optimization suggestions.
Problems
Stage 4: Pain Points & Design Opportunities
Based on user research and backend data analysis, we arrived at the following design oppotunities.
Stage 5: Design Strategies
Solutions
1
Restructuring Information Hierarchy to Articulate Key Data
Optimizing Information Hierarchy
Reorganized content structure to ensure high-priority information is immediately visible, guiding user attention effectively and improving engagement (time on screen).
Visual Optimization of Diagnosis Cards
Enhanced card design by increasing color contrast, adding key metrics for better clarity, and reducing excessive text for improved readability.
2
Redefine Task Prioritization and Categories
Phase 1: The Dual -Perspective Task List
Based on the objectives of the Diagnosis Score, I designed this matrix with two core dimensions.
Phase 2: Task Execution Complexity
While impact is key, the execution process also plays a major role in prioritization. Tasks differ in effort and process complexity, which further refines how they should be approached.
3
Improve Information Readability and Efficiency
Information Foraging Theory
Sales scan for immediate value rather than reading long explanations. We reduced cognitive load by minimizing instructional text and improved data scalability with a clearer visual hierarchy.
Action-Oriented UX Writing
Clear, prescriptive prompts replace passive explanations, making next steps obvious. Simplified text removes friction, ensuring sales can act quickly without hesitation.
User’s Voice
Now this is clear, I understand the the score now.
This is great! When visiting merchants, they can also understand it easily.
Makes sense, no need for extra explanation.
Final Impact
My performance was great this month, and the Easy Operation helped a lot.
During a client visit, they were unsure how to optimize. I showed them the recommended tasks, and they got it instantly.
This version looks much clearer, too much text before, felt like a lecture.
Future Refinement
While the current design improves usability and engagement, several areas remain for future refinement.
Enhancing personalized task recommendations
Streamlining task execution, providing real-time performance feedback
Enhance motivation by reward system
Self-reflection
Challenges of UX Iteration vs. 0-1 Design
Unlike 0-1 projects, iteration requires working within existing constraints, balancing past user habits, legacy systems, and incremental improvements. The challenge is identifying high impact changes without disrupting established workflows.
Solving Product Problems Through Design
Design is not just about refining visuals, it can shape product direction. In this project, I introduced priority based task categorization, improving efficiency for sales. By identifying key friction points and advocating for structural changes, design became a driver of product evolution.