Modernizing eCommerce workflows for industrial buyers
A full eCommerce overhaul to improve discoverability, navigation, and long‑term scalability.
About Slide UX
Slide UX is a boutique user experience consultancy that helps companies create more usable, engaging digital products. For this project, we partnered with Transcat, a provider of calibration and measurement equipment, to redesign their eCommerce platforms and improve the experience for their industrial and laboratory customers.
Design Challenge
Transcat, a company known for its precision tools and calibration equipment, wanted to upgrade its two main eCommerce sites, Transcat.com and Pipettes.com. The goal? Make them easier to navigate, easier to use, and easier to find through search. We set out to modernize the experience, organize the content more clearly, and streamline how people get what they need.
The Team
- Stakeholders: Product and engineering leads.
- Contributors: Developers and marketing leads.
- End Users: Engineers, procurement pros, lab managers, and small business owners.
My Role
I joined the project midway through and focused on four core areas: wireframes, ideation, the design system, and usability testing. I helped translate early concepts into detailed design work, then refined everything through rounds of testing and iteration.
Wireframes & Collaboration
Partnered with the Transcat team to explore layouts and refine ideas in real time. Designed foundational screens in Figma, including homepage, PDPs, and category pages. Explored multiple layout options and content structures to test what resonated best with users.
High-Fidelity Mockups & Navigation Improvements
Created high-fidelity mockups of key product pages, including PDPs, brand detail pages, and cart interactions. Redesigned the product navigation system to support easier browsing across categories, brands, and device types. Refined the overall eCommerce flow to better support decision-making and reduce user friction.
Design System
Used wireframe insights to co-build a reusable, scalable design system in Figma. Created components for cards, buttons, navigation, breadcrumbs, and more. Documented style and behavior patterns to support devs and ensure future consistency.
Usability Testing & Iteration
Conducted usability tests to validate flows, hierarchy, and labeling. Gathered insights that directly informed component refinements and layout updates. Collaborated with developers to make sure improvements translated into the build accurately.
Developer Handoff
Delivered clear design specs and redlines with behavior notes and CSS guidance. Provided in-context explanations of design intent to reduce guesswork during handoff. Stayed involved post-handoff to ensure polish and fidelity in the final experience.
Before & After
What Improved:
- Easier Navigation: The new IA and cleaner UI helped users find products faster.
- Scalable Design System: Transcat's internal team now has a foundation they can build on.
- Improved SEO: The structure, metadata, and page designs aligned better with search engines.
While these designs have been handed off to Transcat, implementation is still underway. As of now, their public website has not yet reflected these updates.
My team at Slide UX delivered all final assets, including wireframes, high-fidelity mockups, and documentation, as part of a comprehensive redesign effort.
Key Highlights
The entire redesign was grounded in real user feedback. Our design system sped up development and created a strong base for future iterations. The new experience works just as well for first-time visitors as it does for longtime customers.
Takeaways
This project reminded me how valuable true collaboration is across teams, disciplines, and timelines. I joined partway through, but by jumping in, listening, and iterating closely with the team, I was able to make a meaningful impact. I'm proud of the experience we delivered and how it set Transcat up for the future.