UX Research & Design
Nadia Burger
Sep 10, 2025
Above from left to right: The existing stillgood landing page and the updated experience (Figma prototype)
Summary
stillgood is a newly launched startup in South Africa, primarily aimed at connecting grocery outlets looking to reduce waste with value-conscious families.
In July this year, they approached me for a UX audit of 3 screens in their key mobile web user journey in order to identify potential conversion bottlenecks or usability issues.
I conducted an analysis of their brand positioning, core user persona, user journeys as well as UX heuristics and best practices, and was able to identify several friction points. I then crafted improvements to the 3 core screens, with expected impact for each recommendation.
Above: The 3 core screens including the Home screen, bag detail screen and Order detail screen.
The Challenge
stillgood did not yet have analytics data, but did have some user feedback that they shared with me around missed collections. I therefore based my audit primarily on UX heuristics, best practices, market research and understanding their core user psychology.
Research Process
Competitive benchmarking
Analyzing the core user flows for
1. Refreshi (a local competitor)
2. Too Good To Go - the world's largest marketplace for surplus food aimed at conscious consumers.
User Journey Mapping
I conducted real-world testing and mapped out stillgood's current user journey for the core user flows on mobile web.
User Research:
I put together a user persona based on information shared with me, in order to help understand the motivations and mindset of the core user group.
Above: The persona for the core user demographic
UX + UI Best Practices Research:
Finally, I researched current UX best practices from reputable sources like the Baymard Institute, Norman Nielsen Group etc.
Key findings
Onboarding / home screen
Key problems
No onboarding experience or value proposition to orient a first time user
The location filter includes multiple steps and takes up a third of the screen real estate
The store-focused presentation creates a text-heavy interface and cognitive overload, likely causing a time-constrained user on their phone to miss important information
The very prominent orange elements create a confusing visual hierarchy
Solution
Updates made:
Welcome modal with headline "Join 1000s of South Africans…" orients the user with social proof (showing others have successfully used the service) and the value proposition "…saving money while saving food". Offers user options to set their location, go to the existing onboarding flow, or explore on their own.
If the user selects the primary CTA ("Find stores near me"), they are taken to a second modal and immediately offered a "Use my current location" button with label and contextual help icon for users who are unfamiliar with this functionality or get stuck. The manual multi-step location filter is offered as a fall-back option.
Once the user reaches the landing page / home screen, the location selection is indicated in an unobtrusive bar at the top of the screen, allowing the user to view and update their location at any time.
Store-focused cards become bag-focused cards as this allows for vibrant food/product photography that creates a more visual interface and aligns with the very visual way users prefer to shop for food, as well as solving the current issue of empty store cards, which look like a system error.
I implemented a simple design system to improve consistency and the overall quality of the UI.
Bag detail screen
Key problems
Information very dense for mobile use
Information not grouped and presented to aid scannability
Long scrolling required to reach CTA
No visual urgency or scarcity cues
Result: Complex interfaces confuse customers and lead to abandonment
Solution
Updates made:
Simplified the content and grouped related sections together, making the information easier to scan
Added social proof (user reviews) to build trust
CTA at the bottom of the screen is sticky so that it is always visible and within easy reach for a mobile user. This section also provides upfront information about the time limit to complete sign up and payment, which will reduce user frustration and bounce rates.
Order detail screen
Key problems
One of the main pieces of feedback stillgood had from stores was that users were not collecting their bags at the specified times. I therefore analysed the current Order Details screen and found:
Confusing Instructions
Complex Sharing Functionality
Poor Information Hierarchy
Missing Critical Guidance
Solution
Updates made:
Added notification icon to profile to guide user to find their order
Scannable sections
Status to show if order has been collected
Disabled CTA shows countdown
CTA turns orange when collection window is open
Collection modal shows only information needed at the collection moment
Final Protoype
Above from left to right: The existing stillgood landing page and the updated experience (Figma prototype)
The Impact
While precise results can only be measured post-implementation, current research shows:
Incorporating social proof in the welcome modal follows established UX principles for reducing user anxiety and building trust during onboarding - particularly important for new platforms in emerging markets where users evaluate legitimacy before sharing personal information (Cialdini, 1984; UXmatters onboarding research). There is an onboarding flow but it does not appear when the user lands on the site, rather the user has to go into the hamburger menu to find it.
The redesigned cards apply established IA principles of reducing choice complexity and organizing content by user mental models and avoids the user seeing empty store cards (a UX dead end - a direct cause of abandonment (Baymard).
Simplified Information Architecture: Information architecture research emphasizes keeping the number of choices to a minimum - the streamlined layout reduces cognitive load (Careerfoundry)
Trust-Building Design Elements: Research indicates "75% of consumers assess a company's credibility based on its website's design" - the professional layout, clear pricing presentation, and organized information structure support credibility building. (UX Experience)
Social Proof Integration (reviews): Research by Spiegel Research Center found that "displaying reviews can increase conversion rates by up to 270%" and that "91% of consumers between the ages of 18-34 trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations" (Wisernotify)
Collection Failure Risks Eliminated:
Order visibility → Notification system prevents forgetting
Process confusion → Clarified instructions
Timing uncertainty → Status progression
Staff interaction → Simplified collection process
Accidental actions → Intentional swipe confirmation
"Nadia was absolutely amazing to work with. She quickly understood our vision and translated it into a clear, user-friendly design that had an immediate impact on our business. Her ability to balance creativity with practical solutions made the process seamless, and the improvements she suggested have already added real value. I’d highly recommend her to anyone looking for thoughtful, high-quality UX design support."
COO & Founder, stillgood
