Design leadership during crisis: building trust when everything changed

How I adapted UX research during COVID-19 lockdown to design three critical features that kept Limeroad users engaged when uncertainty was at its peak

Role:

Product designer

Timeline:

6 months (March-September 2020)

Team:

1 PM, 1 UX Designer (me), 4 engineers, 2 QAs

Platform:

Mobile app (Android focus)

Project Overview

The Challenge: During COVID-19 lockdown, Limeroad users needed financial flexibility and trust signals more than ever, but traditional user research methods weren't possible.

My Solution: I adapted research methodology to design three interconnected features - customer reviews system, pay-later functionality, and enhanced discovery - using competitive analysis and existing data.

The Impact

Maintained user engagement and business continuity during crisis while building financial inclusion features for economically stressed users.

The Business Problem

COVID-19 fundamentally changed how people shopped and what they needed from e-commerce platforms. Limeroad faced three critical challenges:

User Trust Crisis: People needed confidence in product quality when they couldn't physically shop, but had no way to share feedback except Google reviews.

Discovery Breakdown: Users couldn't find new features or marketplaces we'd introduced, leading to low adoption of business-critical initiatives.

Financial Stress: Traditional payment methods weren't flexible enough for users managing economic uncertainty during lockdown.

Why this mattered to the business: Lower engagement meant reduced revenue when the company needed stability most, while user acquisition costs were rising due to increased competition.

Research & Discovery

I adapted traditional UX research methods to work within lockdown constraints, using available data sources and competitive intelligence.

Customer Service Log Analysis

Method: Analyzed 6 months of customer support data (500+ interactions)

Key Discoveries:

Users frustrated with review process: No structured way to provide product feedback beyond Google reviews
Feature discovery failures: People couldn't find new marketplaces despite promotional efforts
Payment flexibility requests: Increasing inquiries about payment plans and credit options
Mobile usability issues: Higher support calls for mobile-specific problems

Competitive Analysis During Crisis

Method: Analyzed how 8 e-commerce platforms adapted to COVID-19 challenges

Strategic Insights:

Most competitors focused on safety features rather than financial flexibility
Review systems were either too complex or completely absent
Pay-later services were emerging but poorly integrated with existing platforms
Discovery mechanisms weren't optimized for changed user behavior patterns

Existing Data Mining

Method: Collaborated with business analysts to understand user behavior patterns

Critical Findings:

40% increase in mobile usage but higher abandonment rates
Average session time decreased suggesting decision fatigue
Cart abandonment spiked particularly for higher-value items
Support calls increased 60% mostly about payment and product concerns

User flows

User flows

Problem Definition

Based on research analysis, I identified three interconnected problems creating user engagement challenges:

1. Trust Deficit

Users needed confidence in product quality and seller reliability when physical shopping wasn't possible, but existing feedback mechanisms were inadequate.

2. Discovery Friction

Changed user behavior during lockdown meant existing navigation and feature discovery weren't surfacing relevant options effectively.

3. Financial Inflexibility

Economic uncertainty required payment options that traditional checkout flows couldn't provide, especially for Limeroad's lower-middle-class user base.

Core Insight: Crisis doesn't just change what people buy - it changes what they need to feel safe buying.

Key Design Decisions

Decision 1: Conversational Review System

Problem: Users avoided leaving reviews due to complex, time-consuming processes
Solution: Bottom-card system with YES/NO → Fit feedback → Quality details → Reward flow
Reasoning: Made reviewing feel like natural conversation while providing immediate gratification through rewards

Decision 2: Integrated Pay-Later with Identity Verification

Problem: Users needed credit options but existing solutions required separate applications
Solution: PAN verification → instant credits → e-KYC for additional credit flow
Reasoning: Integrated approach reduced friction while building trust through government ID verification

Decision 3: Enhanced Homepage Discovery

Problem: Important features and new marketplaces weren't surfacing in user journeys
Solution: Reorganized content hierarchy and navigation to prioritize COVID-relevant options
Reasoning: Crisis required surfacing essential features over nice-to-haves

Problem Definition

Based on research analysis, I identified three interconnected problems creating user engagement challenges:

1. Trust Deficit

Users needed confidence in product quality and seller reliability when physical shopping wasn't possible, but existing feedback mechanisms were inadequate.

2. Discovery Friction

Changed user behavior during lockdown meant existing navigation and feature discovery weren't surfacing relevant options effectively.

3. Financial Inflexibility

Economic uncertainty required payment options that traditional checkout flows couldn't provide, especially for Limeroad's lower-middle-class user base.

Core Insight: Crisis doesn't just change what people buy - it changes what they need to feel safe buying.

Key Design Decisions

Decision 1: Conversational Review System

Decision 2: Integrated Pay-Later with Identity Verification

Decision 3: Enhanced Homepage Discovery

Limeroad reviews

Limeroad credit

Limeroad reviews

Limeroad credit

Testing & Validation

Stakeholder Feedback Sessions

Method: Weekly reviews with product managers and business teams via Zoom

Key Findings:

Review flow reduced complexity compared to competitor solutions
Pay-later integration addressed urgent business need for user retention
Discovery improvements aligned with changing user behavior patterns

Internal Team Testing

Method: Cross-functional team members tested prototypes before development

Results:

Simplified user flows reduced cognitive load during decision-making
Clear progress indicators helped users understand multi-step processes
Integrated rewards created motivation to complete actions

Key Learnings & Impact

Validated resourceful research approach – Sometimes the best insights come from unconventional sources when you're willing to dig deeper into existing data.

Proved emotional design drives engagement – Addressing user anxiety and financial stress had more impact than purely functional improvements.

Established crisis design principles – Designing for uncertainty requires understanding psychology as much as usability, especially during global disruption.