PROJECT
SAINSBURY'S
STUDIO
ALLOFUS
ROLE
DESIGN LEAD
CONTRIBUTION
DESIGN DIRECTION
PRODUCT DESIGN
VISUAL IDENTITY
PROTOTYPING
DESIGN AUDIT
DESIGN SYSTEM
DESIGN GUIDELINES
YEAR
2016
INDUSTRY
RETAIL / E-COMMERCE
Design consultancy with Sainsbury’s digital experience team to craft a new design identity and establish a structured design system for all digital touchpoints. To unify the design approach and set up a consistent process for future projects. Introducing interaction and motion into design thinking, developing an understanding of art direction, and how to strategically apply these concepts within a cohesive framework.
01.
Context
Sainsbury’s has been facing internal challenges in creating a consistent design system across all their digital products. To address this, they engaged AllofUs, an external consultancy specialising in strategy and design, to support them in this task. There is an urgent need to rebuild trust within the business as confidence in the digital department has been waning. The objective is to re-establish that trust by collaborating closely with Sainsbury’s digital experience team to implement an improved design process and deliver the building blocks for the new design system. The primary goal is to develop and roll out a design system that seamlessly works across all channels, from groceries to fashion, and not just digitally but also by inspiring in-store adoption of this approach. As we evolve the way we design for the digital age, we want to keep the idea of 'Live Well for Less' right at the heart of everything we do. The challenge is how to translate this idea into a design framework that works across all the different channels and products.
02.
Approach
The Sainsbury's team has access to a broad range of data and research, including analytics, heat mapping, customer interviews, usability studies, and user research focused on both digital products and in-store behaviour. The primary goal of the user experience is to create an optimal shopping journey for Sainsbury’s customers by ensuring seamless design integration across all channels. To test and validate the design strategy, the focus is on two key areas – groceries and fashion – across web and native app platforms. This approach ensures that each design component is adaptable and versatile, capable of smoothly transitioning between sections with distinct aesthetics. Given timeline constraints, the initial focus will be on developing a foundational design system that can evolve. This process will not only establish a strong starting point but also equip Sainsbury’s team with design thinking, branding, and art direction skills, enabling them to continue the work independently once the AllofUs team steps away. The discovery phase will assess the current landscape, set design principles, and define the design direction. The conceptual design phase will then use real content to explore how the system functions across different channels. The end product will be a set of design system guidelines, providing essential building blocks for future work.
03.
Outcome
The Luna Design System marks a significant milestone for Sainsbury's. The collaboration between AllofUs and Sainsbury's cross-functional team has helped the digital design department build trust with key company stakeholders. Luna consistently aligns with all of Sainsbury's brand values, as reflected in its positive design scores. The design strategy and system developed will benefit all future digital products. Luna establishes a unified design system across all digital touchpoints, embodying Sainsbury’s brand values. Based on strong art direction and design principles, it offers a distinctive yet flexible framework, adaptable to various products and brands while maintaining their unique identities.
64+
Interchangeable components designed for the initial design system.
90%
Positive feedback during resonance and usability testings.
New DS
Brand new design system with foundational modules coded and ready to use.
PROJECT CASE STUDY
⸺ Designed with the customer in mind by people who care. Every element is crafted and curated to enhance the user experience, reflecting Sainsbury's brand commitment.
04.
Strategy
By leveraging extensive data and research, we empower the team to design customer journeys that span multiple touchpoints. The primary goal of the user experience initiative is to create an optimal shopping experience for Sainsbury’s customers. The design strategy ensures seamless functionality across all Sainsbury’s channels. To rigorously evaluate the design, we take a holistic approach, focusing on two key areas—groceries and fashion—across both web and native app platforms. This comprehensive process ensures the adaptability of each design component, allowing for interchangeability while preserving the unique aesthetic of each section.
05.
Key Attributes
Through exploring design and art direction, we define five key conceptual attributes that serve as guiding principles. These principles shape the expression of emotions within the design elements, ensuring a harmonious and relevant user experience and interface design:
▲ Friendly and Warm
▲ Simple and Intuitive
▲ Flexible and Personal
▲ Inspiring and Bold
▲ Looks Good and Works Great
⸺ The Luna Design System represents a significant milestone for Sainsbury's. Previous attempts to build a design system solely with their in-house team faced challenges, leading to a loss of trust from internal stakeholders. Recognising the need for an external perspective, Sainsbury’s decided to collaborate with external partners to develop a unified design system. This strategic shift not only addressed the earlier difficulties but also fostered renewed collaboration and trust.
06.
Luna Vision
Luna aspires to create a consistent design system that harmonises the user experience across multiple digital touchpoints while authentically reflecting Sainsbury’s brand values. Guided by precise art direction and design principles, the system is designed to represent Sainsbury’s, yet remains flexible enough to adapt seamlessly to various products, brands, and channels—such as the distinct identity of the Tu fashion line. This ensures that each digital interaction retains the essence of Sainsbury’s while accommodating the individuality of different products within the overall design framework.
07.
Luna Design System
After extensive strategic discussions during the discovery phase, the project moves into the dynamic production phase. Central to this phase is the Luna Design System Guidelines, a key resource that forms the foundation of Sainsbury’s overarching design framework. These guidelines are collaboratively developed by Sainsbury’s developers alongside ongoing design work, serving as essential building blocks for seamless communication. This parallel development approach not only accelerates the iterative process but also enhances the precision and refinement of the final product.
Living well for less is about enjoying life's little pleasures. It’s about caring for the tiny details of everyday life that are unnoticed by everyone else, but never by you. Our job as designers is to observe and help. It’s to inspire and surprise. It's to notice those small moments and make them more special. A little better. A little easier. Every day. As designers, our job is never done. It's constantly changing, adapting and evolving, just like the people we’re designing for. Everything we do must be aesthetically pleasing. Everything we do must feel right. Our job is to make Beautiful Everyday ●
Credits
Samuel Viani ⸺ Design Lead
Allan Weir ⸺ iOS Developer
Anne-Marie Neligan ⸺ Project Manager
Janos Koos ⸺ Senior Designer
Nick Cristea ⸺ UX & Strategy Director
Ricardo Amorim ⸺ Creative Director
Rory Campbell ⸺ Strategy Director
Russel Murton-Cole ⸺ Senior Designer
Yuriy Starikov ⸺ Senior Designer
﹢Cross-functional team collaboration
Sainsbury's ⸺ Stakeholders, UX/UI Designers, Accessibility Auditor & Engineers
Duration
16 weeks
Studio
AllofUs
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