Brief
Dunnes Stores needed a full redesign and re-platform of their ecommerce site, including a scalable design system for future growth. I led the UX/UI efforts, establishing reusable patterns, improving mobile usability, and working closely with developers and creative teams to align the visual direction and site performance.​​
My role
I was responsible for;​
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Working closely with the development team to scope features and the direction of the product
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Creation and maintain a new design system
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Pitch a new design direction for the website/UI, the photography style and colour palette.
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Re-design the entire site end to end
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Update and make UX improvements to key user flows
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Re-design all UI elements
Challenges
The project moved at pace with tight deadlines and shifting priorities. I adapted by leaning into lean UX practices — rapidly mapping out key flows, aligning cross-functional stakeholders, and testing iteratively throughout. Despite constraints, the solution met all requirements, improved usability, and laid the groundwork for future iterations.
Discovery Phase
New design direction
At the start of the project, I ran collaborative discovery sessions with key stakeholders to unpack business goals, existing pain points, and expectations for the re-platform. We identified that inconsistent visual patterns, rigid templates, and poor mobile usability were negatively impacting engagement and conversion.
From there, I led the creation of a new design direction—centered on clarity, accessibility, and scalability. This involved working closely with brand, photography, and content teams to align on image usage, tone, and modular UI components. Early concept testing confirmed users preferred a more editorial, mobile-first experience, which informed all future design decisions.
UX Phase
Wireframes
I created wireframes to explore new UX patterns that simplified navigation, improved mobile shopping flows, and supported flexible content modules. Collaborating with developers and stakeholders, we tested multiple layout variations early on to validate assumptions before investing in high-fidelity design. This iterative phase also helped uncover edge cases and accessibility gaps that shaped the design system rules.
I collaborated closely with frontend developers to implement scalable design tokens and responsive behaviors, ensuring performance and visual consistency across devices. Special attention was paid to typography hierarchy, whitespace, and contrast ratios to meet accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 AA).​​
We stress-tested the system against real content and edge cases (e.g., long product names, promo overlays, seasonal campaigns) to ensure durability and adaptability. The final UI balanced aesthetic polish with practical content management needs—giving both customers and internal teams a more seamless experience.
UI Phase
UI Designs
In the UI phase, I developed a clean, modular component library rooted in the newly defined brand direction. Each element—from product tiles to promotional modules—was designed to support varying content densities and merchandising strategies, particularly across key categories like fashion, food, and home.​
Results & Impact
The redesigned experience significantly improved usability, particularly on mobile, where bounce rates dropped and browsing speed increased. The modular design system streamlined development workflows, enabling faster rollout of new features and seasonal content without reinventing layouts.
Key outcomes included:
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Improved site performance and mobile responsiveness
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Smoother checkout and product discovery flows
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Reusable component system adopted across teams
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Enhanced accessibility, meeting WCAG 2.1 AA standard
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A scalable foundation for future digital growth
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The project set a new design standard for Dunnes' digital presence and created long-term value by making the platform more adaptable, efficient, and user-focused.
