Walmart Innovation Exploration

Background

I led the Digitas research and design team contracted by Walmart to introduce Design Thinking methodologies and templates to their insights team, while using these same techniques to identify opportunity areas for innovation and new services.

Goals

Primary

  • Create customer journeys to highlight key behaviors, pain points, needs and delighters.

  • Identify opportunity areas for customer-centric improvements to Walmart services and experiences

Secondary

  • Provide templates and guidelines for Walmart’s Insights team to continue practicing Design Thinking methodologies.

Approach

  • Generative research identifying life needs and mapping routine behaviors, including in-home interviews and shop-alongs in three markets

  • Concept exploration via in-home interviews and co-creation exercises in three markets 

  • Survey to validate and scale insights and ideas

  • Customer journeys mapping high-potential areas, including grab-and-go shopping, personal finance management and healthcare

Insights

  • Participants face severe time constraints when it comes to caring for their families. This causes not only stress but also feelings of guilt and inadequacy. 

  • Shopping behaviors encompass a complex ecosystem of store preferences, timing, and digital tools. While participants have developed behaviors to manage this complexity, they long for a less time-consuming approach to fulfilling their families’ shopping needs.

  • They appreciate high-quality experiences, which can be hard to find in their busy daily lives. For many, shopping can provide stress relief and small rewards, such as browsing affordable luxury items or treating oneself to a latte.

  • Juggling their family's healthcare is a daunting responsibility, often causing feelings of guilt, as they struggle with everything from tracking checkups and vaccinations to preparing healthy meals and snacks.

  • Most participants struggle with managing their families’ finances and are often encumbered by shame-inducing debt. While shopping makes up a significant portion of regular expenses, they find it difficult to plan for and track these costs.

Output

  • Four areas of opportunity for further research and development, including healthcare and personal finance management

  • Dozens of tactical recommendations for more immediate impact, including but not limited to gift giving, grab-and-go shopping and enhanced shopping experiences

  • Six Customer Journey maps identifying needs, pain points, delighters, and opportunities for Walmart

  • Templates and process guidelines for future Design Thinking initiatives