Merchant Hierarchical Search

Problem:
Merchants need to understand how products fit within a complex hierarchy. In practice, they often recognize only one of the many identifiers associated with a product across different stages of its lifecycle. Identifying how products are related and which items are impacted by a given change is time-consuming and difficult.

Solution:
I designed a side-panel search experience that reveals how a searched product or identifier connects to related products within the hierarchy. This allows merchants to quickly understand product relationships and see how pricing changes affect multiple items, supporting more informed decision-making.

My Role:
I led the work from discovery through validation. I conducted initial research, designed and tested concepts with users, and used AI-assisted analysis to identify where product requirements were not aligned with user needs. User testing confirmed these findings, helping the team avoid unnecessary development and saving significant time and cost.