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Majid’s Digital - Ecosystem
At Majid, our innovation team’s role was to create various concept pieces that would allow Majid to propel into the future and leapfrog over their competitors - not only this, they wanted to be seen as a forward thinking, futuristic powerhouse when it came to building world class experiences.
My role within the team was to work within innovative thinking, as well as conduct the research and work with artists to produce storyboards in our effort to sell our ideas to the higher command, and once approved, move towards ideating the future of Majid’s operations within the F&B space.
Our team, in a short space of time, needed to deliver a number of concept products, including:
A customer facing application that would empower Majid to deliver exceptional, world class experiences
A customer facing application that would empower Majid to deliver exceptional, world class experiences
A customer facing application that would empower Majid to deliver exceptional, world class experiences
Research Phase
INTERVIEWS
The project quickly escalated from inception to full-speed execution within a remarkably short period. Working closely with Hiba, our lead project manager, we engaged in extensive interviews with key stakeholders involved across the three main product areas. With time constraints pressing upon us, we adopted a direct approach, swiftly cutting through to the core insights necessary to develop solutions that would captivate and impress the higher echelons of Majid Al Futtaim leadership.
In the subsequent days, our findings proved to be extraordinarily revealing. We emerged with a definitive understanding of the critical issues that needed addressing within our conceptual designs. Here are some of the key insights we uncovered:
INNOVATION WORKSHOPS
In our quest to design innovative, forward-looking solutions that would captivate Majid Al Futtaim’s senior leadership, we recognized the importance of effective presentation. Believing that designers must also excel as salespeople, we at Digi Labs leveraged artistic storyboards to visually articulate our ideas. This approach was underscored during several innovation workshops, involving our creative team, the head of IT, and the director of technology, where we collaboratively sketched and refined potential solutions. The outcome was a suite of promising concepts poised to transform Majid’s operations.
CLIENT INSIGHTS
My role within the team was to work within innovative thinking, as well as conduct the research and work with artists to produce storyboards in our effort to sell our ideas to the higher command, and once approved, move towards ideating the future of Majid’s operations within the F&B space.
Customer-facing Application
POS System
Yield Management Platform
Storyboards
1. Customer Facing Application
1/8 Customer Facing Application
After receiving an email about the new Bond movie, Hiba convinces her sister to join her for a movie night at VOX Cinemas. Their parents decide to dine at Mall of Emirates (MOE) while the sisters enjoy the film. Using the VOX App, Hiba books two tickets, assigning one to her sister Malak, who is part of her VOX Network. She selects aisle seats and is then prompted with the F&B menu where she chooses the ‘Bond Combo’ tailored for the movie experience, along with suggested cold drinks from previous orders.
Hiba pays with her SHARE points and receives a notification that her order will be prepared 15 minutes before the movie to ensure freshness. She opts to pick up her food from Counter #4 instead of having it delivered.
2/8 Customer Facing Application
The adventure at VOX isn’t over for Hiba and Malak; they’re soon greeted with a notification for an ‘Exclusive H&M Offer’ tailored just for them. Intrigued, they open the VOX App to preview their personalized offer. While they decide to save it for later, the tailored experience leaves them eager for their next visit, confident that they’ll return soon.
Hiba pays with her SHARE points and receives a notification that her order will be prepared 15 minutes before the movie to ensure freshness. She opts to pick up her food from Counter #4 instead of having it delivered.
2. Intelligent POS System
3/8 Intelligent POS System
As Hiba and her parents arrive at MOE, her car’s plate number is scanned, linking directly to her SHARE App. Shortly after, Hiba receives a notification about the queue at Counter #4, indicating a wait due to ten people ahead. However, as a Starlette VOX Member, she’s informed that she won’t need to queue. Instead, Alex will deliver her pre-ordered food directly to her seat before the movie begins, ensuring a seamless and convenient experience.
4/8 Intelligent POS System
Upon arriving at their seats, Hiba and Malak are thrilled to find their pre-ordered food, personalized with their names on the popcorn package, already waiting for them. After quickly finishing their Bond Combos during the movie, Hiba decides to order more snacks. Thanks to her Starlette status and the aisle seat, she accesses the VOX app’s Emergency Order feature, which operates in dark cinema mode, and requests more popcorn with a single click.
To her delight, Alex returns swiftly with her emergency popcorn and a complimentary hotdog, recognized from her favorites. Malak is impressed by the swift service and the personalized touch VOX provides.
5/8 Intelligent POS System
As Hiba’s order for a “Bond Combo and Bond cold drink” comes through the VOX App, the POS operator at Counter #4 is alerted. The system, reflecting the order’s paid status and pulling from Hiba’s customer history, enables the operator to prepare efficiently. Selected for its strategic location based on past online order flows, Counter #4 ensures that all preparations are swiftly handled. The operator, well-informed by the POS system’s real-time updates, readies the order for a quick pickup, ensuring Hiba and Malak’s movie experience is as smooth and enjoyable as the service.
6/8 Intelligent POS System
As Hiba enters the Mall of Emirates, the system logs her arrival time, using the scan of her car’s plate number. The POS operator sees Hiba’s status update and notes the current queue at Counter #4: ten people waiting. Given Hiba’s Starlette VOX Member status, the operator receives a system recommendation to deliver her order directly to her seat for enhanced convenience.
Assigned to the task is Alex, chosen based on his availability to ensure the fastest service. He prepares to deliver Hiba’s “Bond Combo and cold drink” to her at the designated cinema hall, bypassing the queue entirely to provide a seamless and personalized movie-going experience.
7/8 Intelligent POS System
The POS system at VOX Cinemas, now updated with Hiba’s status and the current queue details at Counter #4, adjusts to streamline her experience further. As part of the update, the system seamlessly integrates real-time data to enhance operational efficiency. Alex, already informed and on task, is supported by the system’s up-to-date insights, ensuring he can deliver Hiba’s order with precision. The seamless system integration not only speeds up the delivery process but also maintains a high standard of customer service, keeping the cinema experience smooth and enjoyable for every guest.
3. Yield Management
8/8 Yield Management
As Hiba and her parents arrive at MOE, her car’s plate number is scanned, linking directly to her SHARE App. Shortly after, Hiba receives a notification about the queue at Counter #4, indicating a wait due to ten people ahead. However, as a Starlette VOX Member, she’s informed that she won’t need to queue. Instead, Alex will deliver her pre-ordered food directly to her seat before the movie begins, ensuring a seamless and convenient experience.
Sitemap
As we developed concepts, building sitemaps became a critical tool for enabling Majid executives to visualize our products from a comprehensive perspective, adding a layer of realism and practicality to our designs. These sitemaps were instrumental not only in displaying the functional flow but also in showcasing the advanced features we uncovered during our workshops. They are designed to illustrate how we intend to create a seamless experience across all products, bridging digital and physical spaces for both customers and staff.
In our quest to design innovative, forward-looking solutions that would captivate Majid Al Futtaim’s senior leadership, we recognized the importance of effective presentation. Believing that designers must also excel as salespeople, we at Digi Labs leveraged artistic storyboards to visually articulate our ideas. This approach was underscored during several innovation workshops, involving our creative team, the head of IT, and the director of technology, where we collaboratively sketched and refined potential solutions. The outcome was a suite of promising concepts poised to transform Majid’s operations.
Customer Facing Application
The vision for this application was to seamlessly integrate digital and physical experiences, ensuring that every feature enhanced the user interactions identified during our interview and storyboard phases.
The application is designed to provide a fluid user experience, streamlining the journey so users can effortlessly navigate between ticket purchases and food orders without the need to backtrack. This approach not only simplifies the user interface but also strengthens the connection between the digital app and the physical cinema environment.
To deepen this integration, we adopted immersive 3D experiences as a key design element. This choice serves as a bridge between the digital and physical realms, creating a sense of presence that begins even before the user arrives at the cinema, enhancing anticipation and engagement.
Intelligent POS System
To fulfill the solutions identified in the discovery stage, creating a fluid and flexible experience that provides key information at the right moments is essential. The home section of the POS system is divided into two main groups: orders and supporting data.
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ORDERS (MACRO/MICRO)
The macro view categorizes orders into two layouts: horizontal for general order overviews and vertical for priority orders, accommodating the primary language of the staff, English, with a left-to-right, top-to-bottom orientation. Staff can scroll through this section to view all orders and access specific customer profiles, whether the orders were made online or in-store with a SHARE card.
Selecting an individual order opens the micro view, which provides a detailed examination of the order. This view displays extensive customer details, adding a personal touch and fostering customer recognition and loyalty. It’s designed to give staff the necessary information to personalize interactions and efficiently manage service delivery.
DATA MODALS
These include:
- ETA Information: Provides staff with real-time data on when orders need to be prepared and when they are due for pickup.
- Preparation Timers and Checkout Options: Assist in managing the timing and processing of orders.
- KPIs and Upselling Opportunities: Based on analyzing customer purchasing habits, these features suggest additional items to enhance the customer experience and increase sales.
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Malesuada proin libero nunc consequat. Urna porttitor rhoncus dolor purus non enim praesent. Ipsum consequat nisl vel pretium.
The transition from sketch to digital wireframes was a linear and progressive process, evolving from low-fidelity to mid-fidelity designs. As we refined the wireframes, new ideas and structures emerged, enhancing the overall design.
Crucially, the development of data modals occurred in tandem with these refinements. In fact, the design of the modals significantly influenced the direction and evolution of the wider POS system as the project progressed.
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
After a full review of the wires, UI elements were added to the client’s preferred wires. From the off-set, before the UI stages, our goal was to always create a clean, minimalistic, almost monochromatic style with a dash of color. This would allow vital information to really pop out for the staff, removing unwanted noise.
Crucially, the development of data modals occurred in tandem with these refinements. In fact, the design of the modals significantly influenced the direction and evolution of the wider POS system as the project progressed.
Yield Management Tool
The Yield Management Tool at VOX Cinemas is designed to enhance the cinema experience by encouraging repeat visits through personalized marketing strategies. It leverages customers’ previous preferences and spending patterns to make targeted offers more appealing and relevant. This proactive approach not only boosts customer loyalty but also maximizes the effectiveness of marketing efforts.
CONCEPT
- Home Dashboard/Oversights: Acts as the central hub for quick insights and overview, facilitating swift marketing campaign creation tied to movie releases.
- Food and Drink Stock Management: Allows for efficient management of inventory levels with real-time data and forecasting.
- Concept/Campaign Builders: Enables admins to quickly build and manage marketing campaigns that are timely and relevant to upcoming movie releases.
DATA MODALS
- Maintain consistency across multiple platforms.
- Highlight important data, making it stand out.
- Enhance visual hierarchy to guide user focus and improve usability for both seasoned and new users.
Our approach was to prototype rapidly, creating various layouts to test task completion times via usability testing. This process helped us identify and advance the most effective design, ensuring both functionality and aesthetic appeal.
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FUNCTIONAL AREAS
- Home Dashboard: Integrates seamlessly with the POS system, featuring a variety of data modals for at-a-glance insights, centered around forecast insights.
- Stock Management: Focuses on current stock trends and forecasts at the core, with intuitive interfaces for stock adjustments and ordering. This design minimizes clutter, fostering user habituation and subconscious interaction.
- Concept & Menu Development: Allows management to create and edit promotional campaigns related to upcoming movie releases, accessible in-store and via the customer-facing app. The layout simplifies choices and enhances decision-making efficiency, applying Hick’s Law to streamline user interactions.
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Malesuada proin libero nunc consequat. Urna porttitor rhoncus dolor purus non enim praesent. Ipsum consequat nisl vel pretium.
Modal Widgets
Data modals played a crucial role in both the POS and Yield Management Tool. These modals significantly enhanced user efficiency by providing multiple insights directly, thereby reducing the need for navigation across different platform sections.
Examples of Data Modals Include:
- Expected visits versus capacity
- Most purchased items
- Online versus offline sales
- Forecasts for expected customer surges
- Most purchased items
- Staff performance data
KEY ADVANTAGES
- Scalability: Adding new data modals was streamlined, which eliminated the need for continuous architecture management. This feature allows for easy integration of additional modals as the product scales.
- Interactivity: All modals were designed to be interactive, offering layers of data insights accessible to VOX Cinema’s front-line staff and administrators. This interactivity ensures that insights are immediately actionable.
- Ease of Understanding: Considerable effort was invested in the design of these data visuals to ensure they are easily understood. Creating multiple versions allowed us to optimize both readability and comprehension across the staff team.
These enhancements have streamlined operations and improved decision-making processes, demonstrating the practical impact of well-designed data modals.
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Awards & Regonition
In 2022, Majid Al Futtaim was recognized at the MENA Shopping Centre and Retailer Awards, receiving an impressive seven gold and twelve silver awards.
As a Lead UX Designer for F&B experiences, I had the privilege of collaborating with an exceptional, world-class team during this period. Together, we focused on elevating the F&B services, contributing to the environment that supported the company’s success at these prestigious awards. These accolades reflect the collective efforts of our team and the company’s ongoing commitment to innovation and excellence in the retail and leisure sectors.
https://www.majidalfuttaim.com/en/media-centre/press-releases
MENA Shopping Centre and Retailer Awards 2022
