
Overview
Role: UX & User Research Lead
Objective: Led the design and optimization of IAMBIC’s client experience, making footwear size-inclusive by overcoming traditional sizing limitations.
Timeline: May 2020–November 2024
Tools: Figma, Google Suite, Zoom, Calendly, Airtable, pen and paper, Klaviyo, Mailchimp, Adobe Photoshop and Premiere Pro, Shopify, Wordpress
IAMBIC, recognized as a TIME Best Invention of 2023, creates custom-fit footwear by blending AI technology with artisan craftsmanship. As Head of Client Experience, I directed and optimized the customer journey, focusing on:
B2B Fit Prediction Tool (2020-21): Conducted interviews, surveys, and a competitive analysis of foot-related apps and footwear brands across multiple categories to uncover unmet consumer needs. Research conducted through the National Science Foundation’s Beat the Odds Boot Camp revealed the full extent of sizing challenges that traditional footwear brands failed to address. This deep understanding of consumer pain points drove IAMBIC’s strategic pivot from a B2B fit prediction tool to a direct-to-consumer custom-footwear brand.
Research App (2021-22): Transformed the Fit Prediction Tool into a mobile web app for collecting and validating foot scan data, refining IAMBIC’s AI algorithms, and gathering essential user insights. Observational methodologies—including user feedback, usability testing, and behavioral analysis during app usage—revealed which aspects of the scanning process came naturally and which would benefit from more direct guidance. These insights proactively informed improvements for a more intuitive and user-friendly consumer-facing experience.
Client Portal (2022-24): Designed the world’s first mobile web app that enabled customers to remotely scan their feet for custom-fitted, one-of-a-kind sneakers—solving a previously unaddressed problem in the footwear industry. The Client Portal overcame the challenge of teaching users a completely new behavior without any existing frame of reference, while guaranteeing accuracy in a process where precision was critical. The app successfully disrupted traditional footwear sizing and set a new standard for personalized fit.
View the Client Portal: client.iambic.co (Mobile device required.)
Customer Journey Touchpoints (2023-24): Directed all aspects of customer communication, from outreach to post-purchase follow-ups, leveraging research to refine communications and build trust.
The Challenge
Client Portal and Tools: Creating an intuitive scanning process for custom-fitted sneakers meant guiding users through a completely new experience—one without precedent. With no prior frame of reference, users needed clear, accessible instructions to confidently capture precise foot scans. The challenge was striking the right balance between simplicity and the technical accuracy required for a perfect fit.
Customer Journey Touchpoints: Establishing a cohesive, personalized multi-channel experience to establish trust and brand consistency.

The Process
Iterative Product Design
Fit Prediction Tool: Piloted with shoe brands to design and test an AI-powered fit predictor tool to help match customers with the best-fitting shoes, addressing the industry-wide challenge of inadequate fit due to standardized sizing. Insights from real-world testing informed improvements in the tool’s accuracy and IAMBIC’s pivot from B2B to a custom-footwear brand.
Research App: Designed a web app to capture foot measurements and preferences to train IAMBIC’s machine learning algorithms and guarantee future scanning accuracy. The app also served as a testing ground for instructional copy and visuals, using iterative design principles to identify friction points in foot positioning and scanning angles. Feedback from users directly informed both the Client Portal’s design and the content of video tutorials, leading to enhanced instructional clarity and scan quality, and higher first-attempt success rates.
Client Portal: Evolved from the Research App findings, the Client Portal was streamlined to simplify the scanning process and improve data accuracy. Key enhancements included:
• Simplified User Flow: Divided the flow into two steps that can be completed independently: Fit Profile (preferences and details) and Scans (foot measurements).
• Instructional Clarity: Created video tutorials based on research app feedback to demonstrate proper scanning techniques, addressing user errors like misalignment or inadequate lighting.
• Flexible Features: Added rescanning and profile editing options, empowering users to easily correct mistakes and update preferences.
• Preparation Guide: Created an onboarding page to help users set up their scanning environment before starting, increasing first-attempt success rates by 25%.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Closely collaborated with cross-functional teams, including developers, branding experts, and leadership, to align the portal’s design with IAMBIC’s overall customer experience strategy and deliver a consistent user journey. Throughout this process, the Venture Design methodology from the NSF I-Corps Virtual Lean Bootcamp was key, helping to quickly validate hypotheses, iterate on product designs, and incorporate feedback in real-time.

Customer Journey Optimization
Social Media & Email Strategy: Directed campaigns to educate customers and subscribers on IAMBIC’s technological innovations and promote confidence in the custom footwear process.
Streamlined Order Flow: Refined the custom journey for a smoother checkout experience and optimal transparency and frequency in post-purchase updates.
Post-Purchase Communication: Developed follow-up sequences to keep customers informed about the status of their shoes, gauge customer satisfaction, address fit adjustments, and encourage repeat engagement.

Results
Client Portal Refinement
Completion Rates: Achieved a 25% improvement in first-attempt Virtual Consultation success rates.
Accuracy: Increased scan quality by incorporating visual guidance and interactive feedback.
Customer Journey Optimization
Social Media & Email Strategy: Leveraged consumer insights to design educational campaigns, fostering confidence in IAMBIC’s technological innovations and custom footwear process.
Streamlined Order Flow: Improved purchase clarity and transparency with timely, detailed status updates, enhancing the overall user experience.
Post-Purchase Communication: Developed follow-up sequences to keep customers informed about their orders, address fit adjustments, and encourage repeat engagement, boosting customer satisfaction.
Client Portal Engagement: Increased first-attempt Virtual Consultation success rates by 25% by integrating feedback to refine instructional content and user flow.
Social Media Impact: Created content that showcased IAMBIC’s sizing innovation, boosting trust and brand awareness while promoting inclusivity.
IAMBISPHERE: Built and managed a 200+ member consumer research group, leading recruitment, screening participants for usability testing, surveys, and interviews, and drafting all communications. Insights from this community informed product enhancements and minimized customer journey friction.
Future Considerations
While the Client Portal successfully streamlined the scanning process, future iterations could refine instructional clarity and reduce cognitive load by testing alternative ways to present guidance, such as voiceover, progressive disclosure or interactive overlays. Adding real-time feedback during scanning could further improve accuracy and first-attempt success rates.
Tailored messaging has already been implemented for key user segments so that communications resonate with distinct audience needs. Further refinement could involve defining subsegments within these groups to deliver even more precise guidance and engagement. As new audience segments emerge, expanding targeted strategies could enhance adoption and long-term retention.
On a broader level, a more modular design system could provide flexibility for future updates, while long-term research on user behavior could uncover opportunities to further optimize both the digital experience and post-purchase interactions.
Additional Details
For a closer look at these projects and the processes behind them, visit the following case studies:
Client Portal (password available upon request)
Fit Prediction Tool (Coming Soon)
Research App (Coming Soon)
Customer Journey (Coming Soon)