Transforming BrooksRunning.com into a runner-led digital experience that celebrates joy, expertise, and community.
My role:
Hands-on product design director of the UX, UI design team (6 designers)
Co-directed content-to-commerce integration strategy
Synthesized usability testing results
Managed cross-functional design team across time zones and disciplines
data-driven, runner-centric
It was clear early on that Brooks had strong brand loyalty within its core customer base, but it wasn’t reaching the broader running community. Desk research helped us identify a key target: the Switcher—a runner who is experienced, but not loyal to any single brand. Switchers often look to solve specific problems, like finding the right shoe for injury recovery or training for a new distance, and they seek brands that offer credible expertise and helpful content to guide their decisions.
Stakeholder interviews also revealed a tension: the teams were eager to tell a more inspiring story about joy and community, but they were concerned it might get in the way of e-commerce performance. At the same time, SEO data showed that Brooks’ blog content was among the top drivers of organic traffic, yet it lived in a silo completely disconnected from the e-commerce flow The opportunity became clear: to build a more connected, useful, and runner-led digital experience.
design strategy rooted in the run
'My Gear, My Run, and My Community’ - the three pillars that led our design strategy, each reflecting a key dimension of the running journey. We introduced modular components that made it easy to integrate expert advice, stories, and product recommendations throughout the e-commerce flow.
The UI embraced the brand’s playful side with hand-drawn elements, whimsical illustrations, and celebratory moments that reflected the joy and imperfection of running.
On the UX side, we introduced new landing pages and article templates, made critical product information more scannable, and embedded “reason to believe” modules that highlighted the science behind Brooks’ products. We also redesigned the product detail pages (PDPs) and product category pages to support easier comparisons, surface badges like "new" or "limited edition," and guide users through more informed decisions, especially important for the switcher runner seeking clarity and confidence.
test, learn, refine
Every sprint, I partnered with a UXR to run moderated usability sessions with 5–8 participants across the U.S., representing a mix of genders, ages 25–55, and running experience levels, from casual joggers to marathoners. Feedback from each round directly informed design decisions:
I made product placements opt-in, ensuring they felt helpful, not intrusive, after learning that users appreciated the seamless integration of product links within articles when relevant.
I collaborated with Brooks’s marketing team to rewrite labels and added visual context to clarify product benefits at a glance after getting user feedback on the confusing jargon like “DNA Loft” and “Run Signature.”
I restructured the layout of the homepage to prioritize shopping goals and pushed storytelling further down the page after learning that mixing content types became overwhelming to the users.
The key selling points and scientific attributes were prioritized into digestible visual content higher on the page, after early PDP tests showed that users struggled to understand what made a shoe special.
measurable growth, elevated brand
The redesign not only elevated Brooks’ position as a leader in running gear but also helped reframe the brand as a trusted partner in the broader wellness journey.
Brooks saw a 27% increase in overall growth in 2020, welcomed over 1.6 million new runners to the brand, and claimed the #1 spot in women’s running shoes, surpassing longtime category leaders like Nike and Adidas.
As one user put it, “I think this is not only a shoe company, this feels like a well-being company. They’re merging health, inspiration, and running advice in a way that actually feels helpful.”
The work resonated internally as well. Our collaboration led to a multi-year engagement, expanding into the ongoing maintenance of content across the website and social platforms—each touchpoint guided by the digital brand expression we shaped together.
what i learned
Product Design: This work reinforced the importance of restraint in visual design. I initially explored highly detailed iconography to communicate product science, but usability testing made it clear that clarity far outweighed complexity. Prioritizing mobile-first was also a strategic choice. I presented only mobile designs throughout the process, sharpening usability and keeping the team focused on the most critical use cases.
Leadership: Working within a flat, consensus-driven stakeholder culture required a shift in approach. I learned to front-load research and narrative framing to drive alignment and decision-making. Investing in early storytelling helped establish trust and build momentum across a wide set of stakeholders.