work / MyNavy online clothing store

MyNavy online clothing store

Digital service design, enabling personnel to get the right kit, quickly and easily from their preferred store.

Brief

Ordering kit has long been a pain point for Royal Navy personnel. Manual processes, confusion around sizing and inconsistent experiences were just some of the issues causing frustration and wasting valuable time.

It was our job to bring the kit ordering process onto MyNavy and create a user experience comparable to private sector clothing stores, streamlining the process, and improving personnel satisfaction.

Solution

To shape the solution, we needed to fully understand the range of issues personnel were facing every time they needed a new piece of kit. An in-depth discovery phase interviewing people from across the Service put years’ of experience into context.

This work highlighted the need for:

  • A measurement and sizing tool that worked across all kit
  • Transparency around availability and store opening hours
  • Click and collect ordering to any store in the UK

We had a 12-week, six-sprint timeline for delivering an MVP, which meant technical discovery was also needed. The output was a series of recommendations that considered everything from the backend technology stack to integrations with existing Royal Navy systems.

Using these insights, we developed a number of concepts as executable ideas, validating them with users and testing their feasibility before moving into the build phase.

Clearly defined user stories allowed us to develop at pace, with regular show and tell sessions to collaborate internally and with the Royal Navy team.

Once the MVP was ready to launch, we created a suite of assets to encourage uptake among users, including both those ordering kit and the stores personnel interacting with the backend system. That meant making everything from teasers and infomercial-style videos to detailed walk-through guides.

What next? Our work hasn’t finished yet. We’re embarking on a programme of continuous optimisation, iterating and improving based on user insight.

Results

The new service has been well received by users, with survey results showing that 91% of respondents described it as an ‘improved experience’. The majority also felt that it had reduced the amount of time spent ordering kit.

"The system is so user friendly and reduces time spent commuting only to find that stock is unavailable. The process inside the store is faster as well, as items are already packed ahead of time."

Survey respondent

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