CALIA by Carrie Underwood | UX Case Study

Collaborative Project

This project was completed in partnership with UX Designer Dennae, alongside 18 engineers and 2 product managers, forming a 22-person cross-functional team. My specific contributions are called out throughout this case study. All research, testing, and analysis was conducted jointly with Dennae.

The Problem

A Brand Without a Home

CALIA was hosted on a third-party platform managed by Dick's Sporting Goods. As the brand entered its fifth year, it needed independence: its own platform, its own design system, and a shopping experience that matched its premium positioning.

The plus-size collection lacked visibility. The IA was unclear. And it all had to ship in six weeks.

My Contributions

What I Owned

🦶

Footer Design

Designed the global footer component from scratch, ensuring brand consistency and clear navigational hierarchy across all breakpoints.

🔎

Filters & Faceted Navigation

Designed the filter system for Product Listing Pages and Search Results, translating card sort findings into intuitive facet labels users actually recognize.

🏪

BOPIS Messaging

Designed the Buy Online, Pick Up In Store UX pattern and messaging, a new capability for CALIA requiring clear, trust-building communication at the right moment in the purchase flow.

📱

Prototypes for Testing

Built all interactive prototypes used in usability testing across desktop and mobile, enabling the team to validate navigation decisions before development.

Shared Work

Built Together

Dennae led header design and core page layouts. Menu taxonomy and structure were designed by Dennae based on our joint research findings.

The design system was originally built for Dick's Sporting Goods. I reskinned it for CALIA, adapting color, typography, and components to fit the brand's identity.

Research

Understanding the Shopper

Together, Dennae and I conducted stakeholder interviews, deployed targeted surveys to understand athletic apparel shopping behavior, and ran an open card sort followed by a classification study to determine intuitive product categorization. We also analyzed SEO search trends for plus-size activewear to inform taxonomy decisions.

Research method

Screener survey

Before redesigning the CALIA navigation, we ran a screener survey on UserTesting.com to qualify participants who actively shop for athletic apparel. This ensured our card sort data reflected real user mental models.

Screener question

"Which of these retailers have you shopped at in the past 12 months?"

Lululemon Athleta CALIA Fabletics POP Fit Aerie None → reject

Participant criteria

UserTesting.com screener

Age range	18–65+ years old
Gender	Female
Country	United States
Household income	Any
Web browser	Chrome
Employment status	Any
Shopping behavior	Athletic apparel shoppers

Open Card Sort

Participants received physical product cards and were asked to group merchandise into buckets they named themselves, with no categories provided. This open-ended exercise surfaced natural user mental models (groupings like "Warm & Cozy," "Athletic Family") and directly informed the top-level navigation categories.

Classification Study

After the card sort established category groupings, we ran a follow-up study presenting participants with individual navigation terms alongside clear definitions of "category" and "filter." Participants classified each term, validating which labels belonged in navigation and which moved into faceted filters.

Competitive Analysis

Benchmarked against leading athletic apparel e-commerce sites for navigation patterns and filter conventions.

Research · Classification Study

Category vs. Filter Classification

Participants were given clear definitions of "category" (a browsable navigation group) and "filter" (a refinement option) at the start of the study. They then classified each term accordingly. Results were conducted with Dick's Sporting Goods customers and directly informed which terms became top-level navigation categories and which moved into faceted filters.

Classified as Category Classified as Filter

* Fleece and Rain each resulted in a tie (5 category / 5 filter).

Research · IA Output

Navigation Taxonomy

Card sort findings informed this final IA structure: top-level categories reflect what users consistently grouped as browsable product types, while filter attributes were moved to faceted navigation. Flagged items (amber) were identified during the audit as mismatched or low-count entries requiring stakeholder review.

New Arrivals(82)

Shirts & Tops 30

Swimsuits 19

Pants 14

Sports Bras 2

Jackets & Vests 1

Hoodies & Sweatshirts 1

Dresses 1

Vests 4

Tops(109)

Tees 41

Tank Tops 24

Pullovers 12

Sweaters 7

Rompers 1

Bottoms(110)

Pants 86

Shorts 20

Skirts & Skorts 4

Jackets(16)

Track & Training 8

Vests 5

Fleece Jackets 1

Rain Jackets 1

Winter Coats 1

Bras(12)

Swimwear(67)

Bikini Tops 30

Bikini Bottoms 19

Rash Guards 7

Tankini Tops 7

One Piece 4

Accessories(70)

Baseball Hat 13

Backpack 6

Beanie 5

Waist Pack 3

Ear Warmer 3

Tote 3

Duffle 2

Hat 2

Fedora 1

Cuffed Hat 1

Accessories 1

Socks 5

Scarves 2

Journals 1

Hair Care 1

Plus Sizes(93)

Shirts & Tops 28

Swimwear 19

Hoodies & Sweatshirts 13

Bras 10

Jackets & Vests 8

Shorts 6

Leggings 7

Skirts & Skorts 1

Last-Chance Looks(126)

Pants 47

Shirts & Tops 30

Hoodies & Sweatshirts 13

Swimsuits 13

Jackets & Vests 8

Vests 5

Skirts & Tops 1

Jackets 1

Top-level category Subcategory (product count) Flagged for review

Amber items flagged during taxonomy audit: mismatched categories or low product counts requiring stakeholder review before launch.

With the taxonomy established, the team needed to determine what could realistically ship within six weeks. Every proposed feature was mapped against business impact and implementation risk.

Research · Prioritization

Feature Prioritization Matrix

To scope work within a six-week timeline, every proposed feature was mapped against business impact and implementation risk. High-impact, low-risk items shipped first. High-risk items required stakeholder alignment before proceeding.

Do first: high value, low risk Plan carefully: high value, high risk Nice to have: low priority Avoid: high risk, low payoff

Low Risk High Risk

↑ High Impact

✓ High Impact · Low Risk

Management Center / Caddyshack Quick View Recently Viewed on Empty Cart DSG Outdoor Taxonomy CALIA Taxonomy CL Estimated Delivery Date See Price in Cart Transparency Low Stock Messaging

⚠ High Impact · High Risk

Search Implementation Holiday PLP / SRLP 2.0 Control vs. Sign In Form vs. Sign In Button PDP 2.0 Gender Nav ELASTIC Search Product Listing Ads Product Image Swatches Golf Galaxy Taxo Field and Stream Taxo

→ Low Impact · Low Risk

Badges Enhanced PDP UI w/ Design System Promo Text Color / Placement

✕ Low Impact · High Risk

No features mapped here. Correctly avoided.

↓ Low Impact

Research · Testing Strategy

Testing Method by Feature

Testing method selection was driven by what each feature actually needed to measure, not by convenience.

Feature / Test	Testing Method	Why
Category Landing Pages	A/B TestMulti-Variate Testing	Large scale test that affects entire page UI and removes CLPs below it.
CALIA Taxonomy	Card SortingPre / Post Data	Taxonomy does one thing: help users locate a product. A/B tests purchase, not findability. Optimal Workshop tests whether users can find products by navigating the taxonomy.
See Price in Cart Transparency	Usability TestingSurvey FeedbackPre / Post Data	One of the most frequent comments received in Medallia.
Recently Viewed on Empty Cart	A/B Testing	Behavior cannot be predicted with usability testing. Helps a user recover a lost cart, a later stage in the purchase funnel.
Quick View	A/B Test	Directly impacts conversion and add-to-cart rate.
Management Center / Caddyshack	Usability Testing	Users are internal, so they regularly meet to discuss needs and provide candid feedback and reactions.

Feature / Test	Testing Method	Why
Search Implementation	A/B TestUsability Testing	No notes recorded.
PDP 2.0	Usability TestingEliminate Usability Variables Pre-ABMulti-Variant Testing	Eliminating the "what if it's this?" variable with usability testing creates a clearer picture of the quantitative data.
Holiday	Research via non-risky seasons (Mother's Day)Multi-Variant Testing	No notes recorded.
Gender Nav	Usability TestingAuto-Allocation	No notes recorded.
Control vs. Sign In Form vs. Sign In Button	Usability TestingA/B Testing	High level of interaction flow change that occurs at a later phase in funnel (checkout, time of purchase).
ELASTIC Search	Pre / Post Data	No notes recorded.
Product Listing Ads	Usability TestingAB Test	No notes recorded.
Field and Stream Taxo	Card SortingPre / Post Data	No notes recorded.
Golf Galaxy Taxo	Card SortingPre / Post Data	No notes recorded.
PLP / SRLP 2.0	Usability TestingEliminate Usability Variables Pre-ABMulti-Variant Testing	Eliminating the "what if it's this?" variable with usability testing creates a clearer picture of quantitative data.
Product Image Swatches	AB TestEliminate Usability Variables Pre-AB	Can eliminate usability and interaction variables that an AB test alone won't be able to surface.
Estimated Delivery Date	AB TestEliminate Usability Variables Pre-AB	Offers transparency to the customer, but may not lead to higher conversion.

Feature / Test	Testing Method	Why
Badges	Usability / Sentiment Testing	Assesses usability and understandability of iconography used, as well as relevance and discoverability of badges.
Promo Text Color / Placement	AB TestingUser TestingMulti-Variant Testing	MVT allows simultaneous testing of multiple colors and placements of this message.

My Design Work — Homepage

The Full Experience

The homepage had to establish brand credibility immediately: editorial photography, activity-based navigation, category tiles, legging collections, UGC integration, and the footer all had to work as a cohesive system. This is the full page as launched.

CALIA by Carrie Underwood homepage showing hero, editorial sections, activity navigation, shop by category tiles, legging collections, UGC gallery, and footer — CALIA homepage as launched — designed by Dennae. Shown here to represent the full scope of the redesign our joint research informed.

My Design Work — Filters

Filters That Actually Help

The filter system was one of the most research-intensive components. Open card sort and classification study data revealed a clear distinction between how users thought about categories versus how they refined results.

Two CALIA navigation prototypes — flat menu vs. expandable mega-menu

I translated those findings into a faceted filter system covering neckline, sleeve length, size, color, price, and rating, all informed by real user mental models, not assumptions.

CALIA Tops PLP at 1440px showing active Type filter, BOPIS pickup bar, full left rail with Type, Neckline, Sleeve Length, Size, Color, Price, and Rating filters, and active filter chips — Desktop PLP at 1440px — BOPIS bar, active filter chips, and full left-rail filter system. Product cards and subcategory tiles by Dennae.

Mobile accordion filter panel showing all filter states — Type checkboxes, Size box selectors, Color swatches, Price range input, and Rating star selectors — Mobile filter system — five distinct input patterns designed for touch: checkboxes, box selectors, color swatches, price range, and star rating.

On both desktop and mobile: the PLP layout, product grid, and subcategory tiles are Dennae's work. The BOPIS bar, the entire filter panel, and the footer are mine. Each filter type required a distinct input pattern — checkboxes for type and neckline, box selectors for size, swatches for color, range inputs for price, and star selectors for rating. These components were designed to be consistent, accessible, and reusable across all PLPs and SRLPs, forming a small design system within the larger DSG system.

My Design Work — BOPIS

Designing for a New Behavior

Buy Online, Pick Up In Store was a new capability for CALIA. Users needed to know availability, pickup location, and timing without friction derailing the purchase.

I designed the BOPIS messaging pattern to surface at the right moment: clear, confident, and on-brand.

CALIA shopping bag showing two items — one with Ship to Me and one with Buy Online and Pick Up In Store at Robinson location, alongside order summary with promo code field and checkout — BOPIS in the cart: surfaced at the item level so users can choose fulfillment method per product, not just per order.

Desktop store pickup panel showing six states: empty search, unrecognized location error, no stores within 50 miles error, store results list, store selected with availability, and store info expanded with hours and directions — Store picker: all six interaction states designed and documented — empty, error states, results, selection, and store info. Edge cases were as important as the happy path.

My Design Work — Footer

The Footer as a Trust Signal

The footer is often an afterthought. For a premium brand launching independently for the first time, it's a trust signal.

I designed a footer that organized links logically, surfaced brand story elements, and maintained visual consistency with the design system across all breakpoints.

Prototyping & Testing

Testing Before Building

I built all interactive prototypes used in usability testing, covering desktop and mobile navigation flows. Dennae and I ran testing sessions together, recruited across user segments, and jointly analyzed results to validate our taxonomy and navigation decisions before a single line of code was written.

Desktop prototype flow diagram from Figma

Mobile prototype flow diagram from Figma

Outcomes

What Shipped

2×

Revenue doubled year-over-year in the first month after launch

193%

Increase in site traffic post-launch

6 wks

End-to-end design and delivery

New

Plus-size collection given dedicated visibility

The redesigned CALIA site launched on schedule, moving the brand fully off its third-party platform. Post-launch metrics showed a 193% increase in site traffic. The plus-size collection received dedicated navigation for the first time, and BOPIS launched as a new purchase channel.

My Delivered Contributions

Joint research informing navigation architecture: 9 L0 categories, expandable mega-menu
Filters & faceted navigation for Product Listing and Search Results pages
BOPIS messaging: Buy Online, Pick Up In Store pattern
Global footer: brand-consistent, accessible across all breakpoints
Interactive prototypes for usability testing (desktop and mobile)

"The fastest projects reveal the clearest priorities. With six weeks and two designers, every decision had to be grounded in research. There was no room for assumptions. That constraint made the work better."

— Stephanie Gross, UX Designer

Redesigning a Premium Fitness Brandfor the Digital Age

A Brand Without a Home

A Brand Without a Home

What I Owned

Built Together

Understanding the Shopper

Screener survey

Category vs. Filter Classification

Navigation Taxonomy

Feature Prioritization Matrix

Testing Method by Feature

The Full Experience

Filters That Actually Help

Designing for a New Behavior

The Footer as a Trust Signal

Testing Before Building

What Shipped

Redesigning a Premium Fitness Brand
for the Digital Age