Design Initiative Project
ROLE
Collaborate with respective team, PM and local marketers.
CONTEXT
Design team–led initiative
Created outside the product roadmap.
FOCUS
Lazada Thailand
E-commerce Experience Enhancement
TRANSFORMATION
THE CONTEXT
Background
Most Lazada Thailand reviews are in Thai, creating a trust barrier for expat users. We designed a one-tap translation feature to help them read reviews easily and shop with confidence.
ABOUT THIS CASE STUDY
While not a full end-to-end UX cycle, this project demonstrates how design driven thinking can surface unmet needs, align with business goals, and deliver measurable impact through feature enhancement and design system integration.
This is a design-led initiative created outside the product roadmap. It demonstrates how design thinking helped us spot a real user problem, turn it into a clear solution, and bring real value to both the product and the business.
THE PROBLEM
90% of reviews are
written in Thai
The vast majority of social proof was unreadable for English users.
Manual translation is slow
Breaks the shopping flow and forces users out of the app.
Most users in Thailand use the app in Thai, so everything works fine for them. But when someone switches to English, the problem shows up.
The product team didn’t notice it because it only affects expats and tourists - and many of them just try to adapt quietly instead of speaking up.
Explore the Data
UX OPPORTUNITY
POSSIBLE OUTCOME
We introduced two phases approach to solving the language friction, balancing both immediate user needs, short term and long-term strategic goals.
A discreet link placed directly under each Thai-language review.
Instantly reveals English translation without any page jumps.
Designed for fast implementation and low technical debt.
Long-term Solution
Automated translation for all reviews and user-generated content based on UI language.
Requires significant backend scaling and real-time translation services.
FINAL IMPACT
We introduced two phases approach to solving the language friction, balancing both immediate user needs, short term and long-term strategic goals.
The Story Behind It:
This wasn’t on the roadmap. I pitched the problem to PMs. No buy-in. Wrong timing. But I knew the problem was real.
I waited. When Feedbox (internal suggestion platform) launched, I submitted the idea there.
The director, design head, and CEO noticed. My idea got picked. At the next townhall, it was shared company-wide as a real solution for expats.
Later on, my proposal was also featured in the company newsletter as one of the highlighted employee-driven initiatives.
"Looking back, it wasn’t just about getting my idea implemented — it was about showing that even small voices can make a real impact when the timing is right. Moments like this remind me why I love doing what I do."
Regional Expansion
Rolling out to other Southeast Asian markets:
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🇲🇾
🇮🇩
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🇵🇭
Full Automation
Auto-translating reviews based on user language settings to eliminate all remaining language friction.
Pattern Application
Applying the established translation pattern to seller Q&A and customer service chat modules.
