Working on GoodWalks was a deep dive into human centered product management, user-centered product design and market strategy. It allowed me to see firsthand how initial ideas often evolve in response to real user insights. My main role centered around developing the product design, creating the user persona, mapping the customer journey, and designing the website interface. Each of these tasks required careful consideration of our target users’ needs, pain points, and the unique value GoodWalks could bring to their daily lives.
Initially, our vision for GoodWalks was broader—we aimed to create a line of orthopedic shoes and license the technology to major brands like Nike or Christian Louboutin to avoid the costs of in-house design. Licensing posed logistical and strategic challenges, and without a distinct consumer presence, it would be hard to establish GoodWalks as a trusted name in comfortable, stylish footwear. This highlighted the importance of focus: when faced with too many choices, narrowing down to a specific pain point allows for clear, targeted solutions with the end user in mind.
This led us to pivot toward a direct-to-consumer model, focusing on building GoodWalks as its own brand. By looking through our user interviews to identify common pain points, we found an overwhelming number of complaints about formal women’s shoes, specifically high heels. Our customers loved the sleek look and confidence they felt while wearing heels but hated the discomfort and negative long-term foot health effects. By honing in on reinventing the high heel, I could focus on developing features that address the key pain points of a single style.
Designing this high heel required thoughtful solutions directly tied to our users’ pain points. To move away from vague promises and increase the credibility of our product, I directly linked specific features to the issues highlighted in our interviews. I created features like a rounded toe box to alleviate toe pinching, used interior cork material for shock absorption, added a platform base for better support, and incorporated an orthopedic footbed to cushion the balls of the feet. Each of these features was informed by feedback from our interviews and focus groups, where women shared the challenges they face with traditional heels. I also included customizable elements like heel height, insole material, and ankle cushion, allowing users to tailor the shoe to their specific needs—a feature that resonated strongly with our target market.
Developing our user persona “Samantha,” and her customer journey was a key component of the project for me. Initially, our introduction was overly simple and didn’t include details about our existing customer segment of professionals consistently on their feet. To fix this and create a persuasive story, I crafted “Samantha” to accurately capture the experience of a professional woman in a corporate setting who feels pressured to wear heels for a polished appearance but suffers from the lack of comfortable options. Mapping Samantha’s journey—from her initial search for a comfortable heel to her long-term satisfaction with GoodWalks—helped ensure our design choices genuinely supported her needs. Each stage of her journey highlighted a touchpoint where GoodWalks could deliver value, from the ease of customization on our website to the all-day comfort of our final product.
This project taught me a lot about the importance of flexibility, responsiveness, and incorporating feedback in product design. Each pivot—from our original B2B model to our final consumer-focused high heel—was guided by real user insights. Moving away from vague promises to concrete features increased the credibility and persuasiveness of our pitch. I also gained valuable experience in translating user insights into concrete design solutions, ensuring that each feature served a specific purpose in addressing user pain points.
Overall, working on GoodWalks has not only strengthened my technical skills in product design but also deepened my understanding of how to align a product with its target market. I learned that narrowing down to a specific pain point and incorporating feedback is essential in designing solutions that resonate with the audience. I’m proud of the work our team put into creating a high heel that balances style and support, and I’m excited to bring these skills in user-centered design, customization, and brand storytelling to future projects.
