Kleenex & Harvard GSD
2025
Designing Kleenex's UX interface
Creating a 3-step web-based product subscription platform to support Kleenex product growth
Overview
Expanding Kleenex into digital shelves
As Project Lead, I coordinated a 11-person team to design Kleenex Aroma ↗, a new product aiming to help Kleenex stay competitive after sector divestment in 2025. To support the new brand strategy by driving recurring revenue and securing customer loyalty, I also worked as a UX designer to create a 3-step AutoReplenish subscription platform.
Insight
Supporting growing organizations
My teammate and I conducted secondary research to understand why subscription models often fail, specifically through understanding company needs and user pain points. We found that companies face challenges like retention, balancing customization with scalability, and evaluating costs. Consumers are reluctant due to subscription fatigue, complex cancellation, and hidden costs.
I synthesized our findings into tensions and opportunities on 3 levels.
Sources: Forbes Tech Council (2024); Harvard Business School (2023)
Solution
Reflection
Question alternatives, not just effectiveness
When stuck, I learned to ask "What other options exist?" instead of "Is the current solution right or wrong?" Iteration unlocked better solutions than defending initial choices.
Balancing multiple stakeholders requires empathy
Designing for user autonomy with business retention taught me to think for both parties simultaneously. Friction and strategic pauses (confirmations, alternatives) protect users from impulsive decisions while preserving company goals, but excessive usage creates frustration.
Decision
Problem 1: How to best incentivize subscribers?
I brainstormed 3 methods to increase subscriber incentivization, and evaluated their strengths.
Decision: Implement customization, create emotional value exclusive to subscribers.
9 spray case patterns available for customization.
Problem 2: How to balance customer flexibility and retention?
I prototyped 4 distinct “cancel” lo-fi flows, then finalized 2 wireframes.
Decision: Clarify action prompts, add “Pause Subscription“ option for retention
The final flow combines the strengths of the 2 best ideas above.
Problem 3: What are the most essential subscription steps to keep?
User testing showed that a six-step subscription still felt long, so I documented where users stopped engaging.
Decision: Condense flow into 3 steps, make related features secondary to reduce abandonment rate
The final flow saw higher completion rate and received more positive user feedback.
