IQOSPhere (Philip Morris)

 

Background

IQOSPHERE.jp is the IQOS Loyalty platform that provides different loyalty activities programs to keep the engagement with our customers. And at the same time, based on the engagement activities we can have a better understanding of our customers to provide a better User Experience.

Case

IQOSPHERE — Scaling a Loyalty Platform Through UX Strategy & System Design

 

Challenge

IQOSPHERE is a loyalty platform designed to drive engagement through content, rewards, and member activities.

However, the experience lacked consistency and scalability:

  • Fragmented user journeys across web and LINE platforms

  • Unclear information architecture and feature prioritization

  • Difficulty aligning global design systems with local market needs

The core challenge:
How might we create a scalable, localized experience that improves engagement while aligning with global standards?

My Role

I led the UX strategy and design direction for the platform revamp:

  • Defined localized experience framework based on global design system

  • Led cross-functional design sprint workshops (Marketing, PM, IT, Legal, Content)

  • Structured information architecture and prioritized roadmap

  • Designed and validated high-fidelity solutions through usability testing

Key Insight

The problem wasn’t just usability — it was lack of a unified system.

Without a structured framework:

  • User journeys were inconsistent

  • Teams lacked alignment on priorities

  • Design decisions were difficult to scale

The real problem:
Engagement cannot scale without system-level clarity

Strategy

1. Align global system with local behavior

Global design guidelines existed, but user behavior differs in Japan.

Solution:

  • Localize experience framework

  • Adapt flows based on user segments and engagement patterns

2. Design for different engagement levels

Users interact with loyalty platforms differently.

Segmented approach:

  • Occasional users

  • Regular users

  • High-loyalty users

Each group has different motivations and needs.

3. Create a scalable experience framework

Instead of designing pages individually:

Built:

  • Information architecture system

  • Component-based design (Atoms system)

  • Reusable patterns for content and campaigns

This ensures consistency across future features.

4. Drive alignment through workshops

One of the biggest challenges was cross-functional misalignment.

Solution:

  • Facilitated design sprints

  • Defined KPIs, risks, and roadmap collaboratively

  • Bridged offline and online experiences

Key Design Decisions

  • Prioritized engagement-driving features based on user data (NPS, segmentation)

  • Reorganized sitemap and content structure

  • Built reusable component system for scalability

  • Defined phased roadmap aligned with business priorities

Impact

  • +29.48% increase in returning users

  • +61.40% increase in new users

  • +3.25% improvement in NPS

Demonstrates how structured UX strategy can directly drive engagement and retention

What This Demonstrates

This project highlights my ability to:

  • Design systems that scale across platforms and teams

  • Align global standards with local user behavior

  • Lead cross-functional collaboration and decision-making

  • Translate complex ecosystems into structured UX solutions

NPS report analysis

Based on the NPS score to understand where is pain area with the improvement opportunities

User survey

Based on the user survey report (user interview) to identify what and which function and program user interested and needs to improve

User segmentation
Identify current the member user group with the segmentation into different level of the engagement

Occasional User journey mapping

identify the occasional user journey, pain and interested area

Regular User journey mapping

identify the regular user journey, pain and interested area

Super loyalty User journey mapping

identify the super loyalty user journey, pain and interested area

Workshop - challenges

identify the challenges of the revamp with related function

Workshop - Goal & risks

identify the Goal & risks of the revamp with related function

Workshop - KPIs & measure of success

identify the KPIS & measure of success of the revamp with related function

Workshop - Sitemap

identify the new sitemap, new function and ideas of the revamp with related function

Pages revamp categorization

Based on the alignment with related function to categorization the pages focus workshop to identify the information architect with the prioritization

Roadmap identification

Have the alignment with management and function lead how to combine with different project or BAU to release the revamp based on the phase approach

sprint Workshop 2 - wireframe

2nd sprint workshop is focus the details of categorized pages and here is the example of identify the information architect on the wire

sprint Workshop 2 - components

identify the details of the components with related function for the Atoms system

sprint Workshop 2 - High fidelity wire

Create the high fidelity wire with the finial assets from MKT & CX for the quick test

Sample of Final Design

Finial Design creation for the development after the workshop and usability test

Sample of the Experience Framework
Creating an Atoms system as a design guideline and library for the Marketing team to provide the assets and for the development team to create the CSS/CMS library

Result

1.     29.48% return user and 61.40% new user increase since applied UX/UI improvement with Experience Framework launched on Sept compared to last year.

2.     NPS performance report shows UX/UI has a 3.25% improvement based on user feedback