Portfolio Summary: Brenntag SE Ecommerce Redesign

Company: Huge

Position: Senior Product Manager

Duration: 4-month contract

As a Senior Product Manager at Huge, I had the exciting opportunity to contribute to the transformation of Brenntag SE, a leading chemical distributor, into a digital-first powerhouse. My role revolved around reimagining their e-commerce experience, collaborating closely with the Experience leads and Senior Art Director. In this four-month freelance position, I played a pivotal role in defining and executing the core product vision, goals, and functionality for Brenntag’s digital transformation.

Key Responsibilities and Achievements:

1. Product Vision and Strategy: I helped define and refine the core product vision, goals, functionality, and requirements for Brenntag’s digital journey. This involved understanding the unique challenges and opportunities within the chemical distribution industry.
2. Stakeholder Alignment: Building consensus on priorities was essential. I worked diligently to establish a shared vision among various stakeholders, ensuring everyone was aligned with our product execution strategy.
3. Collaboration: Collaboration was at the heart of this role. I collaborated with user experience experts, visual designers, and engineers to create the best possible version of our digital products. This cross-functional teamwork enabled us to deliver a seamless and frictionless user experience.
4. Prioritisation: Prioritisation was a key aspect of my role. I managed to prioritise design and development activities in close collaboration with experience design, project, and client leadership. This ensured that our efforts were focused on the most critical aspects of the project.
5. Technical Implementation: I worked closely with engineering teams to determine the best technical implementation methods. This included assisting in QA acceptance testing and leading product launches to ensure a successful transition to the new digital ecosystem.

Results Achieved:

Phase 1 – Discover: During the rapid discovery phase, I immersed myself in the Brenntag business, brand, and existing e-commerce experience. This phase also involved a comprehensive technical audit to identify areas for improvement.

Phase 2 – Define: In the define phase, I played a crucial role in shaping Design System 1.0. We determined the structure of the design system, the digital application of the new brand, and created wireframes for key e-commerce user journeys and .com navigation. This phase laid the foundation for our redesign efforts.

Phase 3 – Design: This phase involved a series of design sprints where we executed against a prioritised backlog. Our primary focus was on developing Design System 1.0 and creating key page/template designs for the e-commerce journey and .com navigation. These designs were instrumental in bringing our vision to life.

My four months as a Senior Product Manager at Huge were a whirlwind of strategic planning, collaboration, and execution. I’m proud to have contributed to Brenntag SE’s digital transformation, setting the stage for future growth and success in the competitive world of chemical distribution. This experience further solidified my passion for product management and my ability to drive meaningful change in the digital landscape.

Recommendations:

“Kara’s product management prowess is marked by an unwavering command of processes and Scrum methodologies. He exhibits a commendable level of attention to detail in ticketing, making it effortless for our Design team to execute their tasks. In dealing with challenging clients, Kara has shown potential for even greater assertiveness and pushback when needed.”