Tom Wilk, Liverpool based UX Designer

Transforming B2B e-commerce

The Shell MarketHub (SMH) is the largest project in Shell's portfolio and a key part of its digital strategy. Generating £19B+ in annual revenue, it serves 35,000 customers across 156 countries in 29 languages. A major overhaul was necessary to address usability challenges, modernise workflows, and meet evolving business needs.

I joined a global team of 120+ contributors, working within a squad of 24 stakeholders and 8 designers to modernise workflows and localise functionality.

Through user research, usability testing, and workshops, we identified critical pain points, optimised workflows, and improved navigation. Leveraging Shell's Glass Design System, we built a scalable, accessible framework that improved efficiency and adoption rates.

Problem

Enhancing a multi-billion dollar B2B e-commerce platform to improve efficiency, optimise workflows, and increase adoption worldwide.

Shell MarketHub is a mission-critical platform for wholesale, commercial, and retail partners, enabling them to manage fuel transactions, terminal access, invoicing, compliance, and account management. Legacy workflows caused frustration and increased operational costs due to fragmentation and inefficiency.

Outdated workflows

Complex navigation and disconnected processes.

Lack of strategic UX execution

While research and initial designs were completed, the vision needed to be aligned with business objectives, technical feasibility and development constraints.

Complex User Access Management

The role-based access system needed restructuring to align with security protocols and ensure enterprise scalability.

Cross-functional alignment

Successful implementation required close collaboration among POs, BAs, PMs, system engineers, and the design team, ensuring that design solutions were scalable, accessible and technically feasible.

Approach

Aligning UX strategy with business priorities, technical feasibility, and delivery milestones to ensure a seamless and scalable redesign.

Successfully transforming Shell MarketHub required a strategic approach to execution and a careful balance of business objectives, user needs, and technical constraints. I worked closely with product owners, business analysts, project managers, developers, and the design team to ensure stakeholder alignment and instil confidence in the project's direction.

01. Discovery

Stakeholder workshops
Business process mapping
UX research synthesis
Functional audits

02. Requirements

MVP definition
Functional mapping
Accessibility
Compliance alignment

03. Requirements

Wireframes
User journey mapping
Iterative prototyping
Information architecture

04. Validation

Usability testing
A/B testing
Stakeholder reviews
Feasability analysis

05. Delivery

Design-for-development
Spring support
Backlog prioritisation
UI audit

Collaboration and UX strategy

Integrated UX into agile workflows, ensuring business-driven and scalable solutions.

Refining MarketHub's UX for scalability

Creating a future-proof UX system that scales efficiently across global markets.

Streamlining User Access Management

A secure, scalable UAM system reducing complexity and administrative overhead.

Outcome

Measurable impact on adoption, satisfaction and efficiency.

Through a strategic approach to UX execution, collaboration, and iterative refinement, the redesigned Shell MarketHub improved efficiency, user satisfaction, and accessibility for the US and Canadian markets.

Increased adoption

Achieved a 92% adoption rate across North America in the Commercial Fuels segment.

8.6 CSI (Customer Satisfaction Index)

Increased from 8.2, reflecting improved usability and user engagement.

Lower support ticket volume

UX refinements helped lower friction in financial and account management workflows.

More consistent and scalable UX

Integrated scalable design components to support localisation and future iterations.

Accessibility compliance

Applied WCAG 2.2 accessibility standards to ensure compliance with Shell's design system, creating a more inclusive experience for its diverse user base.

Feedback

Tom's contribution to the UAM process merger was top-tier. Your proactive, enterprise-first approach to solving complex UX hurdles has really won over the stakeholders. You've helped us create an experience that isn't just better for the user, but smarter for the business. Thanks for being such a vital part of the team!

David House, Digital Platforms and E-commerce Manager