Penny.de Relaunch: Platform & UX Transformation
REWE Digital GmbH Food Retail CMS Responsive Web App
by Maximilian Heere
Summary
In 2019, I took on the role of Lead UX Designer for Penny.de to redesign the website from the ground up: not just visually, but with a completely new product and design approach.
The existing platform was technologically outdated, lacked a cohesive design language, and had no modern product development processes in place. The mission was clear: create a scalable digital platform that delights users and meets key business objectives.
Together with a cross-functional team, I led the vision, strategy, and execution, from the initial concept through launch and ongoing product expansion.
The challenge
When I took over UX for Penny.de in 2019, the website was running on outdated technology, with an equally outdated design and no established product development process.
On paper, my brief was simple: relaunch the site. In reality, it meant reinventing the product, introducing modern UX practices, and building a digital foundation for one of Germany’s largest grocery brands.
Approach
As Lead UX Designer embedded in the business team, I defined the UX vision, strategy, and roadmap for the relaunch.
I helped assemble and hire the core UX and development team, introduced agile workflows, and built a design foundation that supported continuous delivery. I led a team of up to 6 designers and concept leads, with one-on-ones, design critique and clear quality standards.
We set out to create an MVP that was fast, scalable, and delightful to use. I led the end-to-end design process, from discovery and concept validation to detailed UI design and prototyping. Together with UX researchers, I ran usability testing (lab, guerrilla, and field) to validate key flows, with 9 studies and 90+ participants for Penny.de. I also established a modular design system to ensure consistency and accessibility across releases.
Impact
The new platform turned Penny.de into a modern web experience that serves millions of visits every month and connects customers to 2,000+ stores.
I advocated for a scalable design system and drove WCAG AA compliance (color system, screen reader flows).
I led the design and launch of features such as Weekly Offers, Recipes and Store Search.
Outcome
The relaunch replaced a legacy platform with a scalable foundation for continuous product development, one that our team keeps growing and iterating on.
