Retail Communication · Brand Identity · Product Design · Prototyping
BadgeStack is a self-initiated design project developed independently during my employment at Lowe's—not a commissioned or officially sponsored corporate initiative.
What began as an opportunity to improve a basic, unbranded customer survey QR code quickly evolved into a practical retail communication system. I redesigned the original survey prompt into a branded, employee-worn badge that fellow associates began adopting.
As coworkers started using the badges, I identified another opportunity: incorporating frequently used product barcodes and quick-reference information to simplify everyday tasks on the sales floor.
Through successive iterations, BadgeStack evolved from a single-purpose customer engagement tool into a modular, layered system combining employee identification, survey access, product lookup, and workplace reference tools.
The project demonstrates my approach to design: recognizing an unmet need, developing a practical solution, refining it through hands-on prototyping, and responding to real-world user feedback.
The Starting Point
The project began with a basic, unbranded QR code intended to encourage customers to complete a store survey.
I saw an opportunity to transform that utilitarian graphic into something more visible, recognizable, and useful—an employee-worn communication tool that could reinforce the store's identity while making the survey easier to access.
Real-World Testing & Material Refinement
As fellow associates began using the initial badges, everyday wear revealed limitations in the original materials and construction.
Rather than treating those failures as isolated problems, I used them as feedback. Each iteration provided an opportunity to improve durability, refine the physical format, and make the badges more practical for daily use.
The result was an evolving design system shaped not only by visual considerations, but by the demands of the environment in which it was used.
