How Lazada Built a Regional UX Team: Strategies for Cross-Cultural Design Excellence

cmo834
Jun 8
8 min read

The Challenge of Regional UX in Southeast Asia
Establishing a UX Vision and Strategy
Recruiting and Building the Right Team
Creating Unified Design Systems
Cross-Cultural UX Research Methods
Balancing Local Relevance with Regional Consistency
Measuring Success and ROI
Leadership Lessons from Scaling a UX Team
Conclusion: Key Takeaways for UX Leaders

How Lazada Built a Regional UX Team: Strategies for Cross-Cultural Design Excellence

Building a user experience (UX) team for a single market is challenging enough. Now imagine scaling that effort across six diverse Southeast Asian countries, each with unique languages, cultural nuances, and user behaviors. This was precisely the challenge that Lazada, Southeast Asia's pioneering e-commerce platform, faced as it expanded its regional footprint.

As someone who led UX initiatives at Lazada during its critical growth phase, I witnessed firsthand how the company transformed from country-specific design approaches to a cohesive regional powerhouse with standardized yet locally relevant UX practices. The journey wasn't without obstacles, but the strategies employed created a framework that other companies can learn from when building their own cross-cultural UX teams.

In this article, I'll share the key strategies, organizational structures, and leadership principles that enabled Lazada to build and scale a successful regional UX team. Whether you're a UX leader in a multinational company or planning to expand your design team across borders, these insights will help you navigate the complex landscape of regional UX development.

The Challenge of Regional UX in Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia presents a unique challenge for UX teams. With six major markets (Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines), the region encompasses incredible diversity in terms of language, cultural expectations, digital literacy, and user behaviors. When Lazada began its expansion, each country was essentially operating as an independent entity with its own design approaches and standards.

This decentralized model created several critical issues:

Inconsistent brand experience across different country websites and apps
Duplicated design efforts with teams solving the same problems in different markets
Varying levels of UX quality depending on the resources and expertise in each country
Inefficient implementation of new features, requiring separate development for each market
Difficulty scaling the user experience as the business grew

The business imperative was clear: create a unified approach to UX that maintained high quality across all markets while respecting local nuances. This required not just a design system, but a complete rethinking of how UX teams were structured and operated within the organization.

Establishing a UX Vision and Strategy

The first step in building Lazada's regional UX team was establishing a clear vision and strategy. This laid the foundation for all subsequent decisions about team structure, processes, and priorities.

The UX leadership team at Lazada began by articulating a vision statement focused on creating a consistent, high-quality user experience that would feel familiar yet locally relevant across all Southeast Asian markets. This vision was tied directly to business outcomes: increasing conversion rates, improving customer retention, and enhancing the overall customer experience to drive growth.

The strategic framework included three key pillars:

Centralized UX leadership with local implementation: Creating a core UX team at headquarters that would develop standards and systems, with local teams adapting these to market needs.
Design systems approach: Developing a comprehensive design system that would ensure consistency while allowing for necessary local variations.
Research-driven decision making: Building a robust UX research function to understand both regional patterns and local nuances in user behavior.

By establishing this clear vision and strategy, Lazada was able to gain executive buy-in and the necessary resources to build out the regional UX function. It also provided a roadmap for hiring, team structure, and capability development.

Recruiting and Building the Right Team

With the strategy in place, the next challenge was building a team with the right mix of skills and cultural understanding. Lazada took a hybrid approach to team structure that balanced central expertise with local knowledge.

The core team structure consisted of:

Central UX leadership team (based in Singapore): This team included the Head of UX, Design System Lead, Research Lead, and several senior designers who worked on global components and patterns.
Market specialists: UX designers who were assigned to specific markets and developed deep understanding of local user needs and preferences.
Local UX teams: Smaller teams based in each country office, consisting of UX designers who worked closely with local business teams.

This structure allowed for both standardization and localization. The central team could focus on developing the overarching design system and standards, while the market specialists and local teams ensured these were appropriately applied to each market context.

Recruitment focused on finding designers with specific qualities essential for a regional team:

Cross-cultural sensitivity and awareness
Experience working in multiple markets
Strong communication skills, especially with distributed teams
Ability to balance business needs with user needs
Technical understanding of how design scales across platforms

For leaders and senior positions, experience in design thinking was particularly valued, as it provided a structured methodology for approaching complex regional problems.

Creating Unified Design Systems

A cornerstone of Lazada's regional UX strategy was the development of a comprehensive design system. This system, which became known internally as "Lazada DNA," provided a unified language for all design teams across the region.

The design system included several key components:

Core UI components: A library of reusable interface elements that maintained consistent appearance and behavior
Pattern library: Common interaction patterns that solved frequent user needs
Design principles: Guidelines that informed decision-making throughout the design process
Documentation: Clear specifications for implementation by development teams
Governance model: Processes for contributing to and maintaining the system

The design system was built with flexibility in mind. It included regional standards that applied across all markets, but also allowed for market-specific adaptations when necessary. For example, the checkout flow maintained the same basic structure across all countries, but payment methods could be customized to reflect local preferences.

This approach delivered significant benefits:

Faster implementation of new features across markets
Higher quality UX through reuse of tested components
More efficient use of resources, with designers focusing on solving unique problems rather than recreating basics
Easier onboarding of new team members, who could quickly learn from the established system

Over time, the design system evolved to include not just UI components but also broader experience guidelines, research insights, and business principles that guided the overall product development process.

Cross-Cultural UX Research Methods

A critical element in building Lazada's regional UX capability was establishing robust research methods that accounted for cultural differences while identifying common needs and behaviors.

The UX research team developed a multi-layered approach:

Regional baseline studies: Large-scale research that identified patterns across all markets, creating a foundation of understanding about e-commerce behaviors in Southeast Asia.
Market-specific deep dives: Focused studies in individual countries to identify unique needs, preferences, and pain points.
Competitive analysis: Regular assessment of local and regional competitors to understand market expectations.
Continuous user testing: Both centralized and local testing of new features and designs.

The research team faced unique challenges, from language barriers to different cultural expressions of feedback. For example, in some markets like Thailand and Indonesia, users were less likely to express direct criticism, requiring more observational methods rather than direct questioning.

To address these challenges, the team developed specialized approaches:

Local research partners who understood cultural nuances and could conduct research in local languages
Mixed methodology combining quantitative data with qualitative insights to provide a more complete picture
Adapted research protocols that respected cultural differences in communication styles
Shared research repository where findings were categorized by both market and user need, allowing designers to see both local specifics and regional patterns

This research foundation was essential for making informed decisions about which elements of the user experience could be standardized across markets and which needed local adaptation.

Balancing Local Relevance with Regional Consistency

One of the most complex challenges in building a regional UX team was finding the right balance between consistency and localization. Lazada developed a framework for making these decisions that became known as the "80/20 rule": aim for 80% consistency across markets, with 20% local adaptation.

This framework was applied through a systematic process:

Core experience mapping: Identifying which parts of the user journey were most critical to business success and user satisfaction
Standardization assessment: Evaluating each element against criteria for standardization, including technical complexity, business impact, and cultural sensitivity
Localization guidelines: Creating clear parameters for where and how local teams could adapt the experience

For example, the product detail page maintained the same basic structure across all markets, ensuring users could easily find information like price, specifications, and reviews. However, elements like promotional messaging, size guides, and delivery information could be adapted to meet local expectations.

This balanced approach allowed Lazada to achieve several benefits:

Consistent brand experience that built trust and recognition
Efficient development through reusable components
Local market fit that reflected different user needs and expectations
Scalability to roll out new features quickly across the region

The approach required close collaboration between central and local teams, with clear decision-making frameworks that empowered teams to make appropriate choices without lengthy approval processes.

Measuring Success and ROI

To demonstrate the value of the regional UX team and guide ongoing improvements, Lazada implemented a comprehensive measurement framework that tied UX efforts directly to business outcomes.

The measurement approach included several key metrics:

Conversion rate improvements attributed to UX changes
User satisfaction scores across different markets
Implementation efficiency (time and resources saved through the design system)
Consistency metrics that tracked adherence to design standards
Market-specific KPIs that reflected local business priorities

This measurement framework was crucial for securing continued investment in UX. By demonstrating clear ROI, the team was able to make the case for expanding UX resources and incorporating user-centered design principles more deeply into the organization's business strategy.

One particularly effective approach was conducting before-and-after comparisons when implementing new designs. For example, when the team redesigned the checkout flow using the new design system, they were able to demonstrate a significant reduction in cart abandonment across all markets, with variations that provided insights into market-specific opportunities.

Leadership Lessons from Scaling a UX Team

Building Lazada's regional UX team required not just design expertise but strong leadership skills. Several key leadership principles emerged that were essential to the team's success:

Clear vision communication: Continuously reinforcing the vision and strategy to keep diverse teams aligned
Cultural intelligence: Developing leadership's ability to understand and work effectively with different cultural approaches
Empowerment with accountability: Giving local teams decision-making authority within clear frameworks
Relationship building: Investing time in building strong connections between central and local teams
Skill development: Creating pathways for designers to develop both technical and leadership capabilities

One particularly effective leadership practice was the implementation of regular "UX summits" that brought together team members from all markets. These in-person events combined training, collaboration on key projects, and relationship building that facilitated better remote collaboration afterward.

Leaders also found that explicitly acknowledging and discussing cultural differences in design approaches was more effective than pretending they didn't exist. For example, creating space to discuss why certain design patterns might be more effective in one market than another helped build mutual understanding and respect among team members.

As organizations increasingly adopt AI-driven business innovation, the role of UX leadership becomes even more critical in ensuring these technologies are implemented in culturally appropriate ways across different markets.

Conclusion: Key Takeaways for UX Leaders

The journey of building Lazada's regional UX team offers valuable lessons for any organization looking to scale design capabilities across different markets. Several key principles stand out:

Start with strategy: A clear vision and strategy that connects UX to business outcomes is essential for gaining organizational buy-in and resources.
Build the right team structure: A hybrid approach that balances central expertise with local knowledge provides the best foundation for regional success.
Invest in systems and standards: A well-designed system of components, patterns, and principles creates efficiency while maintaining quality.
Research across cultures: Understanding both regional patterns and local nuances requires adapted research approaches and cross-cultural sensitivity.
Balance consistency with localization: Clear frameworks for deciding what to standardize and what to localize help teams make better decisions faster.
Measure and demonstrate value: Connecting UX work to business metrics ensures continued investment and organizational support.
Develop leadership capabilities: Building a regional team requires leaders who can navigate cultural differences and build cohesion across distributed teams.

Building a regional UX team is a complex undertaking that touches on organizational structure, design methodology, cultural understanding, and leadership. By approaching this challenge systematically, as Lazada did, companies can create UX teams that deliver consistent, high-quality experiences while respecting the unique needs of different markets.

The skills required for this work—from design thinking to cross-cultural communication to strategic business alignment—are increasingly valuable as more organizations operate across borders. By investing in these capabilities, companies can create competitive advantage through user experience, just as Lazada did in the highly competitive Southeast Asian e-commerce landscape.

Want to develop the skills needed to build and lead successful design teams? Explore our WSQ Design Thinking Certification Course or contact us to learn how our SkillsFuture eligible programs can help you advance your career in UX leadership.

Table of Contents

The Challenge of Regional UX in Southeast Asia

Establishing a UX Vision and Strategy

Recruiting and Building the Right Team

Creating Unified Design Systems

Cross-Cultural UX Research Methods

Balancing Local Relevance with Regional Consistency

Measuring Success and ROI

Leadership Lessons from Scaling a UX Team

Conclusion: Key Takeaways for UX Leaders

How Lazada Built a Regional UX Team: Strategies for Cross-Cultural Design Excellence

The Challenge of Regional UX in Southeast Asia

This decentralized model created several critical issues:

Inconsistent brand experience across different country websites and apps

Duplicated design efforts with teams solving the same problems in different markets

Varying levels of UX quality depending on the resources and expertise in each country

Inefficient implementation of new features, requiring separate development for each market

Difficulty scaling the user experience as the business grew

The business imperative was clear: create a unified approach to UX that maintained high quality across all markets while respecting local nuances. This required not just a design system, but a complete rethinking of how UX teams were structured and operated within the organization.

Establishing a UX Vision and Strategy

The first step in building Lazada's regional UX team was establishing a clear vision and strategy. This laid the foundation for all subsequent decisions about team structure, processes, and priorities.

The strategic framework included three key pillars:

Centralized UX leadership with local implementation: Creating a core UX team at headquarters that would develop standards and systems, with local teams adapting these to market needs.

Design systems approach: Developing a comprehensive design system that would ensure consistency while allowing for necessary local variations.

Research-driven decision making: Building a robust UX research function to understand both regional patterns and local nuances in user behavior.

By establishing this clear vision and strategy, Lazada was able to gain executive buy-in and the necessary resources to build out the regional UX function. It also provided a roadmap for hiring, team structure, and capability development.

Recruiting and Building the Right Team

With the strategy in place, the next challenge was building a team with the right mix of skills and cultural understanding. Lazada took a hybrid approach to team structure that balanced central expertise with local knowledge.

The core team structure consisted of:

Central UX leadership team (based in Singapore): This team included the Head of UX, Design System Lead, Research Lead, and several senior designers who worked on global components and patterns.

Market specialists: UX designers who were assigned to specific markets and developed deep understanding of local user needs and preferences.

Local UX teams: Smaller teams based in each country office, consisting of UX designers who worked closely with local business teams.

This structure allowed for both standardization and localization. The central team could focus on developing the overarching design system and standards, while the market specialists and local teams ensured these were appropriately applied to each market context.

Recruitment focused on finding designers with specific qualities essential for a regional team:

Cross-cultural sensitivity and awareness

Experience working in multiple markets

Strong communication skills, especially with distributed teams

Ability to balance business needs with user needs

Technical understanding of how design scales across platforms

For leaders and senior positions, experience in design thinking was particularly valued, as it provided a structured methodology for approaching complex regional problems.

Creating Unified Design Systems

A cornerstone of Lazada's regional UX strategy was the development of a comprehensive design system. This system, which became known internally as "Lazada DNA," provided a unified language for all design teams across the region.

The design system included several key components:

Core UI components: A library of reusable interface elements that maintained consistent appearance and behavior

Pattern library: Common interaction patterns that solved frequent user needs

Design principles: Guidelines that informed decision-making throughout the design process

Documentation: Clear specifications for implementation by development teams

Governance model: Processes for contributing to and maintaining the system

This approach delivered significant benefits:

Faster implementation of new features across markets

Higher quality UX through reuse of tested components

More efficient use of resources, with designers focusing on solving unique problems rather than recreating basics

Easier onboarding of new team members, who could quickly learn from the established system

Over time, the design system evolved to include not just UI components but also broader experience guidelines, research insights, and business principles that guided the overall product development process.

Cross-Cultural UX Research Methods

A critical element in building Lazada's regional UX capability was establishing robust research methods that accounted for cultural differences while identifying common needs and behaviors.

The UX research team developed a multi-layered approach:

Regional baseline studies: Large-scale research that identified patterns across all markets, creating a foundation of understanding about e-commerce behaviors in Southeast Asia.

Market-specific deep dives: Focused studies in individual countries to identify unique needs, preferences, and pain points.

Competitive analysis: Regular assessment of local and regional competitors to understand market expectations.

Continuous user testing: Both centralized and local testing of new features and designs.

The research team faced unique challenges, from language barriers to different cultural expressions of feedback. For example, in some markets like Thailand and Indonesia, users were less likely to express direct criticism, requiring more observational methods rather than direct questioning.

To address these challenges, the team developed specialized approaches:

Local research partners who understood cultural nuances and could conduct research in local languages

Mixed methodology combining quantitative data with qualitative insights to provide a more complete picture

Adapted research protocols that respected cultural differences in communication styles

Shared research repository where findings were categorized by both market and user need, allowing designers to see both local specifics and regional patterns

This research foundation was essential for making informed decisions about which elements of the user experience could be standardized across markets and which needed local adaptation.

Balancing Local Relevance with Regional Consistency

One of the most complex challenges in building a regional UX team was finding the right balance between consistency and localization. Lazada developed a framework for making these decisions that became known as the "80/20 rule": aim for 80% consistency across markets, with 20% local adaptation.

This framework was applied through a systematic process:

Core experience mapping: Identifying which parts of the user journey were most critical to business success and user satisfaction

Standardization assessment: Evaluating each element against criteria for standardization, including technical complexity, business impact, and cultural sensitivity

Localization guidelines: Creating clear parameters for where and how local teams could adapt the experience

This balanced approach allowed Lazada to achieve several benefits:

Consistent brand experience that built trust and recognition

Efficient development through reusable components

Local market fit that reflected different user needs and expectations

Scalability to roll out new features quickly across the region

The approach required close collaboration between central and local teams, with clear decision-making frameworks that empowered teams to make appropriate choices without lengthy approval processes.