STOB / UX Refresh

Project overview

For this case study i want to start with some personal context. I was an obese teenager. Between the ages of 17 and 20, I lost 25 kilos (proof here) - and it changed a lot. That’s probably why this project meant more to me than just UX.

As part of our broader research into improving healthcare quality and accessibility in the Czech Republic, obesity emerged as one of the biggest problems. More than 60% of Czechs are overweight, and 20% are clinically obese. When we asked experts, “If you could improve public health with one intervention, what would it be?”, the answer was clear: help people lose weight - and actually keep it off.

STOB has been doing just that for over 30 years. They offer weight-loss courses based on cognitive-behavioral therapy - not miracle diets or pills, but proven know-how to help people change their habits long term. They have a trusted, experienced team and a network of instructors across the country.

But their digital experience? Not quite living up to the quality of what they do offline.

Project brief

Help STOB clean up their digital ecosystem so that people can actually understand what they offer - and find the support they need.

Oh, and do it without a full rebuild, because their CMS is basically frozen in time circa 2010.

Goals

1. Tackle what we called UX hygiene: eliminate confusion, remove friction, clarify messaging.
2. Improve conversions for key services - especially weight-loss courses and the Sebekoučink app.
3. Identify the 20% of changes that would deliver 80% of the impact - within tight technical and financial constraints (STOB is a small family-run team of three, managing a huge network of experts).
4. Provide a clear plan for gradual improvements without breaking what currently (sort of) works.
5. Facilitate a customer journey workshop to map key personas.
6. Run a strategic post-project workshop to align next steps.

What we found

• STOB’s digital world spans three main platforms: stob.cz, stobklub.cz and the Sebekoučink mobile app. The team wanted to keep all three.
• STOBklub gets 4x more traffic than the main site - mainly due to fresh content and active users logging meals daily.
• Most users arrive via articles or success stories, skim a bit… and then leave.
• Navigation is confusing. The connection between sites is weak. People often don’t even realize STOB runs real-world courses.
• The homepage doesn’t explain the method, the mission or what users should do next.
• The tech stack? Let’s just say it’s a very heavy HTML-based system, with limited editorial control and serious CMS restrictions.

“It took me a while to realize that Sebekoučink was a whole different site. I had to Google it.”

What we did

• In-depth UX audit of all platforms (web + app)
• 10+ interviews with real users and experts
• Mapped out journeys for key personas - from power users to first-timers
• Dug into analytics, heatmaps, and bugs
• Delivered design proposals focused on high-impact hotfixes - quick wins, real change

And importantly:
Every design proposal was mobile-first. We optimized layouts, content structure and CTA placement for mobile screens, because that’s where most users were. Even small shifts, like moving sign-up buttons higher or reducing cognitive overload on scroll, made a big difference.

Key personas

During research and journey mapping, we identified two core personas representing different stages of the user journey. These helped guide our design decisions and prioritize what content and features to focus on.

Katarína - Seeking structure and trust

Katarína knows she has a weight issue - and she’s not giving up. She finds STOB while searching for nutrition or fitness advice online.

She keeps bumping into scattered tips, trying to apply them in real life, but nothing sticks. She’s doing her best to eat better and move more - but it doesn’t become a habit. She would love to find someone she can trust. Someone with a thoughtful approach that feels structured and makes sense.

She needs to be heard.

“Everyone is pushing their own solution. I’ll trust a specialist who offers something thoughtful and comprehensive.”

Anna - Continuing the journey

Anna has already completed a STOB course - and it worked. She’s happy with the results. Now she’s wondering what the next step should be.

She realizes that what helped most was doing it alongside others - exercising, talking about her health, and being part of something. The community aspect helped her stick with the process and stay mentally balanced.

She’s looking for a nudge toward her next move.

“Your mental state matters a lot. When I feel down or stressed, I gain weight. Food becomes my escape.”

From pain points to smart fixes

The websites and app were full of good intentions - but also full of stuff to improve. A complete redesign was off the table, so we focused on low-effort, high-impact fixes that STOB’s small team could actually implement.

And while I’m a very UI- and aesthetics-driven designer (I would’ve loved to redo their whole branding), this project challenged me to think practically. Their audience (mostly women 50-70 who’ve known STOB since its radio days) loved it the way it was.

"Usually, when I'm going after something specific, I don't worry about whether it's perfect. So at first glance, it's good."

Problem: Based of GA, users mostly landed on great content - but didn’t know what to do next.

Hotfix:

We added clear CTAs to the end of articles and client stories and inserted banners with CTAs directly into stories and recipes. All lightweight additions that didn’t require backend changes.
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Problem: The homepage of stob.cz looked like an article archive.

Hotfix:

We restructured the homepage to:

• Explain STOB’s method in 3 key points
• Highlight flagship services (courses, app, community)
• Replace outdated articles with actionable content blocks

All within the constraints of their current layout system.

Problem: STOB’s flagship product - their weight-loss courses - had no dedicated landing page.

For a service that’s been helping people lose weight for over 30 years, you'd expect it to have a clear spotlight. But nope - their most important offering was buried deep in submenus and scattered mentions. There was no single place where people could actually understand what the courses are, how they work or how to sign up.

Hotfix:

We created a dedicated page that clearly explains:‍

• What the courses actually are and what makes them different
• The three pillars of STOB’s approach: mindset, movement, meals
• A simple, motivating breakdown of why they work
• A list of upcoming courses users can sign up for right away

We also structured it to match the mindset of someone considering change - starting with reassurance, followed by details, then a gentle nudge to act. Small fix, big value.

Problem: Users didn’t realize Sebekoučink was a separate app or how to access it.

Hotfix:

We designed prominent visual banners (instead of sidebar boxes that looked like ads) to guide users toward:

• The Sebekoučink app
• The STOBklub platform
• We also recommended adding direct links in the main navigation to reduce friction and confusion.
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Problem: The “How to lose weight” section was overwhelming.

Hotfix:

Users expected a practical step-by-step guide. What they got was a sea of 20+ articles.

We proposed:

• Renaming the section to “Articles”
• Creating a lightweight 5-step visual guide to starting out with weight loss (using existing content)
• Linking to courses and tools directly within each step.

Problem: The Sebekoučink app onboarding was text-heavy and unclear.

Hotfix:

Instead of rewriting the app (not an option), we designed a carousel-style intro using visuals from the app. This gave new users clarity without changing core app logic - just by adding a friendly layer on top.
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Problem: Heavy HTML structure and outdated design made content hard to scan.

Hotfix:

We proposed:

• Consistent use of headings, CTA buttons, and image placement
• Standardizing button text (e.g. “Přečíst” instead of ALL CAPS)
• Compressing images to improve load speed
• Dropping decorative gray boxes in favor of light, clean backgrounds

We didn’t fix everything. But we found the 20% of UX issues that, once addressed, could dramatically improve understanding, engagement and conversion - without overhauling the system or draining the budget.

As a bonus, I also proposed a light UI refresh as part of the MVP+ scope - just enough to modernize the look without reinventing the wheel.
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My role as a Senior UX Designer & Team Lead

I led the project from end to end, working closely with another UX designer and a CJ/business designer. My responsibilities included:

• Defining and running the research
• Mapping customer journeys and identifying UX gaps
• Analyzing data and prioritizing improvements
• Designing hotfixes and new pages
• Facilitating client workshops

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Final impact (5 months after implementation)

According to GA:

• Higher interest in weight-loss courses‍
  
  • → Visits to the “Weight loss courses” page rose significantly toward the end of 2024.

• More focused user behavior
  
  • → Early in 2024, users explored a wide range of articles. After the changes (Dec 15-Feb 13), most activity concentrated around courses.