Prev @ the LEGO Group
A Filtering System for Part-Finding at the lEGO Group
2025
OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
6 Months Immersed in LEGO Design Culture
6 Months Immersed in LEGO Design Culture
This year, I interned at the LEGO Group’s BrickLink office — one of the most creative and playful design cultures I’ve ever been part of. I loved designing for a passionate community of builders who often knew the product even better than we did.
This year, I interned at the LEGO Group’s BrickLink office — one of the most creative and playful design cultures I’ve ever been part of. I loved designing for a passionate community of builders who often knew the product even better than we did.
This office made work feel like play
This office made work feel like play
i worked on BrickLink Studio, a Digital Building Platform by the lego group
i worked on BrickLink Studio, a Digital Building Platform by the lego group
Studio is the official digital building app from the LEGO Group, used by over 160,000 fans worldwide. The platform allows builders to choose from thousands of LEGO bricks to create and share digital models, making it a popular tool for LEGO fans.
Studio is the official digital building app from the LEGO Group, used by over 160,000 fans worldwide. The platform allows builders to choose from thousands of LEGO bricks to create and share digital models, making it a popular tool for LEGO fans.
Studio interface with the Part Finder panel on the left
Studio interface with the Part Finder panel on the left
the problem: users couldn't find parts in studio
the problem: users couldn't find parts in studio
A major pain point with Studio is that users—both beginners and more advanced—were struggling to find parts. With so many potential reasons behind this friction, my goal was to uncover the root causes and redesign part finding to be more intuitive.
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My Goal: Discover What’s Missing
My Goal: Discover What’s Missing
Research
Research
defining my strategy
defining my strategy
This was a research-heavy process because uncovering the issues was critical. I focused my approach around key methods:
This was a research-heavy process because uncovering the issues was critical. I focused my approach around key methods:
Applying these methods gave me a full picture of Studio’s strengths and pain points
the methods i used
method 1: competitive analysis
method 1: competitive analysis
I analyzed 10 apps across CAD, 3D modeling, and non-creative tools, but narrowed my focus to three creative apps that better reflected Studio’s spirit of creativity and community:
I analyzed 10 apps, but narrowed my focus to three creative apps that better reflected Studio’s spirit of creativity and community: Rebrickable, Meca Bricks, and LEGO Play. Here were my takeaways from them:
Rebrickable
A part finding platform with a customizable part finder with keyword search, browsing, and filters to help find parts to build custom MOCs.
Meca Bricks
An online LEGO design tool for building with official or custom parts, including the ability to create and decorate pieces collaboratively.
LEGO Play
A mobile app focused on creative LEGO play, offering interactive building instructions designed to inspire kids’ exploration.
Key takeaways from these apps:
These takeaways in action:
Rebrickable’s filter system
method 2: heuristic evaluation
method 2: heuristic evaluation
To better understand Studio’s usability issues, I ran a heuristic evaluation of 15 elements of the part picker UI—a process that reviews the interface against established usability principles. Below are three examples of the problems users might run into:
To better understand Studio’s usability issues, I ran a heuristic evaluation of 15 elements of the part picker UI—a process that reviews the interface against established usability principles. Below are three examples of the problems users might run into:
Annotated Usability Problems in Studio
Annotated Usability Problems in Studio
Key takeaways from this analysis:
Key takeaways from this analysis:
method 3: user interviews
method 3: user interviews
I interviewed seven users, split between beginners and advanced builders. Through card sorting, a part-finding challenge, and open-ended questioning, I uncovered what frustrations or strategies shaped their process. Here were some learnings from my interviews:
I interviewed seven users, split between beginners and advanced builders. Through card sorting, a part-finding challenge, and open-ended questioning, I uncovered what frustrations or strategies shaped their process. Here were some learnings from my interviews:
user stories i created from my research
an example of the user stories i created
a user story i created from my research
setup
setup
landing on a filtering system
landing on a filtering system
My research revealed three major needs: smarter search intelligence, standardized terminology, and more effective filtering. While all were important, I focused on filtering because it provided the clearest opportunity to shorten part-finding time. The other solutions required more extensive back-end changes, which were out of scope for this project.
My research revealed three major needs: smarter search intelligence, standardized terminology, and more effective filtering. While all were important, I focused on filtering because it provided the clearest opportunity to shorten part-finding time. The other solutions required more extensive back-end changes, which were out of scope for this project.
Turning Research into Actionable Goals
Turning Research into Actionable Goals
Three Weeks of Iterative Design Sprints
Three Weeks of Iterative Design Sprints
Because this change would significantly impact users, usability testing became central to the process. Here’s what a typical design sprint week looked like for me:
Because this change would significantly impact users, usability testing became central to the process. Here’s what a typical design sprint week looked like for me:
sprints with a focus on testing
sprints with a focus on testing
version 1 (lofi)
Centralizing Filters Into a popup System
Centralizing Filters Into a popup System
Version 1 introduced a popup filtering menu with four sections — palette, date filters, color filters, and display options — consolidating scattered controls into a single system while introducing filters users had asked for.
Version 1 introduced a popup filtering menu with four sections — palette, date filters, color filters, and display options — consolidating scattered controls into a single system while introducing filters users had asked for.
Turning user feedback into a cohesive filtering system
Turning user feedback into a cohesive filtering system
however, during testing, i realized that Extra clicks frustrated expert users
however, during testing, i realized that Extra clicks frustrated expert users
During testing, all users agreed the new filters improved part searching and reduced confusion. However, expert users felt some actions required too many clicks and preferred having certain filters remain in the part picker UI and not in a popup.
During testing, all users agreed the new filters improved part searching and reduced confusion. However, expert users felt some actions required too many clicks and preferred having certain filters remain in the part picker UI and not in a popup.
color filter before and after
color filter before and after
a challenge: How might we streamline filtering to reduce clicks without increasing cognitive load?
a challenge: How might we streamline filtering to reduce clicks without increasing cognitive load?
This was a critical friction point. While the popup menu improved clarity for beginners, expert users felt slowed down by the extra clicks. The challenge was finding a way to keep filters easy to discover without sacrificing speed for power users.
This was a critical friction point. While the popup menu improved clarity for beginners, expert users felt slowed down by the extra clicks. The challenge was finding a way to keep filters easy to discover without sacrificing speed for power users.
version 2 (lofi)
A Flexible Solution: Collapsible sidebar
A Flexible Solution: Collapsible sidebar
To balance discoverability for beginners with efficiency for expert users, I introduced a collapsible side bar. It could stay open for quick access or collapse to reduce clutter.
To balance discoverability for beginners with efficiency for expert users, I introduced a collapsible side bar. It could stay open for quick access or collapse to reduce clutter.
low fidelity prototype
low fidelity prototype
zooming into closed and open states
successful in user testing!
successful in user testing!
All the users responded positively to the collapsible side bar. They appreciated the flexibility to keep the menu open for efficiency or close it to reduce clutter. This new system also significantly sped up the part-finding process, showing that it successfully balanced usability for both beginners and experts.
All the users responded positively to the collapsible side bar. They appreciated the flexibility to keep the menu open for efficiency or close it to reduce clutter. This new system also significantly sped up the part-finding process, showing that it successfully balanced usability for both beginners and experts.
final solution
a high fidelity Collapsible side Bar prototype
a high fidelity Collapsible side Bar prototype
high fidelity prototype
high fidelity prototype
zooming into closed and open states
zooming into closed and open states
reflection
presenting to the office
presenting to the office
I wrapped up my internship by presenting to the entire LEGO BrickLink team — including the CEO. It was rewarding to hear that even those with 10+ years at LEGO hadn’t noticed some of the usability challenges I uncovered, and exciting to know many of my features are headed into production.
I wrapped up my internship by presenting to the entire LEGO BrickLink team — including the CEO. It was rewarding to hear that even those with 10+ years at LEGO hadn’t noticed some of the usability challenges I uncovered, and exciting to know many of my features are headed into production.
A rewarding way to close my internship
A rewarding way to close my internship
reflections
reflections
This was just one of three projects I worked on at BrickLink, one of the most fun and creative places I’ve ever worked at. I loved being surrounded by a team that brought joy to people’s lives every single day. What stood out most to me was how passionate the community was—many users knew the platform even better than we did. Being able to learn from them made the experience even more special.
Outside of the internship as a whole, here are some of the biggest takeaways I’ll carry with me from this project:
This was just one of three projects I worked on at BrickLink, one of the most fun and creative places I’ve ever worked at. I loved being surrounded by a team that brought joy to people’s lives every single day. What stood out most to me was how passionate the community was—many users knew the platform even better than we did. Being able to learn from them made the experience even more special.
Outside of the internship as a whole, here are some of the biggest takeaways I’ll carry with me from this project:
This project came with plenty of other challenges and discoveries too—from search intelligence concerns to MVP designs and additional UI issues. I’d be more than happy to walk you through the rest over a coffee chat or interview!
This project came with plenty of other challenges and discoveries too—from search intelligence concerns to MVP designs and additional UI issues. I’d be more than happy to walk you through the rest over a coffee chat or interview!
A Filtering System for Part Finding at the LEGO Group
Duration
2 months
team
1 design manager
1 product manager
4 engineers