How Behavior Design Transformed 58 Local Services from Tool to Service Platform

What is Behavioral Design?

Motivation – users have a desire to achieve something; Ability – users are capable of doing it; Trigger – an appropriate reminder prompts the action. Behavior occurs only when all three elements are satisfied.

Applying to Business

58 Local Services upgraded from a tool‑type platform to a service‑type platform, using the behavior design model to attract, guide, and retain users. The model was applied across four key stages: merchant selection, order reservation, order tracking, and service completion.

Analysis & Research

An experience map was created, followed by user research, problem identification, and data analysis. Pain points were identified for each stage:

Merchant selection: information overload, weak brand recognition, cumbersome selection process.

Order reservation: high modification cost, unclear service scope, price concerns.

Order tracking: excessive upselling, delayed service, difficult dispute resolution.

Service completion: lack of quality standards, potential damage, weak platform supervision.

Design Strategies

Based on the behavior design model, the following strategies were defined:

Enhance motivation: emphasize platform professionalism, provide decision‑support information, offer incentives.

Lower barriers: improve usability, reduce cognitive load, educate users.

Reduce concerns: build trust through brand endorsement and safety transparency, give users control.

Design Derivation

Specific tactics for each stage included:

Merchant selection – clean information hierarchy, highlight price and discounts, tag high‑quality merchants to aid decision.

Order reservation – front‑load service and price details, reduce drop‑off, educate users to boost ability.

Order tracking – add rights‑protection entry, provide real‑time updates, stimulate engagement to improve completion.

Service completion – establish a feedback loop, analyze data, build user profiles for personalized recommendations.

Results

After redesign and iteration, order volume increased by more than three times, and metrics such as order‑to‑payment rate, merchant acceptance rate, and completion rate all showed significant improvement.

Iteration Mechanism

A comprehensive design workflow was established, including an experience‑issue pool to prioritize problems. Over the course of the project, 37 design versions were tested, adjusting typography, color, image ratios, and other UI elements to verify conversion impact.

Project Gains

The project broadened the perspective from single‑track design to a holistic product‑service view, shifting the platform from a tool to a service, increasing user stickiness, and aligning with the company’s industrialization strategy.