Project Overview

Stanley Black & Decker, the world's leading tool manufacturer, engaged Material+ to transform Dewalt's digital presence as part of the brand's centennial celebration. The project required evolving initial design concepts into a scalable, functional platform that could serve as the foundation for SBD's entire brand ecosystem while dramatically improving performance metrics across 10+ brand properties.

The transformation needed to address fundamental e-commerce challenges: slow load times, poor conversion rates, and a fragmented user experience that failed to reflect Dewalt's market leadership in professional tools. The resulting platform would need to support SBD's ecosystem of over 50 tools sold per second worldwide through official retailers while establishing new standards for professional tool discovery and purchasing guidance.

Strategic Challenge

The challenge extended beyond redesigning a single website. SBD required a comprehensive digital strategy that could scale across 17 unique brand properties while maintaining each brand's distinct identity. The existing platform struggled with decision paralysis—professional users faced overwhelming product choices without clear guidance systems to identify optimal tool combinations for specific applications.

The project demanded balancing multiple user types, from individual contractors seeking specific tools to large-scale commercial buyers requiring bulk purchasing capabilities. The solution needed to streamline complex product relationships while preserving the detailed specifications that professional users require for informed purchasing decisions. Additionally, the platform had to accommodate SBD's ambitious expansion timeline, with the Dewalt redesign serving as proof of concept for broader digital transformation initiatives.

Design Leadership & Execution

Beginning with inherited design concepts from a previous agency, the project required translating conceptual work into functional, scalable digital experiences. The approach prioritized user experience optimization while developing robust technical foundations that could support SBD's long-term digital strategy.

The Stanley "Dilly" Library emerged as the cornerstone design system, establishing adaptive components that could maintain brand consistency across multiple properties while allowing for brand-specific customization. The system leveraged Figma variables and tokenization to create flexible design frameworks that could instantly adjust to different brand identities while preserving core functionality and user experience patterns.

Product discovery received comprehensive redesign attention through enhanced comparison tools, streamlined navigation, and intelligent recommendation systems. The platform introduced professional-grade features like the Cordless Configurator, enabling users to build customized tool packages while understanding battery and accessory compatibility. These tools addressed core pain points in professional purchasing workflows while reducing information overload through progressive disclosure design patterns.

Strong client relationships proved essential to project success, particularly through on-campus working sessions in Miami with SBD's brand and strategy leadership. These collaborative sessions established trust and clear communication channels that enabled the project to expand from initial platform redesign into innovation concept exploration.

Following successful platform launch, the team began concept sprints, where we focused on blue-sky iterations. These sessions explored advanced features including product image recognition technology and professional contracting software integration, establishing roadmaps for continued digital innovation across SBD's ecosystem.

Impact

The transformation delivered measurable performance improvements—faster load times, increased time on site, and improved retailer conversions—while successfully launching in time for Dewalt's centennial celebration. Completed in just four months by leveraging SBD's existing technology stack, the initial scope increased the internal team's technical capabilities and market responsiveness. The Dilly Library provides a scalable foundation for rapid expansion across SBD's remaining brand properties, ensuring consistent user experiences while preserving individual brand identities and positioning the company for continued digital leadership.