Walmart - Sidekick AI
Overview
Sidekick is an intelligent platform that empowers associates to deliver their most impactful work, serve customers, and grow in their careers at Walmart.
Design Director: Robert Dalton
UX Design: Mike Ellis, Anita Young, Java Khan, Chris Jochetz, Make Baran (Research), Tracy Baxter (Content)
Product: Cristy Brooks
Engineering: Sandeep Shekhawat
Business: Josh Osmon
Challenges
Associates don’t have an easy way to know their next best action or when their work is done.
The store operational model is primarily analog and difficult to measure/verify.
Associates struggle to navigate across 40+ tools to complete their daily work
Goals
Generate $1 billion in annualized operational savings by auto-prioritizing work and reducing wasted labor hours (Estimated 900,000+ hours lost per week).
Create digital tools and systems that demystify store operations and provide real-time data to support work optimization.
Results (from 20 store pilot)
95%
Adoption rate
72%
Generated plan accuracy
(49% baseline at pilot launch)
-14min
Planning time saved compared to manual planning.
Experience overview
Strategy
Sidekick is an ecosystem that connects activities across teams, powered by data and insights that get smarter and more personalized over time.
It delivers the right task, at the right time, to the right associate.
Guiding principles
Streamline workflows
Seamless workflows led by associate-specific journeys
vs siloed tools
Enable autonomy
Maximize AI/ML capabilities to provide recommendations
- but don’t prescribe
Drive positive habits
Provide just-in-time nudges to drive insights to action
and reward positive behaviors.
North star experience
North Star experience vision was created to gain cross-team business and executive leadership alignment. Presented experience to the CEO for the final green light on strategy and funding.
Chapter 1
Insights to action
Devon, a Team Lead, receives a real-time insight that a key store metric is trending lower so springs into action to help his store and team.
Outcome:
Better executed plans
Mechanics:
Automated and adaptable planning
Chapter 2
Guided work
Jamie, a Team Associate, finishes her latest task and returns to her work list where she sees has a new priority action and seamlessly begins working on it.
Outcome:
Greater accuracy of work
Mechanics:
Seamless workflows with visual verification
Chapter 3
Close the loop
Devon nears the end of his shift, prepares his shift handoff, and reviews his team’s impact, helping set the next team up for success.
Outcome:
More engaged associates
Mechanics:
Close the loop with positive encouragement
Chapter 4
Encourage growth
Devon sees Jamie is excelling in her job and may be ready to grow into a new role at Walmart.
Outcome:
Good jobs become great careers
Mechanics:
Facilitate manager and associate connections.
MVP pilot experience
MVP 10 store pilot experience was designed to support the work planning needs of 3rd shift overnight stocking team.
