What Carhartt Knows About Customers That You Don’t with Bruce Shields

Sep 15, 2025

Bruce Shields leads Carhartt's Global UX team, focusing on data-driven digital experiences. He discusses how reducing clicks might negatively impact revenue and customer satisfaction. The conversation highlights the shift from gut feelings to data-led decisions, showcasing predictive models based on two years of homepage interaction data. Bruce also shares insights on segmenting B2B and B2C experiences, emphasizing the differing motivations between buyers. His innovative approach ensures that Carhartt remains a leader in both workwear and user experience.

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ANECDOTE

Framed Jackets Tell The Brand Story

Carhartt frames beat-up jackets with letters about grandfathers who wore them for decades.
These artifacts show durability and emotional brand attachment that shape company culture.

ADVICE

Bring Data Before Design

Move data before design so decisions rest on evidence, not gut feeling.
Use analytics early in the process to shape wireframes and priorities.

ADVICE

Celebrate Test 'Failures' As Learning

Treat failed tests as successes because they move you closer to truth.
Reinforce a culture that values learning over confirming bias.

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While most UX teams obsess over reducing clicks, Carhartt discovered that fewer clicks can actually hurt revenue and customer satisfaction.

Join hosts Chuck Moxley and Nick Paladino as they talk with Bruce Shields, who leads digital experience optimization at Carhartt.

Carhartt has been making durable workwear since 1889—but their digital experience team is just as focused on longevity and performance. In this episode, Bruce Shields, head of Carhartt’s Global UX team, shares how his team uses two years of homepage interaction data to build predictive models, benchmark creative assets, and shift decisions from gut feel to data-led.

Key Actionable Takeaways:

Move from gut feelings to data-first design decisions - Create a culture where "Have we tested that?" becomes the standard question in every design discussion
Build predictive models from interaction data - Use click and scroll data to create benchmarks that can forecast component performance before launch
Segment B2B and B2C user experiences differently - B2B buyers have fundamentally different motivations since they're purchasing for others, not themselves

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Download the Black Friday/Cyber Monday eBook: http://bluetriangle.com/ebook

Bruce Shield's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bruceshields/
Nick Paladino's LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/npaladino
Chuck Moxley's LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/chuck-moxley

Chapters:
(00:00) Introduction
(03:00) Team structure across nine time zones and specializations
(06:00) Moving from design intuition to data-first decisions
(08:26) Preventing confirmation bias in testing culture
(11:22) Grid ordering system case study - When leadership was wrong
(16:59) Two years of homepage data creates predictive models
(18:22) Building interaction rate benchmarks by component position
(23:03) Moving predictive analytics into wireframing stage
(26:49) Most reliable performance predictors - PLP to PDP conversion
(30:18) Why fewer clicks isn't always better - The journey optimization debate
(34:30) Conclusion