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project a
Duration
6 months
Platform
Web app
My Role & Constraints
As the sole product designer, I handled the project end-to-end, taking full ownership of the user experience and design strategy from initial domain exploration to final dev handover.
The initial scope was overly ambitious, making the 2.5-month estimate for building a full ecosystem from scratch completely unrealistic. Operating without a research budget or direct software access, I reverse-engineered complex domain logic using raw client materials and live operational walkthroughs.
The Process
Progress stalled during the early Information Architecture mapping phase. Lacking direct access to benchmark competitor applications and facing client pushback against an MVP, we struggled to map the massive domain logic. To overcome this, we set up live sessions where the client shared walkthroughs of Jaggaer — a competitor platform they were currently using — allowing us to map the actual operational logic into initial wireframe flows. Seeing the visual workflows made the true scale of the platform clear to both sides, convincing the client to pivot to a focused MVP: standardizing the end-to-end Procurement workflow — from initial project setup to final payment — while postponing secondary features and external supplier flows for future releases.
To handle dynamic data across complex procurement cycles, I designed a centralized project page housing the entire workspace workflow. It consolidates assigned team members, tasks with subtasks, status tracking, attached documents, and execution deadlines. To maintain seamless context switching, tasks and system actions open in focused drawer panels and full-screen modal forms, keeping users within a single project environment based on their granular permissions and domain approval rights.
The Process
For data-heavy operations inside this workspace, I created flexible modular table builders used across all system forms. These editable components support dynamic layout adjustments — allowing users to add rows and sections — with a full-screen view and collapsed sidebar to maximize canvas space. This setup proved especially efficient for configuring detailed Tender Requirements and scoring vendor responses.
The Process
To streamline vendor selection, I designed specialized evaluation tables presented inside modal pop-ups for scoring supplier proposals side by side. Team members evaluate individual responses in dedicated tables — complete with personal scoring, team rating visibility, contextual comments, document attachments, and customizable view modes to hide unnecessary details. Once scored, a read-only Comparison table aggregates all vendors into a single view, enabling the team to filter suppliers, discuss evaluations, and finalize contracts efficiently.
The Outcome
We delivered a production-ready MVP for global purchasing within the client’s tight timeline and budget, featuring a fully functional core Procurement module with an integrated tender system. By replacing chaotic client materials with standardized B2B interaction patterns, we eliminated navigation friction for internal roles, delivered a stakeholder-ready product, and laid a scalable foundation for future features.
The Reflection
Looking back, I would change two strategic decisions. First, I would present industry case studies upfront to demonstrate the risks of skipping an MVP before scope creep sets in. Second, I would skip building an exhaustive Information Architecture map during early discovery, as creating it before fully grasping the domain processes wasted time without adding value.