DISCOVER PROJECT
DISCOVER PROJECT
Timeline
Oct 2023 - May 2024
Discipline
Product Designer
Responsibilities
User Research
Wireframing
Web Design
Prototyping
Tools
Figma
Mattermost
Figjam
- Understand the Challenge -
SlotXpert aimed to replace its decade-old desktop application with a unified web-based platform for buyers and sellers. The biggest challenge was making the transition easy for users who were deeply accustomed to Excel-like workflows.
- UX Outcomes -
Before diving into the design process, it’s important to highlight the key UX outcomes achieved with the SlotXpert migration. These outcomes showcase the success of unifying buyers and sellers on a single platform and set the stage for how each design decision was shaped — rooted in user research, aligned with familiar workflows, and focused on delivering measurable impact.
Fewer Mistakes, Faster Work – 35% Drop in Errors in 6 Months
Fewer Mistakes, Faster Work – 35% Drop in Errors in 6 Months
Fewer Mistakes, Faster Work – 35% Drop in Errors in 6 Months
Tables, filters, and actions were designed for clarity, making data easier to read and act upon. As a result, user errors dropped by 35% within 6 months, improving overall productivity.
One Platform, Everyone Onboard – 85% Adoption in 6 Months
One Platform, Everyone Onboard – 85% Adoption in 6 Months
One Platform, Everyone Onboard – 85% Adoption in 6 Months
The unified dashboard allowed buyers and sellers to access everything from one place, eliminating the need for multiple platforms. This seamless experience drove a rapid 85% adoption rate within 6 months.
88% Retention Rate in 3 Months with Familiar Workflows
88% Retention Rate in 3 Months with Familiar Workflows
88% Retention Rate in 3 Months with Familiar Workflows
By keeping the core Excel-like structure and familiar workflows, users felt comfortable using the new platform almost immediately. This approach minimized friction and built trust, leading to a strong 88% retention rate within the first 3 months.
- Research -
To uncover pain points and usability gaps in the old desktop system, I conducted separate surveys with buyers and sellers. These surveys served as baseline research to measure the success of UX improvements.
Buyer Survey - Booking a Container
Most buyers had grown used to the platform, but 1 in 4 still rated it only “normal”, indicating the experience was functional but not optimized.
Minor friction points—like slow search, unclear filters, and lack of feedback—surfaced repeatedly in follow-up interviews. This revealed the need for improved clarity and task speed, especially for time-sensitive bookings.
Seller Survey – Listing a Container
Sellers shared many of the same friction points as buyers—especially around managing listings and understanding real-time inventory status.
While the majority found it manageable, nearly 30% of sellers did not feel fully confident in the system. This emphasized the need to streamline listing actions, reduce clutter, and introduce clearer inventory and offer states.
Interviews
To gain a deeper understanding of the users’ day-to-day experience with SlotXpert’s legacy desktop system, I prepared an interview script and shared it with the product team at PSA. They distributed it to a wider set of users and collected the responses, which gave me structured feedback across both buyer and seller roles.
To supplement this, I personally conducted two contextual interviews—one with a buyer and one with a seller. This gave me firsthand insight into how users interact with the platform, what shortcuts they rely on, and where confusion tends to occur.
I used open-ended questions to better understand workflows and mental models, Following are few of them:
How do you currently use the desktop application in your daily operations?
Which features do you rely on most, and why?
What are the biggest challenges or frustrations with the current platform?
How do you feel about transitioning to a web-based application?
What would make the transition easier and more comfortable for you?
Challenges Identified
From the findings from user interviews and research, three key challenges emerged:
User Migration: Moving users from the long-used desktop app to the web platform without creating friction or user loss.
Unified UX: Buyers and sellers were on separate platforms; the new system needed to merge them seamlessly.
Maintain User Base: Any frustration during the transition could cause attrition, so it was vital to keep the learning curve low.
- Design Process -
Site Maps
Seller Wireframes
Buyer Wireframes
- Final Design -
Sneak Peak of Final UI
DISCOVER PROJECT
DISCOVER PROJECT
Timeline
Oct 2023 - May 2024
Discipline
Product Designer
Responsibilities
User Research
Wireframing
Web Design
Prototyping
Tools
Figma
Mattermost
Figjam
- Understand the Challenge -
SlotXpert aimed to replace its decade-old desktop application with a unified web-based platform for buyers and sellers. The biggest challenge was making the transition easy for users who were deeply accustomed to Excel-like workflows.
- UX Outcomes -
Before diving into the design process, it’s important to highlight the key UX outcomes achieved with the SlotXpert migration. These outcomes showcase the success of unifying buyers and sellers on a single platform and set the stage for how each design decision was shaped — rooted in user research, aligned with familiar workflows, and focused on delivering measurable impact.
Fewer Mistakes, Faster Work – 35% Drop in Errors in 6 Months
Fewer Mistakes, Faster Work – 35% Drop in Errors in 6 Months
Fewer Mistakes, Faster Work – 35% Drop in Errors in 6 Months
Tables, filters, and actions were designed for clarity, making data easier to read and act upon. As a result, user errors dropped by 35% within 6 months, improving overall productivity.
One Platform, Everyone Onboard – 85% Adoption in 6 Months
One Platform, Everyone Onboard – 85% Adoption in 6 Months
One Platform, Everyone Onboard – 85% Adoption in 6 Months
The unified dashboard allowed buyers and sellers to access everything from one place, eliminating the need for multiple platforms. This seamless experience drove a rapid 85% adoption rate within 6 months.
88% Retention Rate in 3 Months with Familiar Workflows
88% Retention Rate in 3 Months with Familiar Workflows
88% Retention Rate in 3 Months with Familiar Workflows
By keeping the core Excel-like structure and familiar workflows, users felt comfortable using the new platform almost immediately. This approach minimized friction and built trust, leading to a strong 88% retention rate within the first 3 months.
- Research -
To uncover pain points and usability gaps in the old desktop system, I conducted separate surveys with buyers and sellers. These surveys served as baseline research to measure the success of UX improvements.
Buyer Survey - Booking a Container
Most buyers had grown used to the platform, but 1 in 4 still rated it only “normal”, indicating the experience was functional but not optimized.
Minor friction points—like slow search, unclear filters, and lack of feedback—surfaced repeatedly in follow-up interviews. This revealed the need for improved clarity and task speed, especially for time-sensitive bookings.
Seller Survey – Listing a Container
Sellers shared many of the same friction points as buyers—especially around managing listings and understanding real-time inventory status.
While the majority found it manageable, nearly 30% of sellers did not feel fully confident in the system. This emphasized the need to streamline listing actions, reduce clutter, and introduce clearer inventory and offer states.
Interviews
To gain a deeper understanding of the users’ day-to-day experience with SlotXpert’s legacy desktop system, I prepared an interview script and shared it with the product team at PSA. They distributed it to a wider set of users and collected the responses, which gave me structured feedback across both buyer and seller roles.
To supplement this, I personally conducted two contextual interviews—one with a buyer and one with a seller. This gave me firsthand insight into how users interact with the platform, what shortcuts they rely on, and where confusion tends to occur.
I used open-ended questions to better understand workflows and mental models, Following are few of them:
How do you currently use the desktop application in your daily operations?
Which features do you rely on most, and why?
What are the biggest challenges or frustrations with the current platform?
How do you feel about transitioning to a web-based application?
What would make the transition easier and more comfortable for you?
Challenges Identified
From the findings from user interviews and research, three key challenges emerged:
User Migration: Moving users from the long-used desktop app to the web platform without creating friction or user loss.
Unified UX: Buyers and sellers were on separate platforms; the new system needed to merge them seamlessly.
Maintain User Base: Any frustration during the transition could cause attrition, so it was vital to keep the learning curve low.
- Design Process -
Site Maps
Seller Wireframes
Buyer Wireframes
- Final Design -
Sneak Peak of Final UI