The frustration of relying on multiple software platforms to complete tasks prompted the stakeholders to seek for a better solution. I designed an experience that enables seamless collaboration on a single, unified platform.
Home + Space is an architecture’s studio expertise in home renovation projects for bathroom and kitchen. Tired of their fussy workflow they started an idea of having a platform allowing them to collaborate more efficient.
MY ROLE
I’m responsible to design an interface platform from three different user's perspective ; Project owner, architectures, and client. I work closely with project manager, creative director and the client.
Immersion
To begin the project, my team and I conducted both internal and external research, engaging in deep conversations with the Home + Space team to understand their vision, mission, and goals. This immersion phase allowed us to fully grasp their challenges and objectives.
By the end of this phase, I had clearly identified their goals, project objectives, and developed a clear roadmap to guide the project forward.
Addressing the challenge
Home + Space is a studio where project managers and architects collaborate dynamically to drive project success. Collaboration is essential to their workflow, and key features such as communication, distributing materials, and sharing project visions are critical.
To kick off a project, the team must create detailed proposal that includes product specifications, pricing, conceptual designs, and other project-related details. Unfortunately at the moment the team relies on three to four different software tools—such as Specbooks, LightSpeed, and QuoteMachine—to generate a single proposal. This current task-flow is both time-consuming and costly.
Areas to improve
During the problem identification phase, we uncovered several areas that could be improved. Through extensive research and the insights we gathered, I was able to make informed design decisions to enhance the platform experience.
Analyzing the current task flow, it became evident that Home + Space needed a more efficient workflow. The ideal task flow should help the team stay focused on their goals while allowing each role to make adjustments without needing to restart the process.
The old model task-flow
The solution was to create a dynamic task flow that mimics "Play, stop, and resume," enabling fluid progress without unnecessary interruptions
after simplifying the task flow
Defining features hierarchy
The sky is not always the limit, it was essential to prioritize and eliminate unnecessary features to stay focused on the project’s objectives.
We did this by evaluating the essential features required for the platform based on the research. We refined our focus to the collaboration between project managers and architects, establishing a feature-level hierarchy.
What I did
My goal was to design a user-friendly platform with a simple, intuitive interface that feels familiar to users who have worked with traditional tools for decades. To lay the foundation, I studied their project materials, proposals, client quotes, and interactions with previous software tools to create a unified platform that aligns with their shared vision.
Mobile design system
To provide a fully functional experience, I designed adaptive mobile versions. Users can effectively perform tasks and work on projects through their mobile devices. I adapted the design from desktop, utilizing dropdown menus to ensure usability and maintain the core experience on smaller screens.
