SupplyShift — Simplifying Complex Supply Chain Workflows
SupplyShift is an enterprise SaaS platform used by global organizations to manage supplier relationships, compliance, and sustainability data. I led the design of key workflows and system improvements, transforming complex, multi-user processes into scalable and intuitive experiences. I designed enterprise workflows and a scalable design system for a global supply chain platform, reducing feature design and development time by 40%.
Working across product, engineering, and stakeholders, I focused on simplifying onboarding, data management, and communication across buyer and supplier networks while building a foundation for a scalable design system.
Problem
Supply chain platforms are inherently complex, involving multiple stakeholders, large datasets, and fragmented workflows. Users often struggle with onboarding, navigating large volumes of supplier data, and coordinating communication across organizations.
This complexity leads to inefficiencies, inconsistent data, and difficulty in making informed decisions. The challenge was to simplify these workflows while supporting the needs of both buyers and suppliers within a scalable enterprise system.
Impact
Redesigned workflows and introduced a scalable design system that reduced feature design and development time by 40%.
Improved usability of core workflows such as onboarding, account management, and data reporting, enabling more efficient collaboration between buyers and suppliers.
Established a foundation for consistent, scalable product development across the platform.
Insights
User Insights
- Multiple user roles (buyers, suppliers, admins) have different needs.
- Users are overwhelmed by complex workflows and large datasets.
- Onboarding and permissions lack clarity.
Insight: Users need structured, guided workflows and clear system feedback to navigate complexity.
System Insights
- Platform evolved without consistent design patterns.
- Inconsistent UI created friction and slowed development.
Insight: A unified design system was needed to scale product development and improve usability.
Business Insights
- Platform is critical for compliance and reporting.
- Efficiency directly impacts enterprise operations.
Insight: Small usability improvements can have significant business impact at scale.
User Persona
Susan is a Sustainability Manager who wants to improve supply chain sustainability and learn more about company suppliers. She needs trustworthy supplier data, clear reporting, and an efficient way to monitor progress across programs.
Design Decisions
As a senior designer, I led the redesign of key workflows and introduced scalable design patterns across the platform.
I redesigned the user login process using MUI components.
I also added an additional layer of security to the password change process. I added the option to register and log in to the platform using existing Microsoft and Google accounts, in addition to creating a new account.
Simplifying Complex Workflows
Because users struggled with multi-step processes, I redesigned onboarding, account management, and data workflows into clear, structured flows.
Role-Based Experience Design
Because multiple user roles had different needs, I designed role-based access and interfaces to tailor the experience.
Design System Implementation
Because inconsistent UI slowed development, I created a scalable design system with reusable components and patterns.
Key Flow — Onboarding & Account Setup
Led the design of key workflows including user onboarding and registration, company and multi-user account management, partner branding guidelines, role-based permissions, dashboard experiences, supplier data upload processes, analytics and comparison tools, and a RAG-based chatbot that supported communication and data access across organizations.
Login & Onboarding
I redesigned the login and onboarding experience to improve accessibility, security, and first-time user engagement.
For authentication, I introduced support for Microsoft and Google single sign-on, along with improvements to password management and recovery flows. This reduced friction for returning users while maintaining enterprise-level security.
For onboarding, I designed a flexible experience that supports multiple entry points based on user type, including paid customers, invited users, and free-access users exploring the platform. The flow adapts to each context, requiring only essential information upfront and allowing users to complete additional setup later.
Outcome: The streamlined experience lowers the barrier to entry, improves first-time user engagement, and increases conversion to paid subscriptions.
Dashboard
The dashboard serves as a dynamic central hub, providing users with a clear and structured view of key information across suppliers, tasks, and data.
I introduced an action-driven design using dynamic cards that surface tasks based on user progress and system state. Pending actions are clearly highlighted, while completed actions transition into data-driven summaries, giving users immediate feedback and visibility into outcomes.
This approach simplifies complex datasets and workflows by prioritizing the most relevant information based on user roles and responsibilities. Critical metrics, actionable items, and key updates are organized into intuitive, scannable sections.
Outcome: The redesigned dashboard improves visibility, reduces cognitive load, and enables users to quickly understand system status and take action.
Account Setup and Management
Account setup was previously inconsistent and overly complex, often requiring support team assistance to complete.
I redesigned the experience by introducing a cleaner, more structured interface and organizing account management into three independent sections: personal account, company account, and user management. This role-based approach allows administrators to manage access, permissions, and organizational data more efficiently.
Outcome: The redesigned experience simplifies account management, reduces reliance on support, and enables administrators to configure and maintain their organization with greater ease.
Design System
The SupplyShift platform evolved over time across multiple teams, resulting in inconsistent UI patterns and fragmented user experiences. This lack of standardization made it difficult and time-consuming to design, build, and maintain new features.
To address this, I introduced a scalable design system built on top of the Material UI library. I defined reusable components, interaction patterns, and visual guidelines to ensure consistency across the platform while aligning closely with engineering implementation.
I also established clearer collaboration workflows between design and engineering, enabling more efficient communication and faster iteration.
Outcome: The design system streamlined both design and development processes, reducing feature design and implementation time by 40% while improving consistency and scalability across the product.
Collaboration & Delivery Process
When I joined SupplyShift, one of the biggest challenges was a disconnect between design and engineering. Engineers were not involved early in the design process and typically received finalized designs after stakeholder approval. This lack of alignment led to rework, unclear implementation, and delays in feature delivery.
To address this, I established a more collaborative and transparent workflow across design, engineering, and product. I introduced regular design reviews, daily check-ins to track progress, and shared product design diagrams that provided visibility into feature scope and status.
This approach ensured that engineering teams were involved earlier, reduced ambiguity in implementation, and improved overall delivery efficiency.
Outcome: Stronger cross-functional alignment led to more accurate implementation, faster iteration, and a more predictable and efficient product development process.
What I Learned
Designing enterprise systems requires balancing flexibility with clarity. This project reinforced the importance of scalable design systems, structured workflows, and close collaboration with engineering to simplify complex user experiences.