ChannelSimplify - Design Case Study

Objective

Create a globally competitive channel manager

Nepal did not have a channel manager of its own. This means that all the channel managers used in the Nepalese hospitality sector were globally competitive software. We had to create a local offering that was as good, and if not, better than the rest. The main challenge while working on this project was the limited interaction with the actual users.

Objective

Create a globally competitive channel manager

My Role

Design Lead
UI Design
User-centered
Research

Process

Competitive Analysis
User Interviews
Task Flow Breakdown
Prototype Exploration

Deliverables

Detailed User Flows
Design System
Comprehensive Icon Pack
High-fidelity Prototypes

Challenges

Hurdles along the way

We had restricted access to the user base. Hotels were unwilling to share their staff hours and the managers had little incentive to let us into their working process. We had to find ways to work around the limitations and still uncover the needs as well as the pain points of the users.

Approach

How we solved the problem

While we had limited access to the users, we could always go to where our users went. We conducted a thorough analysis and a usability-centered deconstruction of multiple competitor platforms. We also got lucky with a few user interviews. Rebuilding everything, although complicated, was a rewarding process nonetheless.

See all Images

Approach

How we solved the problem

Design Outcomes

Some highlights

After settling on the user flows, key screens were designed and then a design system was built based on the aesthetics that was settled on. A key part of the application was the navigational aspect of the design. We wanted to create a simple yet robust navigation pattern.

Please scroll more to see all that we were able to accomplish.

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Hierarchical and flexible navigation pattern

Nesting-enabled side drawer coupled with scroll supporting tabbed navigation

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A well-defined design system

Clear UI elements, defined patterns, extensive icons

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Mid fidelity prototypes

Every screen and interaction was laid out in detail to avoid any confusion during development

Reflections

This was one of the first product design initiatives that I lead and I learned a great deal from this experience. Some of the key learning that I am proud of.

Creating a design system for a product with a large scope
Making pixel-perfect icons and ensuring visual consistency in a large group of icons
The importance of early planning to ensure smooth operations later on
How to collaborate with developers, delegate efficiently, and plan for QA