Design Process
I conducted interviews with two retailer buyers from Ocean Leisure to gain insights into their challenges with inventory management and supplier coordination. After gathering and analysing their pain points, I identified opportunities to streamline their workflows. From there, I created wireframes and iteratively refined the design to ensure it addressed their needs. Once the design was solidified, I built an interactive prototype showcasing two key user journeys. This hands-on approach allowed me to design a solution grounded in real-world challenges, improving visibility and operational efficiency for the retailer.
User Journeys
1. Monitor and Replenish Low Stock
To ensure stores never run out of popular products, I created a Low Stock Dashboard, from which managers can:
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View Stock Alerts: A clear summary highlights products nearing their reorder threshold.
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Quick Action Replenishment: Clicking the yellow-highlighted Low Stock card leads to a list of low-stock items. From here, managers can generate supplier orders using the "Request Replenishment" link.
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Automatic Order Generation: The platform pre-fills an order form using the store’s reorder quantity settings, minimising errors and saving time.
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Supplier-Specific Tabs: Since products are sourced from multiple suppliers, the platform raises an alert to inform the manager, then proceeds to organise orders by supplier, simplifying the submission process.
2. Track Supplier Deliveries
To provide visibility into deliveries, I implemented a Delivery Tracking System that updates store managers on shipment progress in real-time. Recognising that suppliers may use different courier services, I conducted research into feasible API solutions that could consolidate tracking data. I identified EasyPost, a service that aggregates information from multiple couriers into a unified system.
Managers can:
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View Delivery Updates: A central hub displaying key metrics, a summary table of recent orders and recent activity updated via API calls to EasyPost
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Live Track on Map: Using a Google Maps iframe, the map displays the courier’s current location with a marker.
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Receive Delivery Status Updates: Real-time updates are displayed using EasyPost’s webhook JSON responses. Updates include statuses like In Transit, Out for Delivery and Delivered.
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Contact Courier : Store managers can view carrier information and get in touch via 'Contact Courier' button.
Next Steps
While this case study highlights two key user journeys, the platform is designed as a centralised solution to manage all aspects of the retailer's logistics. The vertical menu offers access to additional dashboards for overseeing customer order shipments, streamlining billing processes, and generating detailed reports. Even within the two explored user journeys, I’ve identified further opportunities for enhancement, including:
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Implementing predictive analytics to forecast low stock before it occurs.
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Adding a notification system to alert store managers about delayed deliveries.
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Expanding the dashboard with insights on supplier reliability and delivery performance.
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Introducing automated reorder suggestions based on seasonal sales trends and historical data.
This project emphasises the design of a functional, user-centred platform that leverages existing service technology through API integration, while effectively condensing complex information into a simple format.
