B2B SaaS Platform
Redefining procurement for Penny
A strategic evolution from from Complexity to Efficiency—
transforming procurement with 75% faster Source-to-Pay cycles and 18% cost savings.
Role
Product Design
Timeline Present
Platform
SaaS Procurement
vibrant, colorful product dashboard UI for a procurement software, showing charts and data, dark mode, futuristic, clean design
"The conference room was buzzing. Procurement leaders sat across the table, visibly
frustrated. 'We're stuck. The platform is too complex,' one said. 'It's slowing us down
instead of helping us,' added another."
Penny, a $30M cloud-based Source-to-Pay platform, was intended to simplify procurement. Instead, it
had become a bottleneck for efficiency. The message was clear: if Penny didn't evolve, users would
leave.
My Mission
I stepped in as the UX Designer on this mission. My challenge wasn't just to redesign an
interface—it was to redefine the very mechanics of how procurement worked. With high stakes
and a short timeline, the expectation for me was to fix the friction fast and make the system
actually work for the people using it.
Research
Design
Testing
Implementation
Delivery
The Problem: A System That Slowed Businesses Down
Organizations were facing massive hurdles due to limited traceability, a restricted vendor network, and manual RFQ
processes. My initial audit and early feedback indicated that the platform was plagued by critical issues.
Manual Heavy Lifting
Constant manual processes and
delayed approvals
Fragmentation
Disjointed workflows across
departments
Opacity
Limited traceability and low
vendor engagement
Low Adoption
Poor user satisfaction leading
to abandonment
Inefficiency
Unable to support modern procurement speed
"We need faster decisions, not more frustration!" — Procurement User
My Role: UX Designer (Rahul)
I recognized early on that this wasn't just a UI problem; it was an operational breakdown. To solve it, I had to align
my design execution with the core business strategy.
End-to-End Execution
Owned the UX transformation from deep-dive research to
final implementation
Strategic Alignment
Worked closely with leadership to ensure design solutions
met business KPIs
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Drove daily design dialogue between product, engineering,
and operations
Scalability
Built a robust UX framework and comprehensive design
system for long-term growth
The Strategic Approach: A Data-Driven Discovery
To ensure every design decision I made had a measurable impact, I followed a structured, research-heavy UX
strategy.
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1. Stakeholder Analysis & Influence Mapping
I mapped out the key stakeholders across procurement, finance, product, and vendor teams. Using an influence matrix, I
prioritized engagement to distinguish between the ultimate decision-makers and the end-users who were facing the most daily
friction.
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Key Insight:
I discovered that procurement managers and finance teams had misaligned goals. Finance prioritized cost control, while procurement
required speed and flexibility. My designs needed to bridge this gap.
2. User Interviews & Expert Insights
I conducted in-depth interviews with procurement leads, suppliers, and finance stakeholders to get to the root of their pain.
Engaged industry experts to benchmark Penny
against procurement best practices
Utilized HotJar for contextual inquiry, observing live user
behavior and interaction patterns
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Note: Due to NDA limitations, I cannot publicly display the detailed user personas. I am happy to discuss these insights with you in person.
3. End-to-End Source-to-Pay Journey Mapping
I mapped the full journey, breaking it down into micro-journeys: Vendor Selection, RFQ Management, Approval, Negotiation, and
Purchase. I measured time delays, identified redundant actions, and highlighted every point of failure.
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Key Insights from the Journey Map:
Sending an RFQ to multiple vendors was unnecessarily confusing
Identifying the most profitable quotation was the most difficult task for users
The RFQ approval process caused a 40% slowdown due to unclear accountability
Users lacked a "single source of truth," constantly switching between the platform, spreadsheets, and emails
There was no real-time tracking for procurement status or supplier performance
4. UX Audit & Design Evaluation
I performed a rigorous audit of the existing interface to identify why users were losing trust in the system.
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Key Audit Findings:
Unintuitive Navigation
Users couldn't find key actions quickly
Inconsistency
RFQ and approval workflows felt like different products
Data Entry Fatigue
Overuse of manual inputs led to frequent errors
Visual Noise
Lack of hierarchy made scanning impossible
No Feedback Loops
Lack of real-time system status left users uncertain
Mobile Gaps
Experience was under-optimized for users on the go
5. Competitive Benchmarking
I analyzed best-in-class procurement competitor platforms to extract differentiators.
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The Gap:
Competitors used automation for approvals and offered real-time dashboards; Penny relied on manual steps and static, delayed reporting.
6. Information architecture and Flows
User navigation in Penny was fragmented, with buried information and unclear workflows. We redesigned the experience into a linear, task-focused journey, introduced universal search and filtering, and validated the information architecture through card sorting and usability testing.
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Design Strategy: From Frustration to Flow
It became clear that user success depended on a scalable UX foundation—one that delivers speed, visibility, and simplicity—necessitating a complete redesign of the information architecture.
Simplified Workflows
Transformed the RFQ process into a
clear, linear journey
Universal Access
Introduced universal search and
filtering for instant access
Validation
Used card sorting and usability testing to validate structure
The Solution Outline
1
Systematic Workflows
Scalable Source-to-Pay processes
2
Smart Comparison
A "Value Basket" feature for data-driven vendor decision-making
3
Real-time Dashboards
Instant tracking and transparency for all procurement stages
Wireframes & flows
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The Design System: Building for Scale
To ensure consistency and a seamless visual experience, I implemented an Atomic Design approach.
Scalable Design Library
Built with reusable UI components for consistency
Standardized Design Language
Typography, colors, icons, and interaction patterns
Figma Design System
High fidelity interface
I recognized early on that this wasn't just a UI problem; it was an operational breakdown. To solve it, I had to align
my design execution with the core business strategy.
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Execution: Bringing the Vision to Life
I worked with an agile mindset to ensure the designs were not just beautiful, but buildable.
Rapid Prototyping
Iterated and validated designs with
users before development
Engineering Collaboration
Conducted collaborative sprints for
pixel-perfect delivery
Change Management
Supported rollout for smooth
transition for existing users
Impact & Recognition
The transformation of Penny proved that UX is a strategic lever for business growth. By solving real user problems
with data and collaboration, we reshaped the product's trajectory.
Nada Babili
UX designer
"I highly recommend. He is a skilled, user-centered designer who consistently delivers high-quality, intuitive experiences and collaborates effectively."
Abdul Rahim
Full Stake Developer
"It was inspiring to work with Rahul who shared his passion for design and user experience."
Closing Thought
Great design isn't a decoration; it's a business strategy.
As the UX Designer on this project, I helped drive a measurable impact that powered
operational efficiency at scale. My mission remains the same: to create intuitive, high-
impact experiences that drive both user satisfaction and business success.
Thank you for reviewing this case study. Let's connect if you'd like to discuss how strategic UX
can drive your business forward.
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