B2B SaaS
Approval Workflow Configuration
I was tasked with redesigning an approval workflow configuration feature that, while powerful, was so complex it required a computer science background to use. My challenge was to make a powerful system incredibly simple for the average user. The goal was to empower users to build complex, multi-step workflows without needing to understand the underlying technical complexity.
My Role
As the Senior Lead Product Designer, I owned the end-to-end redesign of this critical feature. My key contributions included:
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Simplifying a highly technical process into a simple, user-friendly flow.
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Designing a new, intuitive interaction for adding approvers that was reusable across the platform.
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Creating a "wow-factor" visual representation of the workflow that was useful for both administrators and end-users.
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Leading numerous design iterations and reviews with cross-functional teams, including the implementation specialists who would be the primary users.
The Problem
Key Pain Points:
Our existing approval workflow configuration feature was a classic example of a powerful tool with a critical usability flaw. The feature was built on a robust technical engine, but its user interface was a tangled mess of settings and options that made it nearly impossible to configure without extensive training.
Administrators and implementation specialists were frustrated by the complexity, and this pain point was a significant barrier to adoption. My challenge was to take this powerful backend and wrap it in an interface that would make the system do all the complex, heavy lifting, while giving the user a really simple and straightforward experience.
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The feature was so difficult to use that it essentially required a computer science degree, alienating non-technical users
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The workflow for adding and configuring approvals was cumbersome and unintuitive.
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The solution needed to be simple enough to launch quickly for a subset of customers with basic needs, but also flexible and scalable enough to handle future complex workflows.
The Process & My Contribution
Research Asset
Design & Strategy
I started with the guiding principle that the user should not have to understand the feature's complexity; they just needed to know the names of the people they needed to route approvals to. I decided to focus on a new, simple interaction for adding approvers, a pattern that I knew could be used in many other places in the system.
I also envisioned a visual representation of the workflow as a core part of the solution, believing it would be a game-changer for usability.
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Solution
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Effortless Approver Selection: I created a new, streamlined interaction for adding users as approvers. I conducted user testing on this new pattern, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive—users "breezed through it," which confirmed its simplicity and effectiveness.
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The Workflow Visualizer: I designed a dynamic, visual representation of the approval path. This visual element had a "wow-factor" and was so effective at showing a beginner user they had built their flow correctly that it was later incorporated into the end-user buyer's experience. This allowed the end-user to see the exact path their request would take before it became an approved purchase.
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Collaborative Design: I went through numerous iterations and reviews, not just with other designers, but also with our implementation team. When I showed the design to a specialist on the team, they exclaimed, "Can I have this right now?" a powerful testament to the design's immediate value.
The Impact
Solution Asset
This project is a prime example of successful design through simplification. By taking a complex, frustrating feature and making it intuitive, we empowered a wider range of users to create robust approval workflows.
The new, reusable approver interaction streamlined the design process for other features, and the powerful workflow visualizer delighted both the administrative users and the end-user buyers.
My approach proved that with a user-centered focus, we could make even the most technical backends feel simple and approachable.
