The Magnit vendor management system is a configurable cloud-based SaaS solution designed to manage the end-to-end workflow of the contingent workforce. Key functions include candidate sourcing, bill rate and margin review, cost optimization, assignment management, and onboarding and offboarding processes.
My Role:
Feedback from users of the desktop application highlighted the need for a mobile solution to increase productivity by enabling access to key features from smartphones and tablets. The challenge was to design a mobile version of the desktop application that maintained consistency in look and feel while delivering familiarity in experience across both environments. A critical aspect of the problem was adapting the data-driven interface of the desktop version to the limited screen real estate of mobile devices without compromising usability, functionality, or workflow efficiency.
The research phase of the desktop application provided critical insights that shaped the mobile design. Analytics revealed that certain powerful functionalities were infrequently used by most user roles, presenting opportunities to streamline workflows for the mobile experience. To further refine this approach, we conducted user surveys and interviews targeting distinct user roles, aiming to identify high-value features indispensable for users' productivity.
Based on feedback, we prioritized integrating the top three high-priority functionalities for each user role, ensuring the mobile application met their most critical needs. For instance, task management tools, originally part of a robust project management suite on the desktop version, were simplified to include only essential actions, enhancing usability while maintaining productivity.
Interviews with power users highlighted a recurring need for quick access to data visualization tools. While some of these tools were processor-intensive on desktop, users expressed satisfaction with simplified, static visual summaries when on the go, preferring them over fully interactive graphs due to performance constraints within the mobile environment.
With user feedback as a guiding principle and the project's requirements clearly defined, I began the design process by creating a user flow diagram that mapped the user's journey, starting from the login screen and progressing to the app's dashboard. This laid the groundwork for a user-centered experience, aligning the team and stakeholders while cultivating a shared understanding of the user experience objectives and overarching design strategy.
Users prioritized ease of searching, filtering, and managing a list of records within the mobile environment. They sought a seamless transition between desktop and mobile interfaces to maintain their workflow efficiency, with common tasks like editing, saving, and adding new records being central to their experience. To address these needs, I began by creating user flow diagrams to map out the tasks users would perform on the searchable list screen.
I conducted usability tests with a representative sample of users, focusing on key tasks essential to the application's functionality. These tasks included performing a search and applying filters, editing a record and saving changes, and adding a new record.
The final design successfully addressed user pain points and improved task efficiency, achieving:
The resulting mobile application was both lightweight and efficient, prioritizing user-preferred features without overwhelming the device or the user. By leveraging data-driven insights and iterative feedback, the mobile experience aligned with user needs while respecting technical constraints.
