Pancake
An interior design platform tailored for clients, designers, and stakeholders.
Overview
Pancake is a startup that developed an online platform where interior designers and clients collaborate in real-time sessions to bring design visions to life. With established branding for three user roles—clients, designers, and administrators—the platform’s interface was tailored to support the unique needs of each.
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I handled all UX/UI aspects of the project, including conducting user research and creating prototypes for each section of the website.
Goal
Pancake Live
The aim was to develop and enhance a web and mobile platform for virtual interior design sessions for Pancake clients. Users can schedule appointments, upload images, view 3D renders of their envisioned space, and potentially purchase any furniture featured in the design session.
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Pancake Designer
From the interior designer's perspective, easy access to client information, as well as delivering the renders and products used in the session, was crucial.
The objective of this webpage was to enhance this experience, making it more convenient for designers to deliver their work.
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Pancake Admin
The admin version required displaying different sets of information. Admins needed to oversee sales, promotions, employees, schedules, and follow up on client leads. This design and page were developed to fulfill these requirements.
Role
Lead UX Designer
Tools
Figma, Google Analytics, Hotjar
Pancake Live
Users could use this platform to upload information, manage appointments, facilitate payments for sessions or gift them, provide feedback and ideas to the interior designers, explore ongoing promotions, and purchase furniture featured in the designs delivered to them.
The Pancake Live designs were fully responsive, ensuring seamless adaptation across any device the user logged into.
Feedback
In the fast-paced startup environment, and with input from both stakeholders and designers, the initial client-facing screens were released without prior testing. The strategy focused on gathering feedback after launch to iteratively improve and refine the user flow for greater intuitiveness.
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Following this, I collaborated closely with the Development team to prioritize sections for enhancement, aligning improvements with client needs and stakeholder requirements
Feedback received from clients
User Journey Improvement & Wireframes
With user feedback and business goals in focus, we prioritized creating a seamless path to the booking screen. To optimize the booking flow, we conducted A/B testing to determine the most efficient way for users to complete their bookings. We also utilized tools like Hotjar and Google Analytics to identify user preferences, analyze user flows, and pinpoint steps where users hesitated or abandoned the page.
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Additionally, we implemented UI improvements in sections where users upload information and on pre-meeting screens. To better showcase designers' work, we created a dedicated deliverables page for more effective presentation. All of these elements were developed as high-fidelity wireframes in Figma, which the development team then brought to life.
Booking Screen: Room Selection
Pancake Designer
Interior designers could see their colleagues projects, verified if the client has uploaded the information and if the 3D render of the client’s space has been uploaded.​
​Designer’s could add different furniture and their respective 3D models to use in the online sessions.
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Unlike Pancake Live, this version was designed exclusively for desktop use
User Research: Interviews
To foster a more user-friendly environment for designers, we gathered insights through open-ended questions and asked them to describe their workflow experiences. Similar to Pancake Live, this version launched with limited initial testing and minimal input from designers. To enhance their experience, we incorporated all feedback to streamline the platform and support their work more effectively.
Wireframes
I used Figma to turn my initial sketches into low-fidelity wireframes. At this stage, the wireframes were detailed enough for early user testing, so I conducted five tests. Feedback on the profile and points calculator was positive, while the catalog section needed further adjustments. After making these tweaks, I moved on to building high-fidelity prototypes.
Product Management and 3D Models Archive
Pancake Admin
Admin features were developed with careful consideration of the their needs, informed by interviews and research into similar tools. This approach ensured that the screens were efficiently designed to enhance usability for administrators.
Research
Interviews
Stakeholder interviews were conducted to understand their daily needs and requirements. Given the operational nature of their work, it was essential to present their data in a clear and accessible manner to streamline their tasks.
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Design Patterns
Following the interviews, I researched various design patterns from other platforms to establish an intuitive mental model, reducing the learning curve for users.
Wireframes
Taking into account the extensive prior research and gathered requirements, high-fidelity wireframes were created to effectively accommodate the various functions that administrators perform on a daily basis. These wireframes were designed to enhance usability and streamline their workflow.
Financial Perfomance Dashboard
Overall UI Design
The UI design was developed based on the company's established branding. Utilizing this color palette, I personalized the design system using Material UI, reflecting a fun yet sophisticated aesthetic. This theme was consistently applied across all three user roles: Clients, Admins, and Designers
Learnings
Working closely with the development team enhanced my ability to handover designs effectively. I also learned how to better integrate their perspectives into the design process.
Outcomes
All users respondents ( All designers, admins and a sample of 30 users ) expressed satisfaction with the implemented improvements. The enhancements tailored for each role on the platform fostered better user engagement, resulting in a more streamlined experience for designers, administrators and clients.
