CHANNELS: DESKTOP APPLICATION

ROLE: UX LEAD | UX RESEARCHER | CREATIVE DIRECTOR

A Fragmented, Inefficient System

At one of the world’s largest energy providers, workforce forecasting was a complex and disjointed process. Critical staffing data was scattered across multiple systems making it difficult for leadership to anticipate project needs. Teams struggled with inconsistent data, siloed information, and last-minute staffing gaps; all issues that slowed down global operations and impacted business outcomes.

As a UX Lead, my team and I were assigned an opportunity to redefine resource forecasting by creating a unified platform that would give leadership real-time insights, predictive analytics, and greater control over workforce planning.

Team topology consisted of internal stakeholders as subject matter experts and proxy users, myself, project manager along with onshore business analysts, nearshore design team, and offshore development team.

Finding Insights Without Direct field management Access

A major challenge was limited access to end users due to geographic constraints. Instead of letting this slow us down, I turned to proxy user workshops, working closely with internal stakeholders who mirrored our target audience. These sessions helped us:

From Complexity to Clarity: Redesigning the System

With a clearer understanding of the problem, my team conducted a deep-dive through heuristic analysis across five disconnected systems, uncovering bottlenecks that slowed decision-making. Using these insights, we streamlined data structures to eliminate redundancy, designed API integrations to connect siloed information, and created a centralized, real-time view of workforce availability—transforming efficiency and decision-making.

These insights became the foundation for a smarter, more intuitive workforce planning solution. Without direct user access, we embraced a culture of rapid experimentation.

Prototype Testing: Nested Resource Selection Pattern

Video depicts a recording of a stakeholder interacting with Miller Column design to select nested resource features for creating resource group for forecasting (we only had access to historical data, over 5 years old, due to content sensitivity). This was one of four iterations and interaction patterns tested in the project.

The iterative approach allowed us to validate concepts quickly, refine designs based on feedback, and accelerate development. To ensure long-term success, we extended the company’s enterprise design system with new interaction patterns that supported large-scale forecasting and resource management. The goal was to future-proof the platform, making it adaptable to evolving workforce dynamics and business needs.

Design for usability, and designed for visual impact

To enhance forecasting accuracy, we introduced advanced analytics and resource forecasting UI best practices. This included predictive modeling to anticipate skill shortages before they impacted projects, data-driven algorithms to optimize resource allocation based on workload fluctuations (pinch points), and anomaly detection to flag inconsistencies across global teams. Additionally, we streamlined workforce request inputs with intuitive design, reducing manual effort. These improvements empowered leadership with proactive decision-making tools, ensuring they could stay ahead of workforce demands.

Measurable Business Impact: UX Drives WORKFORCE VALUE

Lessons IN DESIGN Leadership: EMPOWERING Business Transformation

This initiative wasn’t just about improving an interface—it transformed how a global organization anticipates, allocates, and optimizes its workforce. Major insights and outcomes: