Home depot
Reducing operational friction across one of North America's largest retail supply chains
Role
Sr. Product Designer - UX UI
Industry
Retail Operations
Platform
Web + Mobile
Impact
Optimized inventory replenishment
Reframing the Problem
The systems made those jobs harder than they needed to be.
Every day, store associates receive shipments, count inventory, update stock levels, and ensure products remain available for customers.
These activities happen continuously, often while employees are assisting customers, moving throughout the store, and responding to operational demands.
As operational complexity increased, small inefficiencies multiplied across thousands of stores and millions of inventory transactions.
The challenge was reducing the effort required to perform routine operational tasks accurately and efficiently.
01
Manual counting
Inventory discrepancies frequently originated during material counting and data entry workflows.
Every additional interaction increased the likelihood of mistakes.
02
Shipment visibility
Critical shipment information existed across multiple systems, forcing employees to switch contexts to complete operational tasks.
03
Operational tasks
Associates rarely completed workflows in controlled environments.
Tasks were frequently interrupted by customer interactions and competing priorities.
The turning point
We weren't redesigning inventory management.
Manual counting processes created the majority of inventory inaccuracies.
70% of inventory discrepancies originated during manual counting and inventory update workflows.
Shipment visibility was fragmented across multiple systems.
Speed and simplicity mattered more than feature depth.
The touchpoint "The problem wasn't that employees didn't know what to do. The problem was how much effort it took to do it."
Understanding the users
Became the foundation for every design decision that followed.
Sarah
Store Associate
Manages inventory, shipments, and daily store operations while assisting customers. Needs fast, reliable workflows that minimize effort and reduce errors.
Michael
Operations Supervisor
Oversees inventory accuracy and shipment execution across the store. Needs visibility into operational status and confidence in inventory data.
David
Operations Manager
Responsible for operational consistency and performance across multiple locations. Needs accurate reporting, shipment visibility, and scalable processes that support efficiency.
→ How might we reduce errors during inventory counting?
→ How might we improve visibility across shipment workflows?
→ How might we help employees complete tasks faster?
→ How might we simplify repetitive operational processes?
→ How might we support employees working in fast-paced environments?
Simplify material counting workflows
Counting interactions generated a significant portion of inventory inaccuracies. I redesigned counting experiences to reduce the number of actions required to complete updates.
Critical information
Shipment status, inventory updates, and operational information were often hidden behind multiple navigation layers. I prioritized immediate access to the most important information
Real-time inventory updates
Operational delays frequently occurred between physical actions and system updates. I redesigned workflows to synchronize inventory updates more directly with store activities.
Work in motion
Most enterprise tools assume users are sitting at a desk. Store associates are constantly moving. Interactions were optimized for quick completion, interrupted workflows, and mobile usage scenarios.
