How I transformed static dashboards
into a flexible data playground (that profits!)
How I transformed a static dashboard into a flexible data playground (that profits!)
Proscal is Avnet’s supply chain analytics platform for on-demand dashboards and analysis. As usage grew and market volatility increased, the team looked to introduce premium features and transform Proscal into a scalable, subscription-based SaaS product.
I joined as the founding designer and took ownership of end-to-end design across dashboards and analytics features. During this project, I collaborated closely with Data, Engineering, and Operations teams to launch a self-serve visualization tool that empowers non-technical analysts to make confident, collaborative, data-driven decisions.
Proscal is Avnet’s supply chain analytics platform for on-demand dashboards and analysis. As usage grew and market volatility increased, the team looked to introduce premium features and transform Proscal into a scalable, subscription-based SaaS product.
I joined as the founding designer and took ownership of end-to-end design across dashboards and analytics features. During this project, I collaborated closely with Data, Engineering, and Operations teams to launch a self-serve visualization tool that empowers non-technical analysts to make confident, collaborative, data-driven decisions.
Role
Founding UX Designer
Founding UX Designer
Timeline
Launched in 5 months
Launched in 5 months
Keywords
#SaaS, #0 to 1, #DataVisualization
#SaaS, #0 to 1, #DataVisualization
Impact
Impact
This feature among with other design initiatives led to a significant increase in user engagement. The platform began attracting more enterprise customers across EMEA and APAC, with potential to generate up to 3% of their annual contract value as recurring revenue. These outcomes reflect a successful shift from passive data extraction to active in-platform analysis.
This feature among with other design initiatives led to a significant increase in user engagement. The platform began attracting more enterprise customers across EMEA and APAC, with potential to generate up to 3% of their annual contract value as recurring revenue. These outcomes reflect a successful shift from passive data extraction to active in-platform analysis.
200%↑
Weekly active users
92%
Satisfaction rate
18
Global enterprise customers
3%↑
Recurring revenue potential
The Problem
The Problem
Users abandoned the platform for Excel,
causing low engagement and low perceived value
Users abandoned the platform for Excel,
causing low engagement and low perceived value
Although 45.2% of MAU use the product on any given day, they were not actively engaging with it. Average engagement time per user is less than 5min, and most users only visited 20% of the dashboard pages. Users left the platform to do their work. The experience fell short of what users would expect from a paid product.
Although 45.2% of MAU use the product on any given day, they were not actively engaging with it. Average engagement time per user is less than 5min, and most users only visited 20% of the dashboard pages. Users left the platform to do their work. The experience fell short of what users would expect from a paid product.
User Research
User Research
The root causes and its chain reactions
The root causes and its chain reactions
I interviewed both internal teams and customers to understand their workflows and pain points. When formal user research resources were limited, I embedded myself in biweekly customer meetings to capture feedback.
Although 45.2% of MAU use the product on any given day, they were not actively engaging with it. Average engagement time per user is less than 5min, and most users only visited 20% of the dashboard pages. Users left the platform to do their work. The experience fell short of what users would expect from a paid product.
Everyone wants
different visuals
Dashboards cannot be tailored to individual analysts' needs. When their questions went unanswered, they switched to Excel to run their own analysis.
Dashboards cannot be tailored to individual analysts' needs. When their questions went unanswered, they switched to Excel to run their own analysis.
Long
turnaround
Long
turnaround
Users had to wait for dashboard updates. Maintaining all those custom dashboards also became a hassle.
Inefficient
collaboration
Inefficient
collaboration
Since all collaboration happened through emails, multiple file versions made it hard to collaborate.
Data
exposure risk
Data
exposure
risk
Communicating through emails exposes sensitive data to unauthorized access and increases the risk of breaches
From Vision to Action
From Vision to Action
What if users can create their own dashboards within the platform and share it with others?
What if users can create their own dashboards within the platform and share it with others?
With the team inspired by the IKEA effect and aligned on a vision of "proactive intelligence," I started analyzing our users’ workflows to make the transition to this feature frictionless, especially for non-technical users.
With the team inspired by the IKEA effect and aligned on a vision of "proactive intelligence," I started analyzing our users’ workflows to make the transition to this feature frictionless, especially for non-technical users.
Behind The Scene
Behind The Scene
Prototyping, testing, and more
Prototyping, testing, and more
How I aligned engineering and product vision early through rapid prototyping?
I kicked off the design process by building a usable prototype with a developer. This quickly clarified the need to support multiple charts on a single page, and early engineering involvement helped accelerate the MVP later on.
I kicked off the design process by building a usable prototype with a developer. This quickly clarified the need to support multiple charts on a single page, and early engineering involvement helped accelerate the MVP later on.
How I decided on visual structure through experiments?
I created multiple versions of design elements and tested with the internal team and users. Through filtering the feedback and iterating, we landed on the final structure.
I created multiple versions of design elements and tested with the internal team and users. Through filtering the feedback and iterating, we landed on the final structure.
Final design: left edit panel
Maximizes space for charts, enables real time edits
Version 2: bottom edit panel
Occupies too much screen space
Version 3: Pop-up edit panel
Disrupts editing flows
How I ensured scalability and accessibility?
I explored different color options and panel layouts to support additional chart types and ensured the colors were accessible and compatible with diverse chart palettes.
I explored different color options and panel layouts to support additional chart types and ensured the colors were accessible and compatible with diverse chart palettes.
Final design
Ensures accessibility, maximizes content
Version 2: different color combo
Not compatible with customers' theme colors
Version 3: different layout
Shows less information, not suitable for more chart types
Final Design
Final Design
Playground: A dynamic space to
build, customize, and share data visualizations
Playground: A dynamic space to
build, customize, and share data visualizations
Dynamic 3-panel workflow
The three-panel layout preserves familiar analytical workflows, helping non-technical users adopt the feature with minimal friction
The three-panel layout preserves familiar analytical workflows, helping non-technical users adopt the feature with minimal friction
Edit panel
The workflow starts by selecting a chart type from the left edit panel. Users then configure the visualization by assigning X and Y axes, mirroring how they naturally describe a chart.
The workflow starts by selecting a chart type from the left edit panel. Users then configure the visualization by assigning X and Y axes, mirroring how they naturally describe a chart.
Main view responsive grid
To balance user flexibility with development feasibility, we introduced a default responsive grid system. Each row can fit up to 4 KPI cards, 2 visualization components, and 1 data table.
To balance user flexibility with development feasibility, we introduced a default responsive grid system. Each row can fit up to 4 KPI cards, 2 visualization components, and 1 data table.
Filter panel
The filter panel staying lightweight by default but expanding to support page-level filtering when users need deeper control.
The filter panel staying lightweight by default but expanding to support page-level filtering when users need deeper control.
2-level filtering
Beside page-level filters that apply across all charts, individual chart filter is available for more granular analysis, enabling deep dives into specific datasets.
Beside page-level filters that apply across all charts, individual chart filter is available for more granular analysis, enabling deep dives into specific datasets.
Collaborate with consistency
Users can share dashboards directly within the platform, improving transparency, reducing duplicate work, and keeping teams aligned.
Users can share dashboards directly within the platform, improving transparency, reducing duplicate work, and keeping teams aligned.
Full Interaction
Creating a fully customized dashboard with ease
Playground lets users follow familiar Excel-like steps to explore data visually by picking a chart type then plotting the data. It lowers the learning curve and empowers users to illustrate what they need.
Playground lets users follow familiar Excel-like steps to explore data visually by picking a chart type then plotting the data. It lowers the learning curve and empowers users to illustrate what they need.
Start Fast with Dashboard Templates (Future iteration)
During MVP testing, I uncovered a common use case: analysts frequently used this feature to create with consistent visual structures. Inspired by tools like Notion, I designed a phase 2 update that provides pre-designed dashboard templates to help users skip the setup and focus on insights.
During MVP testing, I uncovered a common use case: analysts frequently used this feature to create with consistent visual structures. Inspired by tools like Notion, I designed a phase 2 update that provides pre-designed dashboard templates to help users skip the setup and focus on insights.
Results
Results
Driving user engagement and platform value
Driving user engagement and platform value
High satisfaction, high engagement
After launching the MVP to 3 customers and testing with 89 users, the majority agreed that the feature effectively addressed dashboard limitations and streamlined their workflows.
After launching the MVP to 3 customers and testing with 89 users, the majority agreed that the feature effectively addressed dashboard limitations and streamlined their workflows.
200%
weekly platform usage
increase for adopters
92%
Satisfaction rate
among early adopters
7/10
Value score
of willingness-to-pay
2
dashboards created
per user per week
Creating potential revenue stream
This feature marks the first step in our strategic transformation from a passive dashboard service to a standardized, revenue-generating analytics platform. It lowered the internal operational effort, and brought a positive revenue forecast.
This feature marks the first step in our strategic transformation from a passive dashboard service to a standardized, revenue-generating analytics platform. It lowered the internal operational effort, and brought a positive revenue forecast.
70%
less support tickets
related to dashboard customization
3-5%
incremental revenue increase
once fully launch with upcoming premium offering
Reflection
Reflection
What users want ≠ need:
We needed to break out of the reactive pattern
What users want ≠ need:
We needed to break out of the reactive pattern
Through a series of research and user feedback, we realized that simply “building what they requested” was not enough to create a product worth paying for. The team needed a strategic shift to set the direction for the next stage of development and actively expand feature offerings.
Through a series of research and user feedback, we realized that simply “building what they requested” was not enough to create a product worth paying for. The team needed a strategic shift to set the direction for the next stage of development and actively expand feature offerings.
From executer to initiator
From executer to initiator
Leading this project allowed me to step beyond executing assigned tasks and take ownership of the product vision. I drove research, synthesized insights, and translated them into strategic design decisions that balanced user needs, business goals, and technical feasibility. These requirements encouraged me to think critically about prioritizing the product roadmap and to constantly evaluate which new features would deliver the most value without overextending the team and the timeline.
Leading this project allowed me to step beyond executing assigned tasks and take ownership of the product vision. I drove research, synthesized insights, and translated them into strategic design decisions that balanced user needs, business goals, and technical feasibility. These requirements encouraged me to think critically about prioritizing the product roadmap and to constantly evaluate which new features would deliver the most value without overextending the team and the timeline.
Up Next
Designed by Hailey Yixuan Li
Up Next
Designed by Hailey Yixuan Li