Conceptual system designed to eliminate inventory discrepancies, automate restock workflows, track expiry on perishables, and centralise operational decision-making across a retail chain.
Systems DesignProduct StrategyUX/UI ThinkingBusiness AnalysisQA PlanningSW Architecture
25%
Inventory discrepancy reduction
Target improvement
15%
Carrying cost reduction
Target improvement
AUD 1.5M
Projected NPV
Net Present Value
~1.45 yr
Discounted payback
Return on investment
01Problem
Operational Chaos Before the System
FreshMart operated with spreadsheets, manual records and fragmented processes across branches. No single source of truth. No alert system. No visibility.
Before — Manual Chaos
📋
Spreadsheets everywhere
No single source of truth across branches
📉
Frequent stockouts
Restock decisions made too late, no alert system
📈
Over-inventory on slow items
Carrying costs rising, no demand visibility
🗑️
Perishable losses
Expiry tracked manually — high shrinkage rate
🔀
Fragmented processes
Each branch operated independently, no centralised ops
After — Digital Control
📡
Centralised inventory visibility
All branches on one platform, real-time stock data
🔔
Automated low-stock alerts
Restock orders triggered before stockouts occur
📊
Demand-aligned ordering
Order quantities guided by usage patterns
⏰
Expiry risk tracking
Perishables flagged by risk tier, acted on early
✅
Approval workflows
Manager approval queues, supplier confirmations
💸
Financial impact
Stock losses and carrying costs directly hitting margin
⚡
Operational drag
Staff time wasted on manual reconciliation
😟
Customer experience
Stockouts causing lost sales and trust erosion
🐢
Slow decisions
No data = reactive management, not proactive
02Role & Scope
What I Did — and What I Didn't
🎯
Role
Systems Analyst
Product & Solution Designer
🔍
Focus
Business case · Workflows
Requirements · UX direction · QA
📋
Deliverables
Requirements · Use cases
Financial model · Rollout logic
📌
Scope note: This is a conceptual system design — not a production deployment. Prototype demonstrates UX direction and system logic. Financial model, QA plan and rollout strategy were formally developed. No backend was implemented.
03Solution
System Architecture — Functional View
FreshMart OS centralises stock visibility, order tracking, operational alerts and reporting in a single experience for staff, management and operations.
Value Speeds up decision-making, reduces risk of missing critical stock events
app/product-/-stock-table
Product / Stock Table
Purpose Full inventory list with filtering, search and inline actions
UX Dense data table, scannable rows, status-coded columns, bulk actions
Value Staff can find and update stock quickly without navigation overhead
app/expiry-risk-view
🔴 High
🟡 Medium
🟢 OK
Expiry Risk View
Purpose Perishables classified by urgency, prioritised for action
UX Red/yellow/green risk tiers, countdown badges, fast action buttons
Value Reduces perishable waste — staff act before expiry, not after
app/order-approval-page
Order Approval Page
Purpose Manager reviews and approves/rejects pending restock orders
UX Approval card per order, item summary visible, single-tap approve/reject
Value Accountable ordering with audit trail — no orders bypass review
app/supplier-tracking-view
Dispatched
In Transit
Awaiting Delivery
Confirmed
Supplier Tracking View
Purpose Track active orders from dispatch to delivery confirmation
UX Status timeline per order, supplier name visible, ETA indicator
Value Reduces uncertainty — staff know what's coming and when
app/reports-page
Weekly
Monthly
Custom
Reports Page
Purpose Aggregate inventory data into actionable operational insights
UX Report type selector, date range, key metrics summary, export action
Value Evidence-based management — weekly/monthly reviews backed by data
app/admin-/-staff-management
👩💼
Store Manager
👷
Store Staff ×3
🖥️
IT Support
⚙️
System Admin
Admin / Staff Management
Purpose User creation, role assignment and permissions
UX Role-based access per user, invite flow, active/inactive status visible
Value Security and accountability — each action traceable to a specific user
07Business Case
Financial Justification & Projected Value
This project was evaluated with a formal business case. The financial model quantifies expected return against development cost — making the proposal defensible, not just visual.
AUD 1.5M
Projected NPV
Net Present Value
~1.45 yr
Discounted payback
Return on investment
25%
Discrepancy reduction
Target accuracy improvement
15%
Carrying cost reduction
Overstock and holding savings
💻
Development Cost Estimate
Covering design, development, testing and initial deployment
📈
Annual Benefit Projection
Savings from reduced shrinkage, lower carrying costs, efficiency gains
📐
NPV Calculation
Discounted cash flow over the projected system lifetime
⚖️
Risk & Constraint Analysis
Technical, operational and adoption risks with mitigations
08Delivery Readiness
Testing, Training & Rollout Strategy
QA coverage, training by role and a phased rollout were designed alongside the system — not as an afterthought.
QA Coverage Matrix
Login / Access
Functional
Inventory View
Functional + UX
Place Order
Functional + Flow
Track Order
Integration
Notifications
Functional
Inventory Report
Data + Export
Approve Orders
Functional + Auth
Update Stock
Functional + Scan
Scan Items
Device + Functional
Manage Expiry
Functional + Risk
Training Plan by Role
👷
Store Staff
Inventory update flow
Item scanning
Expiry queue actions
Stock discrepancy reporting
👩💼
Store Managers
Approval workflows
Dashboard and KPIs
Report generation
Alert response protocols
⚙️
System Admins
User management
Role configuration
System monitoring
Escalation procedures
Phased Rollout Strategy
Phase 1
Core Inventory Visibility
Basic inventory dashboard
Stock level tracking
Low-stock alerts
Single branch pilot
Phase 2
Ordering & Approvals
Restock request workflow
Manager approval queue
Supplier dispatch
Multi-branch expansion
Phase 3
Reporting & Full Adoption
Full reporting suite
Expiry management module
System-wide rollout
Training & change mgmt
09Capabilities
What This Project Demonstrates
🏗️
Systems Design
Defined actors, modules, workflows and operational logic — translating a business problem into a structured digital system.
Actor AnalysisModule DesignWorkflow Mapping
💡
Product Strategy
Prioritised functionality around operational impact, aligned features with business goals and defined measurable success metrics.
PrioritisationBusiness AlignmentKPI Definition
🖼️
UX/UI Thinking
Designed task-oriented screens with clear visual hierarchy, status communication and support for rapid operational decisions.
QA coverage matrix, role-based training plan and phased rollout strategy — deployment as part of the design.
QA PlanningTraining DesignPhased Rollout
10Reflection
Lessons Learned
01
Understand the operation before designing the system
The most valuable design decisions came from mapping the existing process — not from jumping to screens. Understanding what breaks manually is where system value actually lives.
02
A good interface without clear business logic doesn't solve the problem
Visual polish is easy to confuse with system quality. The hard work is in workflows, validation rules and edge cases — not the colour palette.
03
Financial viability strengthens any digital proposal
Adding a business case transforms a prototype pitch into a strategic recommendation. Numbers force honest prioritisation and make trade-offs visible.
04
QA, training and rollout are design decisions — not afterthoughts
A system nobody knows how to use is a failed system regardless of technical quality. Deployment readiness should be designed in parallel.
05
Limiting MVP scope is what makes a concept credible
Trying to design everything at once produces nothing demonstrable. Clear phasing between what's core and what's next makes a proposal actionable.
🛒
From ambiguity to structured digital solutions.
This project reflects my ability to connect business analysis, systems thinking, interface design and delivery planning — moving from a vague operational problem to a credible, structured solution.