On this page

Intro

The Brief

My Design Process

Align & Accelerate

Design & Architect

Pivotal Point

Deliver & Launch

Personal Reflections

Reflection

Publisher CMS

Replacing chaotic WhatsApp groups with a structured operations hub.
Hero Image show case of event
Hero Image show case of event
Hero Image show case of event
Summary

Led product design for a 3-month MVP CMS that centralized critical updates for Swiss hospitality teams. The platform provided a secure, multi-language alternative to scattered WhatsApp groups, with structured Events, News, and Wiki pages accessible in German, French, Italian, and English.

Led product design for a 3-month MVP CMS that centralized critical updates for Swiss hospitality teams. The platform provided a secure, multi-language alternative to scattered WhatsApp groups, with structured Events, News, and Wiki pages accessible in German, French, Italian, and English.

My Role

Design Lead

Team

· 1 Part-time UI Designer · 2 Senior Project Manager · 7 Developers

Responsabilities

· UI/UX Design, UX Strategy · Cross-functional Collab · Design Systems, Prototyping, User test

Timeline

June - August 2024

The Brief

What was the problem?

Hospitality admins in Switzerland's multi-lingual landscape struggled to communicate critical updates. Reliance on informal tools like WhatsApp led to missed messages in different languages, causing operational errors and team fragmentation.

Hospitality admins in Switzerland's multi-lingual landscape struggled to communicate critical updates. Reliance on informal tools like WhatsApp led to missed messages in different languages, causing operational errors and team fragmentation.

The Core Challengues

Create a Centralized Hub for Operations
Design for Speed & Simplicity
Build a Modular Product Ecosystem
Design for a Multi-Lingual Workforce
Create a Centralized Hub for Operations
Design for Speed & Simplicity
Build a Modular Product Ecosystem
Design for a Multi-Lingual Workforce
Create a Centralized Hub for Operations
Design for Speed & Simplicity
Build a Modular Product Ecosystem
Design for a Multi-Lingual Workforce

My Design Process

1. Align & Accelerate

Creating a shared vision in the team

Facing a hard 100-day deadline, we kicked off with a collaborative Design Sprint. I facilitated workshops with developers, founders, and product owners, using low-fidelity mockups and competitive analysis to quickly align on a "good enough" MVP vision and build a shared understanding across all disciplines from day one.

Low Fi Wireframe

Strategic map defining target users, business goals, and product needs that aligned the entire team.

Low Fi Wireframe

Strategic map defining target users, business goals, and product needs that aligned the entire team.

Low Fi Wireframe

Strategic map defining target users, business goals, and product needs that aligned the entire team.

wireframe detail

Early conceptual sketches created during the sprint to quickly visualize the "Favur 100" MVP idea.

wireframe detail

Early conceptual sketches created during the sprint to quickly visualize the "Favur 100" MVP idea.

wireframe detail

Early conceptual sketches created during the sprint to quickly visualize the "Favur 100" MVP idea.

Results

20+

Concepts explored

20+

Concepts explored

20+

Concepts explored

4

Stakeholder Groups

4

Stakeholder Groups

4

Stakeholder Groups

1

Common Vision

1

Common Vision

1

Common Vision

2. Design & Architect

Building a smart CMS

I designed the high-fidelity UI and a modular design system. The core architectural challenge was designing around a secure, existing employee database. This allowed the CMS to use pre-defined team structures (e.g., "Kitchen," "Bar") to let admins target messages with surgical precision—like announcing a repair only to affected staff.

Favur Publisher look an feel

Favur Publisher screens look and feel

Favur Publisher look an feel

Favur Publisher screens look and feel

Favur Publisher look an feel

Favur Publisher screens look and feel

Desigm System

The reusable component library, built for consistency and to accelerate development.

Desigm System

The reusable component library, built for consistency and to accelerate development.

Desigm System

The reusable component library, built for consistency and to accelerate development.

Component based

The CMS interface for targeted content, showing the audience selection, adding content and Options, and the three content types: Events, Newsletters, and Wiki pages.

Component based

The CMS interface for targeted content, showing the audience selection, adding content and Options, and the three content types: Events, Newsletters, and Wiki pages.

Component based

The CMS interface for targeted content, showing the audience selection, adding content and Options, and the three content types: Events, Newsletters, and Wiki pages.

The content creation view in the CMS, with a preview of how the published Event appears to employees in the mobile app.

The content creation view in the CMS, with a preview of how the published Event appears to employees in the mobile app.

The content creation view in the CMS, with a preview of how the published Event appears to employees in the mobile app.

Results

10 +

Design proposals & iterations

10 +

Design proposals & iterations

10 +

Design proposals & iterations

70%

Completition of Design System

70%

Completition of Design System

70%

Completition of Design System

20+

Screens ready for Development

20+

Screens ready for Development

20+

Screens ready for Development

3. Pivotal Point

An on-site intervention to save the vision

When the development team's understanding of the vision began to drift, risking the deadline, I flew to Spain for a week of intensive collaboration. Working side-by-side with developers, we realigned on the core experience and got the build back on track.

The cross-functional team, brought together in person to bridge the collaboration gap.

The cross-functional team, brought together in person to bridge the collaboration gap.

The cross-functional team, brought together in person to bridge the collaboration gap.

Facilitating collaborative sessions to align on goals and solve problems in real-time

Facilitating collaborative sessions to align on goals and solve problems in real-time

Facilitating collaborative sessions to align on goals and solve problems in real-time

The plan that guided our intensive week of realignment and execution.

The plan that guided our intensive week of realignment and execution.

The plan that guided our intensive week of realignment and execution.

Improved Log in flow Design to be adapted to the Development Constrains

Improved Log in flow Design to be adapted to the Development Constrains

Improved Log in flow Design to be adapted to the Development Constrains

Results

100%

Team Morale Boost

100%

Team Morale Boost

100%

Team Morale Boost

80%

Fewer Sync Meetings

80%

Fewer Sync Meetings

80%

Fewer Sync Meetings

10x

Design-Dev Interaction

10x

Design-Dev Interaction

10x

Design-Dev Interaction

4. Deliver & Launch

Shipping the MVP & validating

We successfully delivered the "Publisher CMS" MVP on schedule. The launch enabled the first round of real-world testing with hospitality admins, providing valuable initial feedback on the core features and user experience.

Observing admins interact with the CMS during testing to understand real-world usage and pain points.

Observing admins interact with the CMS during testing to understand real-world usage and pain points.

Observing admins interact with the CMS during testing to understand real-world usage and pain points.

Key findings from the initial user tests, providing direct validation and areas for iteration.

Key findings from the initial user tests, providing direct validation and areas for iteration.

Key findings from the initial user tests, providing direct validation and areas for iteration.

Results

100%

On-Time Delivery

100%

On-Time Delivery

100%

On-Time Delivery

1

Launched MVP

1

Launched MVP

1

Launched MVP

5+

New Feature ideas

5+

New Feature ideas

5+

New Feature ideas

Technical Scope

Platform

Web Application (CMS)

Tools & Methods

Design Thinking, SPRINT Collaboration, Workshops, Usability Testing, User Flows

Software

Figma, FigJam, Azure

Deliverable

Full Functional MVP, Scalable Design System, Actionable insights to continue

Personal Reflections

The Power of Co-creation Under Pressure
When to Get on a Plane
Designing the Invisible: Systems Over Screens
Embracing "Good Enough" to Learn Fast
The Power of Co-creation Under Pressure
When to Get on a Plane
Designing the Invisible: Systems Over Screens
Embracing "Good Enough" to Learn Fast
The Power of Co-creation Under Pressure
When to Get on a Plane
Designing the Invisible: Systems Over Screens
Embracing "Good Enough" to Learn Fast

Future Opportunities

The launched MVP validated the core need for structured communication in hospitality. The strategic next steps would focus on deepening value and expanding reach:

  • Advanced Analytics for Admins: Measuring engagement with announcements (open rates, acknowledgment rates) to refine communication strategies.


  • Emergency Broadcast Mode: A critical feature for instant, high-priority alerts that bypasses all other notifications.


  • Multi-Platform Expansion: Adapting the CMS architecture to integrate with other major HR platforms beyond the initial partner, fulfilling the original modular vision.


  • Employee Feedback Loop: Allowing staff to confirm receipt, ask clarifying questions, or signal understanding directly within the platform, closing the communication circle.