Designing a Smarter, More Efficient Building Materials Procurement Exp

Designing a Smarter, More Efficient Building Materials Procurement Experience

I started this UI/UX project during my previous role as a marketing analyst. One of our clients, a New York City-based business owner, operated four local building material stores specializing in HVAC, Lumber, Electrical, and Plumbing, with a catalog of over 8,000 SKUs.

With the rise of AI making him nervous about being overtaken by competitors, he sought to develop an app that would allow his customers to shop online seamlessly.

This project aimed to bridge the gap between traditional retail and e-commerce, ensuring a user-friendly and efficient shopping experience tailored to contractors and professionals in the industry.

Pain Points Gathered on User Research

Inaccurate quoting from custom manufacturers is a significant issue.
Nearly half of respondents reported that less than 25% of the rapid quotes they received were accurate.
Quality issues with custom manufacturers are a common result of unreliable operations.
Nearly2/3 of respondents said poor quality has harmed their bottom lines.
A lack of transparency from custom manufacturers is a significant problem.
More than half of respondents said they have discovered delays or errors in production after it was too late to meet their shipping deadlines.
Lack of Real-Time Updates (Delivery Delays and Wasted Time)
Unclear website policies such as return and refund policies.
Missing or unclear product information.
Difficulty Finding Specific Building Materials
Price comparison
Material waste is driving costs
Inefficient communication was cited as respondents’ top pain point with custom manufacturers.

Miscommunication in Order Specifications (Wrong Product or Quantity Ordered)
Conflicting Information Between Sales and Inventory Teams (Out-of-Stock Products Still Being Sold)

The raw data fell into 6 distinct classes namely :User Statements, Motivation , Languages, Habits, Goals, and Types of Pain Points.

Interview Data Collection

Store Owner's Expectation

This store operates in a traditional, manual way, where everything is based on employees’ experience rather than a system.With a budget allocated for an automated warehouse, the store owner aims to integrate AI-driven solutions to automate quoting, improve accuracy, reduce dependency on employees, and modernize operations to stay competitive.

The store owner wants the app to have:

AI Clone for Quotes & Inquiries
Delivery Tracking & Notifications
Pricing & Bulk Discounts
Price Comparison Tool

User Empathy Map

Brainstorming potential app feature solutions.

Based on the interview data, I identified key pain points and proposed potential app feature solutions.

Download Complete Mind Map

Streamlining Essential App Functions with the MoSCoW Method

Prioritizing features is crucial to balancing business goals, client expectations, user demand, and technical feasibility. Using the MoSCoW method, I categorize features into Must-Have, Should-Have, Could-Have, and Won’t-Have to ensure a structured, goal-oriented approach to product development.

MoSCoW Method

My evaluation focuses on

Business Goals: Does the feature solve a critical pain point, align with key objectives (e.g., boosting sales, reducing costs, or improving efficiency), and differentiate the platform from competitors?

Client Expectations: What outcomes does the business owner prioritize, and how does each feature contribute to them?

User Demand: Does the feature address high-friction problems for key user groups (e.g., contractors, architects, suppliers)? Does it enhance core workflows such as ordering, price comparison, and logistics tracking?

Feasibility & Development Effort: Can the feature be implemented with existing technical resources within the given timeframe? Can it be introduced later without disrupting the core experience?

Competitive Feature Analysis

After prioritizing our app features, I conducted a competitive analysis of potential rivals to gain insights into industry standards. This helped identify key features we can adopt to enhance our platform and distinguish the unique functionalities that set us apart.

Download Template

Here’s a look at my wireframe sketches vs my digital wireframes:

Customer Journey Map (CJM)

I visually illustrate how my user persona (David, the general contractor) interacts with my app at different stages of procurement.