Satago :
Satago :
Optimising Satago's client platform
Optimising Satago's client platform UX
Optimising Satago's client platform
Leadership
Leadership
Project planning
Project planning
Strategy
Strategy
B2B
B2B
UX research
UX research
UI
UI
Prototyping
Prototyping
User testing
User testing
Before/After
Driving UX impact as a solo designer
Driving UX in a high-impact agile team
Driving UX impact as a solo designer
Role and responsibility
Role and responsibility
Role and responsibility
Led comprehensive user research, developed detailed UX and UI designs, conducted usability testing, and established a cross-functional design process.
Product Designer
Led comprehensive user research, developed detailed UX and UI designs, conducted usability testing, and established a cross-functional design process.
Deliverables
Deliverables
Deliverables
Journey Maps
User Research
User Flows
Usability testing
High-Fidelity Designs
Design Process Strategy
Journey Maps
User Research
User Flows
Usability testing
High-Fidelity Designs
Design Process Strategy
Team collaboration
Team collaboration
Team collaboration
Product Owners
Front End Devs
Credit Risk manager
Customer support manager
THE PROBLEM
THE PROBLEM
Scaling a Data Heavy High-Stakes Fintech Ecosystem
Scaling a Data Heavy High-Stakes Fintech Ecosystem
Scaling a Data Heavy High-Stakes Fintech Ecosystem
Fragmented, outdated and inaccessible digital experience
Satago’s core client service portal was critical to daily risk and finance operations, yet it had become increasingly hard to use, expensive to maintain, and difficult to scale as the SME lending business grew.
Satago’s core client service portal was critical to daily risk and finance operations, yet it had become increasingly hard to use, expensive to maintain, and difficult to scale as the SME lending business grew.
→ Operational friction: Multiple users needed per task; manual handoffs slowed workflows.
→ Data overload: Critical financial data hidden in dense, inconsistent interfaces.
→ Adoption risk: High cognitive load and long onboarding slowed team scaling.
→ Operational friction: Multiple users needed per task; manual handoffs slowed workflows.
→ Data overload: Critical financial data hidden in dense, inconsistent interfaces.
→ Adoption risk: High cognitive load and long onboarding slowed team scaling.
→ Operational friction: Multiple users needed per task; manual handoffs slowed workflows.
→ Data overload: Critical financial data hidden in dense, inconsistent interfaces.
→ Adoption risk: High cognitive load and long onboarding slowed team scaling.
How was this impacting the business?
How was this impacting the business?
How was this impacting the business?
Costly to support • Slow to evolve • Hard to sell
Costly to support • Slow to evolve • Hard to sell
30 -
30 -
%
%
customer support calls
customer support calls
customer support calls
stemmed from usability issues.
stemmed from usability issues.
stemmed from usability issues.
20 -
20 -
%
%
development efforts wasted
development efforts wasted
development efforts wasted
on redundant front end components.
on redundant front end components.
on redundant front end components.
0 screenshots
0 screenshots
of our product
of our product
of our product
on the marketing website due to outdated design.
on the marketing website due to outdated design.
on the marketing website due to outdated design.
INTRODUCING STRUCTURE
INTRODUCING STRUCTURE
Resetting the design foundation
Resetting the design foundation
To unlock scale, the goal wasn’t just to redesign screens it was to introduce structure across decision-making, workflows, and systems.
To unlock scale, the goal wasn’t just to redesign screens it was to introduce structure across decision-making, workflows, and systems.
Research & Insights
Strategy & Alignment
Data analysation (Mixpanel): Identified drop-offs, low-usage workflows, and high-friction tasks across SME and internal user journeys.
Call centre empath mapping: Mapped recurring issues from call-centre data to uncover where workflows were breaking down.
Ongoing VOC feedback sessions: Monthly sessions with risk and operations teams to validate priorities and close feedback loops.
Research
Strategy & Alignment
Data analysation (Mixpanel): Identified drop-offs, low-usage workflows, and high-friction tasks across SME and internal user journeys.
Call centre empath mapping: Mapped recurring issues from call-centre data to uncover where workflows were breaking down.
Ongoing VOC feedback sessions: Monthly sessions with risk and operations teams to validate priorities and close feedback loops.
Research & Insights
Strategy & Alignment
Data analysation (Mixpanel): Identified drop-offs, low-usage workflows, and high-friction tasks across SME and internal user journeys.
Call centre empath mapping: Mapped recurring issues from call-centre data to uncover where workflows were breaking down.
Ongoing VOC feedback sessions: Monthly sessions with risk and operations teams to validate priorities and close feedback loops.
DRIVING IMPACT
DRIVING IMPACT
System level impact
System level impact
System level impact
Over 11 months, this approach materially improved how the business operated:
Over 11 months, this approach materially improved how the business operated:
Months
Months
Months
+
+
+
Features launched
Features launched
Features launched
%
%
%
Reduction in design cycle time
Reduction in design cycle time
Reduction in design cycle time
%
Reduction in scope changes per sprint
~
~
%
%
Reduction in scope changes per Sprint
Reduction in scope changes per Sprint
SELECTED DEEP DIVE
SELECTED DEEP DIVE
Debt verification flow : The operational flow
Debt verification flow : The operational flow
Debt verification sits at the heart of Satago’s lending operations. Every delay or error here directly impacts cash flow, risk exposure, and client trust.
Debt verification sits at the heart of Satago’s lending operations. Every delay or error here directly impacts cash flow, risk exposure, and client trust.
Debt verification sits at the heart of Satago’s lending operations. Every delay or error here directly impacts cash flow, risk exposure, and client trust.
The problem
The problem
Less than 0.8% invoices are verified through the platform.
Risk teams cross-referenced three separate systems, spending ~14 minutes per invoice.
Manual calls caused delays, increased error risk, and slowed capital deployment.
Less than 0.8% invoices are verified through the platform.
Users had to cross-reference three separate tabs, leading to a 5% human error rate.
Users & needs
Users & needs
Internal Risk & Credit teams: Speed, confidence, data integrity
External Debtors: Transparency, clarity, low-friction verification
Less than 0.8% invoices are verified through the platform.
Users had to cross-reference three separate tabs, leading to a 5% human error rate.
Defining the design challenge
Defining the design challenge
Defining the design challenge
Simplifying a Complex Information Architecture.
Making large volumes of invoices easy to scan and prioritise.
Reducing manual verification work without compromising risk controls.
Rethinking the user flows
Rethinking the user flows
Rethinking the user flows
Clear invoice management interface: Structured lists with immediate context
One-click individual & bulk verification: With explicit confirmation states
Audit-ready action logs: Built directly into the workflow for compliance
CROSS FUNCTIONAL COLLABORATION
CROSS FUNCTIONAL COLLABORATION
Prototype testing
Prototype testing
Goal: Validate speed, confidence, and decision quality under realistic conditions.
Method: Moderated internal sessions comparing existing vs redesigned flows.
Goal: Validate efficiency and decision quality under realistic invoice volume.
Method: Moderated internal sessions comparing existing vs redesigned flows.
Goal: Validate efficiency and decision quality under realistic invoice volume.
Method: Moderated internal sessions comparing existing vs redesigned flows.
Task 1 : Assessing debtor risk at scale
Task 1 : Assessing debtor risk at scale
Task 1 : Assessing debtor risk at scale
Assess debtor strength across a batch of invoices to decide bulk vs individual verification.
Focus: Speed and confidence of risk assessment and decision accuracy under volume.
Task 2 : High-volume invoice verification
Process multiple invoices simultaneously using bulk actions.
Focus: Reduction in repetitive actions and error potential during high-throughput work.
Task 3 : Exception prioritisation
Task 3 : Exception prioritisation
Task 3 : Exception prioritisation
Filter and segment invoices by status to isolate and resolve exceptions.
BEYOND A SINGLE FLOW
BEYOND A SINGLE FLOW
Platform level transformation
Platform level transformation
End-to-end rethink of onboarding, risk assessment, and account management
End-to-end rethink of onboarding, risk assessment, and account management
Enabled Sales & Marketing to confidently showcase the product externally
Enabled Sales & Marketing to confidently showcase the product externally
Enabled Sales & Marketing to confidently showcase the product externally
Before/After
Before/After
Managing invoices and ledger
Managing invoices and ledger.
Managing debtor information
Managing debtor information
Impact on operational efficiency
Impact on operational efficiency
Impact on operational efficiency
Metric: Average invoice verification time (pre vs post release)
Change: Bulk actions and earlier debtor context reduced navigation and manual decision-making.
Metric: Average invoice verification time (pre vs post release)
Change: Bulk actions and earlier debtor context reduced navigation and manual decision-making.
%
%
Reduction in avg. time to verify an invoice
Measured across comparable invoice volumes post-release.
Reduction in avg. time to verify an invoice
Measured across comparable invoice volumes post-release.
QUICK LOOK
QUICK LOOK
Redesign of the entire platform ground up
Redesign of the entire platform ground up
Redesign of the entire platform
Designed over 200+ screens and 20 flows for the internal dashboard
Designed over 200+ screens and 20 flows for the internal dashboard
Designed over 200+ screens and 20 flows for the internal dashboard.
SCALABILITY
SCALABILITY
Scaling component library
Scaling component library
At Satago, I took the initiative to expand and refine our design component library. I identified a significant disconnect between the components developers were using in Storybook and those originally designed. I systematically identified the gaps, prioritised components based on usage frequency, and ensured that new components met technical constraints.
At Satago, I took the initiative to expand and refine our design component library. I identified a significant disconnect between the components developers were using in Storybook and those originally designed. I systematically identified the gaps, prioritised components based on usage frequency, and ensured that new components met technical constraints.
Scaling components
Scaling components
Accessibility
Accessibility
Establishing an AA-compliant component library marks a crucial first step. These efforts ensured full compliance with WCAG 2.1 standards, resulting in a more inclusive user experience with further initiatives on the horizon to enhance our accessibility efforts.
Establishing an AA-compliant component library marks a crucial first step. These efforts ensured full compliance with WCAG 2.1 standards, resulting in a more inclusive user experience with further initiatives on the horizon to enhance our accessibility efforts.
Example in practice
Example in practice
Systems and async communications
Systems and async communications
Documenting design patterns and behaviours for components, employing a clear and structured format to ensure consistency and facilitate developer handoff. This documentation was continuously updated and utilised for asynchronous communication, improving cross-functional collaboration and minimising implementation errors.
Documenting design patterns and behaviours for components, employing a clear and structured format to ensure consistency and facilitate developer handoff. This documentation was continuously updated and utilised for asynchronous communication, improving cross-functional collaboration and minimising implementation errors.
Broader system impact
Broader system impact
Broader system impact
Accelerated Capital Deployment
Accelerated Capital Deployment
Reduced the end-to-end invoice verification cycle by 41.6%, directly shortening the Time-to-Capital for SME clients.
Reduced the end-to-end invoice verification cycle by 41.6%, directly shortening the Time-to-Capital for SME clients.
De-risking High-Stakes Operations
De-risking High-Stakes Operations
Integrated Risk Assessment, Loan Sanctioning, and Verification into a unified logic flow, reducing manual human-error risks
Integrated Risk Assessment, Loan Sanctioning, and Verification into a unified logic flow, reducing manual human-error risks
Market-Ready Transformation
Market-Ready Transformation
Elevated the platform to a modern, high-fidelity SaaS portal, providing Marketing and Sales with the visual proof needed to acquire clients.
Elevated the platform to a modern, high-fidelity SaaS portal, providing Marketing and Sales with the visual proof needed to acquire clients.