“We will have to work overnight this week”
But why?
GloZ Inc. is a startup that provides localization services specializing in media content. The frequent “overnight work” messages between Localization Managers and the Talent Acquisition Team on Slack pushed me to dig deeper.
The platform was designed for B2C (freelancers and clients), B2B (recruiters, localization managers, and clients), and SaaS users for 6,800+ translators, offering 70+ languages across 190+ countries.
THIS PROJECT DEMONSTRATES:
Ownership of the design process across features and screens
Leadership of user research and design system development, aligned with stakeholder needs
Cross-team collaboration on feature development and design reviews
MY ROLE:
Led the 0-to-1 design process and created the design system, including the logo.
TEAM:
Cross-functional team
Gaining a deep understanding of a complex workflow to design a well-coordinated and structured process.
Conducting user research and testing within a tight timeline.
Adapting designs around a pre-purchased UI component library that didn’t align with user needs and workflow requirements.
Navigating delays from Localization Managers in adopting the new platform.
Overcoming communication barriers across a 17-hour time difference with PMs and engineers.
CHALLENGES:
KEY FINAL METRICS
7 -> 1
Tools used for managing tasks
$ 0.1 M
Estimated budget saved annually
+70%
Time saved onboarding freelance- translators
USER OBSERVATION
Recruiters and managers expressed their frustration with spending too much time on repetitive work
In order to find out what causes overnight work, I asked both recruiters and managers to meet at the office. Here, I chose to observe them in person throughout the day to understand their workflow and pain-points.
Because we didn’t spend too much time on user research, this time was crucial for me to understand their pain-points. Here are the main findings:
1. Confusing to Navigate:
Users had to switch between 7 different software tools to manage translator information and workflow.
This made it time-consuming to find specific details. One manager even said, “I know, there are lots of tabs, haha.”
2. Lots of Copy and Paste:
Users would copy and paste freelancer information from emails or work requests into the designated software tools.
Although I didn’t hear direct complaints, I recognized this as a significant area for improvement to address the core issue of time-consuming work.
3. High Costs, Low Value:
I learned that each team member was paying high software fees for a tool that was inconvenient to use.
The only reason they stuck with it was because it was the only platform offering translation pricing.
CREATING WORKFLOW
Mapping the workflow for a clear understanding of the complex work process at a glance
Because there were five different roles involved in each project workflow, with specific responsibilities, it was hard to keep the whole picture in my head.
As a designer, I understand complexity better when I can personalize each character. So, I assigned a character to each role, which helped simplify the process as I mapped out the entire project cycle. This approach made it much easier to grasp the workflow in my mind!
This process helped me better understand how the system operated and how I could naturally structure each workflow. I could now see the bigger picture of how each role connected to and influenced the next step, including:
Onboarding Process
Task Management Process
Improving the payment flow based on customer support insights
After developing the whole platform, I realized that I needed to manage all of the customer support cases related to platform usage. This would help me to understand pain points as they developed, and based on that feedback, I prioritized issues and organized team meetings to propose solutions. Here's an example:
Background: Freelancers had to create their own invoices to get paid.
Problem: After completing tasks, freelancers couldn’t submit invoices because the system required payment info upfront, which they hadn’t been prompted to enter.
Discovery: While managing freelancer support, I noticed repeated messages about this issue.
Solution: I modified the workflow to require payment info before task acceptance.
Result: No more support messages regarding this issue!
FAST PROTOTYPE TESTING | SETTING PRIORITIES
Balancing user needs and engineering resources
One of the challenges during this project was not having enough time for in-depth user research or testing. In order to still bring user insight to the decision, I decided to focus on quick user testing:
Prototype Testing (using Maze)
Alpha Testing (engineers)
Rapid Prototype Testing to craft the user request experience
With limited time for in-depth user research, I quickly validated design decisions by creating usability tests using Figma and Maze. This also helped me to prioritize the issues that needed addressing. Especially when there were different opinions between product managers, I went ahead and asked questions to get fast feedback from real users.
Example:
Managers either assign a task directly or send a request to a few freelancers to check their availability.
Pain Point: Managers previously selected freelancers from Excel and emailed them one by one—an inefficient process.
Solution: I designed a task flow that recommends freelancers based on their profile data, allowing managers to assign or request tasks in one place.
Test Scenarios:
Task 1: Assign a movie translation task from A Company to Kathryn Murphy.
Task 2: Send a request to Kathryn and Wade.
Setting priorities and resource balance with engineers
While users preferred a certain experience, prioritizing development needs was essential. I stayed closely connected with engineers to balance available resources and user experience. Using Slack "Huddle," I facilitated quick decision-making, ensuring engineers understood why a feature was needed and how to proceed with development.
Example: Managers select a standard price to charge using the CAT Tool.
Alpha Test Results: Option 5 and Option 3
Problem: Discussion revealed that the card format with a side layer would require more time to build in a tight timeline.
Decision: Considering development constraints, I chose to go with Option 3 to balance usability with feasibility.
DESIGN SYSTEM
Challenges with using a pre-made UI library and the shift to a custom Design System (900 components)
At the start of this project, I made the mistake of agreeing to purchase the UI library. During brainstorming, it seemed like a good idea, as it would allow me to focus on user experience by using pre-made design elements. However, as the feature structure evolved, it became clear that the UI elements didn’t fit our product, especially regarding input fields.
To ensure a shared understanding of the new elements, I created an internal design guideline. However, it wasn’t clear to engineers which UI elements should be used in specific situations.
Given the issues with the UI library I initially purchased, I realized it was crucial to build a design system that would provide clarity and consistency, especially for new engineers joining the project. To address this challenge, I focused on:
Making it easy to understand and follow ➡️ Conducted a competitive audit.
Motivating engineers to adapt mid-process ➡️ Actively gathered feedback.
Ensuring it’s understandable for the whole IT team ➡️ Organized review sessions.
BACK TO OBSERVATION
Listening to users to identify the factors causing delays in transferring freelancer information to the new platform.
Tadah! The beta version of the platform was launched, and I was excited to see recruiters and localization managers thrive on the new platform! However, I noticed they delayed transffering all the info of freelancers into the new platform. Curious, I conducted 1:1 user screening tests by sharing their screens to find out why. This revealed insights I hadn’t noticed before.
For example, they found it inconvenient to view only 10 freelancers per page while comparing information to find suitable candidates for projects.
Solution: I prioritized this change but faced a challenge with the timeline, as engineering resources were fully allocated. I presented my findings to the engineering leader and proposed practical solutions with a list of revisions. After discussions, we agreed to increase the number of freelancers displayed to 25 per page and replaced pagination with a scroll feature, enabling users to scroll both vertically and horizontally, with names fixed for easier identification.
IMPACT
Saving an estimated 100K annually by building an all-in-one internal platform that reduced onboarding time by 70%
Since the platform’s internal launch, GloZ Inc. migrated all management data to the new platform and unsubscribed from Airtable, Asana, and Plunet, saving an estimated $100K annually. This improvement accelerated task management, positively impacting potential revenue.
With the Talent Acquisition Team, the average freelancer onboarding time was reduced by 70%, and the team was impressed by how all information—resumes, experience, language skills, and managers’ comments—was consolidated into a single screen.
It was launched as a SaaS model last year, and it’s currently used by the top entertainment company in Korea for their translation work.
LEARNINGS
SImportant of user observation and balancing user needs and team resource capacity
Importance of user observation: Through this project, I learned the critical importance of actively listening to users and observing their workflows closely to identify pain points that weren’t initially discovered, especially when building a platform from scratch. Seeing Localization Managers struggle with the limited visibility of freelancers on a single page highlighted unspoken needs, which led me to propose a solution that directly addressed their frustration.
Balancing User Needs and Engineering Capacity: I also realized that prioritization is key when working with limited resources—engineering capacity and timelines. Staying close to the engineering team and presenting qualitative insights helped us prioritize essential changes.
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