IKEA needed a new system to streamline the tracking and management of raw materials like timber wood and plants. The goal was to create a seamless interaction platform for vendors and IKEA stakeholders. This project, named Cloudmask, was aimed at enhancing visibility, efficiency, and compliance across their supply chain.
Client
IKEA
Industry
Retail
Duration
3 months
Role
UX/UI Designer
Team Size
8 (solo designer)
Some project details and visuals are excluded due to NDA.
🧩 The Challenge
IKEA needed a better way to track and manage raw materials like timber and plants across their supply chain. Their existing process was slow, lacked real-time updates, and made it hard to keep track of what was happening across different facilities. Reporting was manual, and alert systems didn’t always work as expected.
My task was to design a platform, called “Cloudmask” that would help both vendors and IKEA teams stay connected, improve visibility, and make operations smoother and more reliable.
🔍 Discovery
To understand the problem, I spoke with IKEA stakeholders and gathered feedback from vendors. I also studied their current systems and workflows.
From this research, I discovered key issues:
- No real-time material tracking
- Difficulties in managing storage and processing facilities
- Unreliable alerts for critical updates
- Complicated transaction history and manual reporting
These insights helped shape the foundation of the product.
✍️ Design Process
I began with low-fidelity wire-frames to explore ideas quickly and share progress with the team. I mapped out user journeys to understand how vendors and IKEA teams would move through the platform.
Once the direction was clear, I focused on designing a clean, intuitive interface that worked well for different users.
Key features included:
- Real-Time Dashboard for tracking materials across locations
- Facility Management tools for better oversight
- Automated Alerts for timely updates
- Transaction History with detailed records
- Compliance Reports generated with one click
Accessibility was a priority, so I followed WCAG guidelines to ensure an inclusive experience.
🛠️ Collaboration & Handoff
Working in an Agile setup, I collaborated closely with developers. I used Jira to manage tasks and shared detailed design specs to keep development on track. Regular stand-ups helped us solve issues quickly and stay aligned throughout the sprint cycles.
🧪 Testing & Iteration
I ran several rounds of usability testing with both vendors and IKEA stakeholders. Based on their feedback, I refined features, simplified user flows, and made sure the interface was easy to understand and navigate.
The feedback loop helped ensure the product worked well in real-world conditions.
✅ Outcome
The final product delivered meaningful improvements:
- Real-time tracking improved material visibility
- Facility management became faster and easier
- Alerts and reporting were automated, saving manual effort
📊 Impact
- Streamlined IKEA’s supply chain operations
- Increased vendor satisfaction and adoption
- Improved accuracy and speed in compliance reporting
- Stakeholders and vendors found the platform intuitive and reliable
🧠 Reflections & Learnings
Challenges
- Integrating real-time data without over complicating the interface
- Balancing technical depth with usability.
What I learned
- Continuous feedback leads to better outcomes
- Close collaboration with engineers is essential when building complex systems
Looking ahead
- Future versions could integrate IoT for even more accurate tracking
- More customization options for reports and notifications could improve flexibility
Feedback
“Design expertise was instrumental in creating a system that meets our supply chain needs. The system has significantly improved our operations.”
– IKEA Project Manager
“Tracking and managing raw materials has become so much easier with Cloudmask. The system is user-friendly and highly efficient.”
– IKEA Vendor