Designing across systems and workflows
PRODUCT ECOSYSTEMDesigning a connected operations management experience for utility companies — balancing complex workflows on web with a focused mobile tool for work in the field.
Designing across systems and workflows
PRODUCT ECOSYSTEM
My role
Product discovery · UX/UI design · Workflow design · Prototyping · Validation
Users
Utility professionals working across planning, administration and field operations.
Context
Daily operations across the office and the field.
Product
Operations management platform for web and mobile.
Time
2023–2026
The challenge
Complex operations. Different contexts.
Utility operations involve far more than completing individual jobs. The product supports a connected operational landscape — from citizen enquiries and jobs to asset management, infrastructure networks and GIS-based map layers.
On web, users need the overview and flexibility to navigate large amounts of information, coordinate work and perform complex operations. In the field, the context changes. Users need fast access to the information and actions required to complete the work in front of them.
The challenge was therefore not simply to make the same functionality available on two devices.
We needed to create two experiences that served different contexts and needs — while still feeling like one connected product.
- Different contexts of use
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Complex, connected information
- Different needs across devices
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One coherent product
Key insight
The workflow matters more than the screen.
A key insight was that web and mobile should not be treated as two versions of the same interface.
The web experience needs to support overview, planning and complex interactions across large amounts of operational information. Mobile needs to reduce that complexity and bring the most relevant information and actions into the field.
Instead of asking how the web product could fit onto a smaller screen, I started asking what users actually needed at each point in the workflow.
The goal wasn’t to create the same experience everywhere — it was to create the right experience at the right moment.
Overview belongs on web
Complex relationships, planning and large datasets benefit from space, context and powerful tools.
Focus matters in the field
Mobile should surface what users need to understand and complete the task at hand — without bringing unnecessary complexity with it.
Context must travel with the work
Information created or changed in one part of the workflow should remain meaningful when the work moves between office and field.
Mapping the workflow across contexts
To understand how web and mobile should work together, I mapped the operational workflow from initial enquiry to field execution and follow-up — identifying where users needed overview, where they needed focus, and how information should move between the two.
The solution
One product. Two purpose-built experiences.
We designed the product around the operational workflow rather than around individual screens or devices.
The web application became the operational overview — bringing jobs, citizen enquiries, assets, infrastructure and GIS information together and allowing users to understand, coordinate and manage complex work.
The mobile experience focused on execution in the field. Instead of reproducing the full web application, it prioritised the information and actions users need while working on site.
Together, the two experiences allow work to move from overview and planning to execution and documentation while maintaining a consistent connection to the underlying operational data.
Operational overview
Web gives users the space and tools needed to navigate complex operations and understand what is happening across the utility.
Connected information
Citizen enquiries, jobs, assets, infrastructure and GIS data are connected around the work rather than treated as separate information silos.
Context-aware mobile experience
The mobile experience prioritises the information and actions relevant to the task being performed in the field.
GIS at the centre
Maps and infrastructure layers provide spatial context and help users understand where assets, jobs and events relate to the physical network.
Consistent workflows
Shared concepts, terminology and interaction patterns make it easier to move between web and mobile without having to relearn the product.
THE OUTCOME
A complex operations platform that can provide depth where it is needed — and simplicity where it matters.
Key takeaways
Design the workflow, not the screen
Working across web and mobile reinforced that a coherent product does not require identical interfaces. Starting with the workflow helped us determine what users actually needed in each context.
Consistency doesn’t mean sameness
Web and mobile serve different purposes. The challenge was to create experiences that felt connected through shared concepts and patterns while still being optimised for their individual contexts.
Complexity should be managed, not removed
Utility operations are inherently complex. Good product design is not about hiding that complexity at all costs, but about presenting the right level of information and control at the right moment.