Ticketing & maintenance request platform for an airport services company
An internal tool I built in 2015 is still in production today — and in 2023 I was called back to redesign it.
In 2015, as an Executive Assistant with no formal design training, I identified a broken process, proposed a solution, and built it from scratch. The tool went live and never stopped being used. Eight years later, the same company called me back, now as a product designer, to redesign it for a new challenge: opening the platform to external clients. This case study documents both moments.
2015
My Role
I worked as a UX, UI and Web designer. I performed the research and interviews in the Company to understand the real needs, formulated the concept and flows, tested with the final users. Finally, I developed the tool using Joomla and I wrote the user manuals to distribute to every function within the Company.
Context
Designing an online ticketing platform for the company, to automatise internal communication and purchasing orders and approvals.
Development
August 2015 - November 2015
USA & Italy
The Problem
2015 — The process was broken before it crossed the Atlantic.
AGS/Aviogei, an airport ground support company, was managing all spare parts and maintenance requests via email — a system that had replaced fax not long before. Every request required manual approval at multiple levels: workshop → management → purchasing office → management again → fulfillment. Slow, error-prone, and impossible to scale.
When the company opened its US branch, the volume of requests multiplied. The email chain became unmanageable.
"It's always been that way" — was the answer when anyone questioned the process.
I saw the problem clearly and proposed a web-based platform to automate the entire flow. Management agreed.
2023 — A new layer of complexity.
The internal tool had worked for 8 years. But the company now wanted to extend access to external clients — who were still submitting requests via email. The challenge was to redesign the platform to serve both internal teams and external customers, without losing the simplicity that made the original work.
The 2015 Solution
A three level access web-based platform, accessible via URL and usable via PC and mobile browser. It included a dashboard to overview the requests with their statuses, the possibility to send requests filling a simple form, upload pictures to aid in the spare part location process, change status, to view the detail, filter the lists, approve or deny the requests.
Approach
I started by identifying the flow based on what was the traditional flow and characteristics needed by all parties.
There were three levels of access and function:
Workshop: the workshop responsible needing spare parts or services. Needs to be able to place a request and follow its status.
Management: Company management needing analytics on purchases and needing to approve the purchase orders.
Purchasing Office: receives a purchase requests and issues a purchase order that needs approval from management prior to fulfillment.
Based on this I needed three different flows to facilitate the job for each party.
The design process included gathering insights from research and user testing, defining pain points and finally ideate a solution through sketches.
I designed the flows and then jumped right into programming.
Gathering feedback
To get insight on the app, 2 people for each segment were interviewed. Each participant was asked to complete a task while verbalizing his thoughts. Tasks involved using the search and filter options, the "Create Request" option, the status change.
I iterated every time to correct usability problems mainly due to my assumptions during the development.
Learnings
Looking back, I know that I gave the aesthetics of this tool very little importance, so what was the MVP basically remained the final product. I had no knowledge of prototyping tools at the time, in fact, I jumped into programming the tool. Of course, this took a lot more time and work on the code instead of following a more iterative process on a prototype. Still, I relied on iteration upon every suggestion from the final user. This project, even if very imperfect, taught me a lot about UX when I didn't even know that it was called UX, especially because I followed every step from ideation to development.
2023
I'm honored to have had the opportunity to update this case study. It's not always possible to truly take the learnings and apply them, benefiting from growth as a product designer.
So, here's what I did to redesign the platform mentioned above, where the challenges and objectives remained the same but with the addition of wanting to use this platform with external clients.
Solving the new challenge
The Company currently manages spare parts and maintenance requests through direct email communication with customers. This process is cumbersome, disorganized, and hinders the effectiveness of request collection and management. Consequently, order processing is compromised, potentially affecting customer satisfaction and profitability.
To create a web based platform allowing customers to submit requests for spare parts and maintenance, and to provide an internal interface for departments (e.g., procurement and maintenance) to manage these tickets. The platform should include messaging, attachments (e.g., quotes), email notifications, and reporting capabilities to monitor ticket progress. This way, the platform will allow Aviogei to efficiently manage customer requests and gather critical insights through detailed reports to enhance customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, and resource management.
To identify the necessary features to achieve the project's objectives, I conducted a user journey mapping exercise which I validated with the parties before jumping into designing.
Key Solution Features
Design Process
Design System based on Tailwind UI components for a cost and time effective implementation
Prototyping for testing, validation and handoff
Collaboration with Development:
Collaborating with the development team was essential to ensure a seamless transition from design to implementation. We conducted regular meetings to discuss the technical feasibility of design decisions and to identify any potential challenges early in the process.
WordPress Plugin Development:
Opting for a WordPress plugin as the development platform offered several advantages. It allows for easier integration into the existing WordPress ecosystem and provides a familiar environment for users. Additionally, it simplifies maintenance and updates.
Tailwind UI Components:
To expedite development and maintain design consistency, I leveraged Tailwind UI components. Tailwind UI offers a comprehensive library of pre-designed components and patterns that can be easily customized to match the project's visual requirements. This approach not only accelerates development but also ensures a cohesive and polished user interface.
Cost and Time Efficiency: By using a plugin-based approach and Tailwind UI components, we aimed to streamline development efforts, reduce costs, and expedite the project timeline. The use of well-established tools and libraries also minimizes the need for custom coding, which can be time-consuming and costly.
Prototyping for Clarity: Throughout the design phase, interactive prototypes were developed to provide the development team with a clear vision of the intended user experience. These prototypes allowed for early testing and validation of design concepts, helping to identify and address potential issues before implementation.
User-Centered Design: While optimizing for development efficiency, we remained committed to a user-centered design approach. User feedback and usability testing were conducted at various stages to ensure that the Tailwind-based UI components enhanced the overall user experience.
The Impact
2015 — Qualitative impact (no analytics available)
The platform replaced a multi-step email approval chain for an international operation spanning the US and Italy. It was adopted by the entire company and has been in continuous use for over 10 years without replacement — the strongest possible signal that it solved the right problem.
A tool still in production after a decade is not a portfolio exercise. It's proof of concept.
2023 — Estimated impact
"Estimated 70% reduction in request processing time based on elimination of email back-and-forth for submission, approval, and status updates."
"Estimated 40% reduction in errors and miscommunications based on structured form submission replacing free-form email."
"First-time access to aggregated operational data — spare parts frequency, machinery failure rates, cost tracking — previously unavailable to management."
Conclusions
This redesign project for Aviogei's ticketing platform offered valuable insights into my role as a product designer. Through this experience, several key lessons have emerged:
Working closely with the development team was essential for translating design concepts into practical, functional solutions. The synergy between design and development teams significantly contributed to project success. By dedicating myself exclusively to product design, I was able to delve deeper into understanding user needs and design intricacies. This specialization allowed for a more refined and thoughtful approach to user experience.
Not being directly involved in development, maintaining a user-centric approach remained a top priority.
Conducting user journey mapping and testing activities allowed us to validate design decisions and keep the user at the core of the project.
The decision to employ a WordPress plugin and harness Tailwind UI components proved to be an efficient strategy.
It streamlined development efforts, saving both time and resources while maintaining design consistency.
Clear and transparent communication regarding design decisions played a pivotal role in managing stakeholder expectations effectively. This ensured that all parties were aligned with the project's goals.
In summary, this project has not only refined my product design skills but also underscored the importance of collaborative, user-centered design practices. These valuable lessons will undoubtedly inform and enhance future product design endeavors.