Introduction

Merch is a platform that supports the entire supply chain for custom merchandise, from concept to delivery.

Confidentiality

My work at Merch, now Merch by Sendoso, is protected under an NDA. This case study focuses on my personal experiences and high-level procedures. User interfaces that are not publicly available are not included.

Laying the Groundwork

Defining the Product

I worked closely with Account Management, Business Development, and Engineering to ideate features and improvements. Every team at Merch was invaluable to the product process and I synced with each team on a weekly or monthly cadence to keep a pulse on the product and our users.

I collaborated with Engineering early and often to identify constraints, scope out projects, and hand off designs.

Establishing Procedure

I introduced a 30/60/90 framework to empower stakeholders and encourage collaboration. As my design progressed from 30% to 60% to 90% complete, I looped in relevant stakeholders. This ensured team members had the chance to give feedback and I had the opportunity to learn.

Transparent by Design

I created and maintained a Notion workspace with all relevant design documentation. From design kick-off briefs to user testing analyses to meeting notes, I centralized product documentation to establish easy access for all stakeholders.

Outcomes

90+ Reusable Components

I created Merch’s Design System and collaborated closely with Engineering for accurate implementation.

Designing and maintaining our design system established consistency across our apps and reduced technical debt.

Custom Merch at Scale

I crafted delightful digital experiences for admin users and customers alike, that could scale as Merch grew. I also designed custom solutions and integrations to help close on major clients.

Thoughtful filtering, improved search engines, strategic account hierarchies, and shortcuts for pro users helped alleviate growing pains.

Seed Round to Acquisition

Before my arrival, Merch depended on an open-source template that often couldn’t adapt to complex user flows. I joined Merch as the first design hire, shortly after their seed round, and scaled our platform to acquisition.

Following the acquisition, I continue to lead design for Merch by Sendoso.