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UI/UX Design · PM SalesForce

From process-first to intent-first: redesigning the Request Center

PMSF supports internal teams in managing product-related requests such as sampling, quotations, and approvals. Users consistently struggled with the Request Center, leading to high drop-off rates, incorrect submissions, and long onboarding times. I led user-centered design to simplify the workflow and align it with business goals.

Role
Senior UX/UI Designer
Timeline
13 weeks
Platform
Web (B2B)
Focus
Stakeholder AlignmentPrototypingAI-assisted UX
PMSF platform overview

Problem Overview

Users didn't know how to start

Users didn't know how to start or what information was required, especially for complex requests. The system was built for processes, not people.

01

High Drop-off Rates

Users abandoned submissions mid-process.

02

Incorrect Submissions

Operations team wasted time on clarification.

03

Long Onboarding

New users relied on colleagues instead of the system.

Goals & Success Metrics

Business goals meet user goals

Biz

Reduce back-and-forth

Improve request accuracy and increase completion rate.

User

Submit with confidence

Reduce cognitive load; understand requirements without reading long documentation.

Research & Discovery

Understanding how people actually think

Stakeholder interviews with Product and Ops, 1:1 interviews with 8 internal sales users, shadowing real request submissions, and analysis of failed or rejected requests all pointed to the same root cause.

01

Intent, Not Process

Users think in intent, not process: forms felt intimidating and "too technical."

02

Reused Old Requests

Starting fresh was painful, so users duplicated past requests instead.

03

Relied on Colleagues

New users leaned on peers rather than trusting the system.

The Insight

How might we help users submit requests accurately without forcing them to understand the system logic? This led to an AI-assisted Request Flow that understands user intent, guides users step by step, and auto-fills and validates data dynamically.

Design Response

An AI-powered entry point that asks, not demands

01

Entry Point

Instead of a list of request types, users see: "What would you like to request today?", with examples, or the option to upload a relevant document.

02

Intent Recognition

AI classifies intent into request type, required modules, and mandatory data, removing the need for users to decide upfront.

03

Guided Questions

AI asks progressive questions only when needed: product category, quantity range, delivery urgency, reducing form fatigue.

04

Smart Form Generation

The system builds the correct form, pre-fills known data, highlights required fields, and explains why information is needed.

05

Review & Submit

Users review a clean, structured summary before submission, with the ability to re-edit, building confidence in their request.

Outcome & Impact

Errors down, trust up

Fewer Errors

Submission errors reduced significantly.

Faster Onboarding

New users ramped up faster on the system.

Ops Workload Reduced

Higher trust in the system meant less manual clarification work.

Key Learnings

Good AI UX doesn't feel like AI. It feels like clarity. The most successful part of this project wasn't showcasing AI capabilities, but removing friction from the user's mental model. Shifting from "process-first" to "intent-first" design fundamentally changed how users interacted with the system, reducing cognitive load and building confidence.