Transforming a Legacy Platform into a Role-Specific SaaS Ecosystem
Our legacy SaaS platform served all user groups in one system, creating complexity and friction. Research and workshops revealed distinct needs, leading to a modular ecosystem of role-specific tools. Some are already live, others in development, all connected through a shared hub for consistency and scalability.
My Role
Leading Product Designer
Team
In-house, cross-functional (Design, Product, Dev)
Project Timespan
2023-2025
Industry
Hospitality, Retail, Aviation
Customer
B2B Clients & Internal Teams / Partners
Challenge
Our legacy SaaS platform served the hospitality, retail, and in-flight sectors. It combined content management with administration and monitoring tools in a single system that was meant to work for all user groups. As the company grew, this one-system-for-all approach created friction: roles had conflicting needs, workflows became overloaded, and scaling further was increasingly difficult.
Results
Through user research and stakeholder workshops we identified distinct personas and tested multiple information architecture options. This led to splitting the monolithic system into a modular SaaS ecosystem with role-specific tools. Several tools are live, others in development. Each is tailored to its user group and connected through a shared hub and design system, resulting in reduced complexity, faster onboarding, and higher satisfaction.
Discovery & Concept
Research & Stakeholder Workshops
We started by conducting extensive user interviews to understand the different roles working with the platform. I facilitated workshops with stakeholders to surface requirements, align priorities, and build a shared understanding of user needs across departments. This research made clear that our one-size-fits-all legacy SaaS system could no longer support the growing organization effectively.
Information Architecture & Wireframing
Based on these insights, we explored multiple information architecture options and tested them iteratively with users. The process revealed clear patterns of role-specific needs and guided us toward a modular setup with dedicated tools for each group. Early wireframes illustrated how content management, monitoring, and administration could be separated into focused environments while still remaining connected through a central hub.
Execution & Delivery
Prototyping & Validation
We developed low- and mid-fidelity prototypes to validate navigation flows and task completion with users. Testing confirmed that splitting the monolith into specialized tools reduced complexity, improved efficiency, and gave each group an experience tailored to their workflows.
Visual Design
The prototypes were translated into polished user interfaces, balancing clarity and functionality for different roles. A consistent visual language was established to keep the ecosystem coherent across all tools.
Design System Integration
We imported and extended a design system into the Vue framework and continuously enriched it with new components. This ensured consistency across tools, simplified scaling, and created a smooth developer handover process by aligning design and code from the start.
Implementation & Rollout
Several tools have already been implemented and are actively used, while others are still in development. Each one is optimized for its user group and connected through the shared hub. Early outcomes include reduced onboarding time, improved usability, and higher satisfaction among pilot users.
