How might we created a unified communication system for a multi-Sided manufacturing platform?
Consolidating fragmented communication across customers, internal teams, and manufacturers into a single source of truth.
Timeline:
2 Months
Team:
Payam (Project Manager) , Mitesh Patel
My Role:
Lead Product Designer
Research:
8 customer + 10 internal + 8 manufacturers
The Problem
Communication across Fictiv's injection molding process was broken. Customers, internal teams, and manufacturers were using multiple third-party apps (email, Slack, WhatsApp, text messages) to coordinate complex manufacturing orders. No one had a single source of truth.
Current State Pain Points
❌ No conversation history - context was lost across different apps
❌ Questions traveled through 3+ people (Customer → CSM → TPM → Manufacturer) causing delays
❌ Customers felt in the dark about their orders, undermining trust
❌ Internal teams couldn't track or control what information reached customers
How might we create a centralized communication system that serves three distinct user groups with different needs, while maintaining appropriate information gatekeeping and transparency?
Research & Discovery
I conducted comprehensive research across all three user groups to understand their unique needs, pain points, and mental models around order communication.
Research Approach
Screening survey to identify customer types
8 in-depth customer interviews
15+ internal stakeholder interviews (TPMs, CSMs, CPMs, GMs, Logistics, QC)
8 manufacturer interviews across 4 global regions
Journey mapping across all user types
Key Insights
Internal Teams:
Required control over what to share vs. keep internal
Needed to collaborate across departments
Wanted a single place for communication history
Not all manufacturer updates should reach customers
Customers :
Didn't need every update - just important/urgent ones
Wanted updates to share internally with their teams
Updates built confidence in the process
Needed visibility without being overwhelmed
Manufacturers:
Needed a simple way to send updates
Wanted confirmation their updates were received
Struggled with navigating complex systems
Required clarity on what information was needed
The Solution
A centralized communication portal integrated into both customer-facing and internal apps, with manufacturer inputs flowing through internal review before reaching customers.
Before and After
Core Features
Manufacturer Portal - Simple update submission with file uploads and confirmation states
Internal Review System - Side drawer for teams to review, discuss, and publish updates
Customer Portal - Clean view of relevant updates with messaging capability
Rich Text Editor - Consistent formatting across all updates and responses
Process Templates - Pre-made update types aligned with injection molding stages
Smart Notifications - Alerts at each stage of the communication flow
Manufacturer Experience
A streamlined interface for manufacturers to submit updates with file attachments and receive confirmation.
Design Decision : Process-Aligned Update Templates
Problem: Freeform updates led to inconsistent, confusing communication.
Solution: Templates tied to injection molding stages (Tooling, Sampling, Production, QC, Shipping).
Why: Customers know what to expect at each stage, and internal teams have structure without limiting flexibility.
Internal Team Experience
A side drawer for reviewing manufacturer updates, collaborating internally, and deciding what to publish to customers.
Design Decisions: Gatekeeping via Internal Review
Problem: Not all manufacturer updates should go directly to customers—some are too technical, some reveal internal issues.
Solution: Internal side drawer for review with manual publish decision.
Why: This maintains customer trust while giving internal teams control. Customers only see relevant, well-formatted updates, while internal teams have full visibility.
Customer Experience
A clean timeline of order updates that customers can easily share with their internal stakeholders.
Design Decision: Shareable Update Format
Problem: Customers needed to keep their internal stakeholders informed about order progress.
Solution: Clean, formatted updates that customers could easily forward or screenshot.
Why: This small detail had outsized impact on customer confidence—they could show their teams that things were moving forward.
Outcomes & Reflection
What I Learned
Designing for multi-sided platforms requires balancing transparency with control. Information gatekeeping isn't about hiding things—it's about relevance and trust. The most impactful features weren't always the most complex; sometimes it was as simple as making updates shareable.
If I Could Do It Again
I'd spend more time testing the manufacturer experience in different regions. Language barriers and varying levels of technical literacy meant the "simple" interface wasn't equally simple for everyone. I'd also explore more proactive notification strategies—not just alerting people when something happened, but predicting when they'd need to take action.