Laying the Foundation for Dealer Success
John Deere Sales Center
The John Deere Sales Center was a multi-billion-dollar initiative aimed at modernizing dealership operations by replacing fragmented legacy systems with a unified digital platform. The stakes were high: over 17 outdated systems created inefficiencies, manual processes, and dealer frustration.
As the Lead UX Designer, my role was to ensure the tools we created not only worked but fit seamlessly into how dealerships operated. This required understanding dealer workflows, addressing their pain points, and delivering scalable, user-centered solutions. My work spanned four critical modules: Equipment, Plan, Order, and Incentives. Each module addressed specific challenges, but together they laid the groundwork for a unified system that revolutionized dealership operations.
Dealerships were facing:
Fragmented Workflows: Managing inventory, planning, and orders required switching between multiple disconnected systems.
Manual Processes: Reporting shortages, managing incentives, and configuring orders were error-prone and time-consuming.
Regional Inconsistencies: Systems varied by region, creating inefficiencies and delays.
Our challenge was to consolidate these processes into a single platform that empowered dealers, reduced operational friction, and improved efficiency across all regions.
User Research & Validation
To build tools that truly worked for dealers, we started by engaging them directly:
Conducted user interviews across 4-5 initiatives, speaking with 3-5 dealership staff per project to understand workflows and pain points.
Facilitated three in-person usability tests at John Deere’s annual dealer conference, involving 5-12 participants per session.
Prototypes I built were tested by over 100 dealers across various roles, generating insights that informed key design decisions.
Collaborative Design
I advocated for embedding UX within product teams, which allowed for real-time collaboration with engineers and faster iteration cycles. We paired this with usability testing, ensuring that each feature was validated with dealers before development.
Scalable Tools
To maintain consistency and efficiency across such a large initiative, we developed reusable components and templates in Figma. These ensured a consistent user experience while reducing design iteration times by over 50%.
Equipment Module: Simplifying Inventory Management
Designed a unified search interface that enabled dealers to filter by serial number, model, and custom fields, reducing search times and eliminating reliance on third-party tools.
Streamlined key workflows within the equipment detail page, allowing dealers to update rental usage, mark equipment as presold, report shortages, and process returns from one central location.
Digitized manual reporting processes, replacing paper-based workflows with efficient digital tools to reduce errors and delays.A
Plan Module: Automating Inventory Planning
Developed automated restocking tools triggered when inventory dropped below thresholds set by dealership Inventory Managers.
Designed dashboards and dynamic tables to give dealers real-time visibility into inventory levels and automate bulk ordering.
Simplified workflows for managing obsolete configurations and product transitions, reducing manual oversight and errors.
Order Module: Unifying Global WorkflowsA
Created a consistent ordering experience across regions by aligning workflows and consolidating features into a unified system.
Implemented responsive designs using CSS Grid, enabling seamless functionality across desktop and mobile devices.
Developed componentized templates in Figma, cutting design iteration times by over 50% and ensuring scalability across all regions.
Incentives Module: Simplifying Dealer Engagement
Designed intuitive tools for managing discounts, rewards, and funding requests, simplifying complex processes and enhancing usability.
Introduced progress trackers to help dealers visualize their progress toward earning rewards, driving higher engagement.
Embedded UX within engineering teams, enabling real-time design iterations and faster delivery of user-centered solutions.
Streamlined Operations - Automated workflows and consolidated tools significantly reduced dealer workloads and error rates.
Improved Dealer Efficiency - Tools like automated restocking and unified workflows saved time and reduced complexity for dealers.
Scalable Design Systems - Reusable components and templates ensured consistency and reduced design and development time by over 50%.
Enhanced Dealer Satisfaction - Positive feedback highlighted the usability and effectiveness of the new platform, strengthening trust with John Deere.
Global Consistency - Unified workflows across regions created a seamless user experience worldwide.
By focusing on dealer needs and embedding empathy into the design process, I helped transform the John Deere Sales Center into a trusted, user-friendly platform. This project not only delivered immediate results but also established a scalable foundation for future innovations. For me, it reinforced the importance of collaboration, thoughtful design, and a relentless focus on solving real user problems
