Future Delivery Date – A Journey in Designing for B2B Efficiency
Overview
In early November 2023, I was presented with a complex challenge: high-frequency B2B purchasers were putting in multiple orders to get scheduled future orders, leading to errors and inefficiencies that impacted their business operations. They needed a streamlined, intuitive way to plan multiple deliveries without the frustration of re-entering data or missing critical information for the user. This is the study of how I transformed that challenge into the Future Delivery Date (FDD) feature—a solution that not only simplified the ordering process but also enhanced overall user satisfaction.
Year
2023-24
Company
Millipore Sigma
Discovery
My design process began with a thorough discovery phase. I researched how users currently managed deliveries, uncovering a critical pain point: while a basic date picker existed for single shipments, planning multiple deliveries required contacting an account lead, a cumbersome and inefficient process. This gap led to frequent mistakes and a poor user experience. Through user interviews, data analysis, and competitive research, I identified the core need: a self-service, user-centered process for effortless and accurate shipment planning online. However, we were constrained by existing backend limitations. This meant we had to carefully consider what was feasible within the current technical infrastructure. This led to collaborative workshops with stakeholders where we defined a shared vision for the Future Delivery Date (FDD) feature, focusing on how to best integrate future delivery scheduling within the existing checkout flow, given our technical constraints. We explored various integration options, debating different layouts and UI elements like modal vs. on-page date selection.
From Research to Wireframes
Moving from discovery to design, I began the research and wireframing phase for the Future Delivery Date feature. I started with low-fidelity sketches to define the core structure and meticulously documented the user flow, from date selection to shipment line management. This process uncovered several key edge cases that needed to be addressed in the high-fidelity designs to ensure a robust front-end experience: promo code restrictions, cart retention for scheduled shipments, clear error handling, and a way to track "Quantity Remaining to Schedule" with the ability to revert changes. Each wireframe iteration was carefully considered, focusing not just on the visual layout but also the underlying logic of each interaction, ensuring the final design remained grounded in user needs.
High-Fidelity Design & Testing
Following wireframe refinement based on stakeholder feedback and usability insights, I created high-fidelity prototypes for desktop and mobile using Adobe XD. These prototypes, encompassing over 30 screens, detailed every element, from the repositioned date selector (moved outside the modal for improved usability) to clear annotations for each user flow. A key design decision, driven by user testing, was relocating the date picker directly onto the checkout page, resulting in a significantly smoother and more integrated experience. Due to project constraints, we opted for a phased rollout. The initial launch prioritized getting the feature live quickly, with a commitment to subsequent iterations informed by real-world user data and feedback. A timeline was established to revisit the design based on these post-launch insights
The Final Outcome
The Future Delivery Date feature launched, providing a polished, user-centered solution that simplified scheduling future shipments. Maintaining existing order logic while adding new flexibility and clarity, the feature directly addressed the needs of high-frequency and bulk-order users. This project reinforced the importance of early and continuous collaboration. Initial feasibility challenges and necessary late-stage adjustments highlighted the critical need for close alignment with development teams from project inception. This experience solidified my commitment to a collaborative, iterative design process, where client feedback and Development insights drive every stage of product creation. With growing user adoption of the FDD feature, we are already planning enhancements, including exploring a non-modal version to optimize the buy page experience and expanding the editing capabilities for shipment scheduling. Each iteration will build upon the strong foundation established through thoughtful design and rigorous testing.
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