IMPACT
Solved Complex Industry Problems: Delivered impactful design solutions addressing core challenges in specialized corporate travel management.  
Secured Major Client Adoption: Achieved rapid platform adoption and successful launches with 10+ Fortune 500 clients, including Amazon, Meta, and Walmart. Drove Business Growth: Directly contributed to winning major enterprise contracts and significantly increasing company revenue.  

ROLE
Sole Designer: Architected the foundational "Events" platform (0-to-1). Led the pivotal evolution from "Events" to the industry-leading SPD platform.  

TEAM
Directed core global XFN team (5 Eng, PM, UX Writer, Brand Designer, etc.).
Aligned key stakeholder teams (Sales, Mktg, Corporate, TMC, Data etc.).

DURATION
Phase 1/ Events 10, 2023- 9.2024
Phase 2/ SPD 9, 2024 - NOW

From Group Events to Specialty Desk

Evolving our approach to specialized travel

Project Overview

This project chronicles the significant evolution of Spotnana's travel management capabilities, originating from a focused solution for group event travel and expanding into a comprehensive platform addressing diverse, specialized travel needs across the enterprise.

I utilized this iterative development process to guide both the foundational 'Events' design and the strategic evolution to 'Specialty Desk' (SPD). As the Sole Designer and initial lead before a dedicated PM assignment, I drove the process from discovery through delivery for Events (top). Recognizing its limitations, I spearheaded the strategy and initiation of SPD (bottom), adapting the core learnings and leading cross-functional teams to develop a flexible platform for diverse travel scenarios, demonstrating proactive leadership in product expansion.

Phase 1 - Event

The Problem

A maze of manual work and endless emails, the event group travel process buried administrators in error-prone tasks and offered no self-service for travelers.

What We Achieved

Today, the Events platform is live, transforming how companies manage group travel. By replacing a cumbersome, manual process with an automated, self-service solution, the platform empowers event organizers, delights traveling employees, and provides companies with unprecedented control over their travel programs. The release led to significant client acquisition, with major companies like Meta, Amazon, and Walmart adopting the platform for their group travel needs.

75%

Reduction in HR Admin Time

This was reduced from an estimated 2.5+ hours of manual work per event (emailing, chasing info, compiling spreadsheets) to less than 30 minutes required to set up the event and send an invite.

90%

Faster End-to-End Booking Cycle

The entire process, from sending the first invitation to having all travelers confirmed, was cut from an average of 3-5 business days down to just a few hours, with employees able to book their travel in minutes.

100%

Automated Policy Compliance

We moved from a system of inconsistent manual checks to a platform with built-in policy enforcement. This ensures every self-booked trip is automatically 100% compliant with company rules for flights and hotels, eliminating rogue spending.

Uncovering the Core Challenge

Core Problem 1

Manual Inefficiency & Error

The entire process relies on disconnected spreadsheets and manual data entry. This wastes dozens of hours for administrators and is highly susceptible to costly human error.

Core Problem 2

Policy Confusion & Friction

A persistent communication gap exists between administrators and travelers. Critical travel policies are buried in emails, causing traveler confusion, repetitive questions for admins, and a frustrating booking experience.

Core Problem 3

Lack of Real-Time Oversight

There is no centralized system to track bookings or spending as they happen. This lack of visibility makes it impossible to enforce policies proactively or manage event budgets effectively, creating significant financial risk.

Design

Admin/ Event Listing Page

The Event List Page design focuses on providing coordinators with a clear, actionable, and scalable overview of the events.

Summary & Vision

Provides an efficient interface for standard events with a foundation (cards, status, filters) designed to be expandable for complex Specialty Desk Travel (SPD) requirements.

Admin/ Event Setting Page

The Event List Page design focuses on providing coordinators with a clear, actionable, and scalable overview of the events.

Evolution of Events

Real-time Monitoring

Enabled admins to monitor booking status in real time, providing up-to-date information on traveler progress and potential issues.

Phase #1 Genesis - Tesla's Need & Rapid Response

On my third day at Spotnana, I presented a demo to Tesla, addressing their need for efficient group travel booking. Our initial solution streamlined their workflow and tackled their manual booking challenges through rapid feature updates.

Guest Management

Simplified and refined the process of adding and managing guest information.

To accommodate increasingly complex scenarios, we shifted towards an SPD-style booking process. This allows admins to create reusable templates for various travel purposes, streamlining trip setup and reducing manual effort.

Phase #2 Expanding Scope - Recruitment & Diverse Use Cases

Based on Tesla's feedback and internal testing, we iterated on the design to accommodate broader use cases. This included features for recruitment scenarios, where HR teams needed to book travel for potential candidates outside the company system. This version introduced refined event management, diverse payment options, and expanded guest invitation capabilities.

Customization

Enabled customized event settings, including event images, allowed booking types, specific location details, and preferred airline options.

Payment: Introduced diverse payment methods to accommodate various booking scenarios.

Data Collaboration

Collaborated with the data team to implement event metadata tracking and a dashboard view of event lists for admins.

Phase #3 Spotnana Events - Internal Testing & Global Launch

To ensure the platform could handle large-scale events, we first deployed Spotnana Events for our own company-wide offsite in Dubai, with over 500 employees. After successful internal testing and refinement, we launched Spotnana Events as a global solution. This version simplified group travel for events with shared dates, limited booking types for better policy control, allowed for customized payment methods, and enabled easy traveler list management. It provided a streamlined booking experience for events worldwide, with features like customized email invitations and real-time booking status tracking. This success led to adoption by major clients like Meta, Amazon, and Walmart.

  • Global platform for managing events worldwide

  • Customized email invitations and real-time booking status tracking

  • Successfully deployed for large-scale events and adopted by major clients

Phase #4 Evolving into Specialty Desk Travel (SPD)

With growing demand and the onboarding of major clients like Amazon and Meta, the limitations of "Events" became apparent. It couldn't handle diverse traveler types, complex policies, and the need for more granular control. This led to the development of Specialty Desk Travel (SPD), a platform designed to manage intricate enterprise travel needs with enhanced flexibility, automation, control, and visibility. SPD introduced features like customizable templates for various travel types (e.g., new hire onboarding, relocations), streamlined trip creation, flexible booking options (self-service and agent-assisted), granular control over booking parameters, and comprehensive reporting.

I started by transforming the Events product to scale for other booking types. In the meantime, we also took this opportunity to implement Spotnana's new design system, which revamped our visual design. The SPD project is currently being implemented, and you can find more details in the next project section.

Summary

I led the design of Spotnana Events, a platform simplifying group travel booking for events of any size. I was passionate about creating an intuitive and enjoyable experience for both event planners and attendees, and I'm proud of the work we did to bring this product to life.

My contributions:

  • Led the design and development of the entire Spotnana Events product.

  • Championed user experience and design consistency.

  • Drove the implementation of Spotnana's new design system.

  • Played a key role in the successful adoption of the platform by major clients.