N41 Apparel PLM System

N41's web-based Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software, part of their Apparel Software Suite, is a user-centered, cloud-based desktop app designed to help apparel manufacturers accelerate product development.

Service:
User Interface (UI), Web Application, Design System
Year:
2019
Industry:
SaaS, Fashion and Apparel Industry
Website:
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My Role

As a UI/UX designer, I collaborated with UX researchers and the product management team to design comprehensive UI screens for development and establish a cohesive design system.

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Objective

The N41 Apparel PLM System is a comprehensive solution tailored for the fashion industry's product lifecycle management. The primary objective was to enhance the user interface and experience, ensuring that design teams could develop new products more efficiently and track critical timelines effectively.
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Research & Discovery

  • User Interviews & Feedback Collection: Conducted sessions with existing users to identify pain points and areas needing improvement.
  • Competitive Analysis: Analyzed similar PLM systems to benchmark features and user experience standards.
  • Workflow Understanding: Collaborated with cross-functional teams to map out current workflows and identify bottlenecks.

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    Design Strategy

  • Design System Development: Established a cohesive design language, including typography, color schemes, and component libraries, to ensure consistency across the platform.
  • Wireframing & Prototyping: Created wireframes and interactive prototypes to visualize user flows and gather early feedback.
  • Usability Testing: Conducted tests with end-users to validate design decisions and iterate based on feedback.

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    Implementation & Collaboration

  • Developer Collaboration: Worked closely with the development team to ensure the design system was effectively translated into the final product.
  • Feedback Loops: Established regular check-ins to address challenges promptly and adapt to any changes in project scope.
  • Documentation: Provided comprehensive guidelines and documentation to support ongoing maintenance and future enhancements.

    • Design System Development

    To support scalability and maintain consistency across the PLM platform, I led the creation of a centralized design system. This included:

    • Defining foundational styles such as typography, spacing, color palette, and grid systems
    • Building a component library in Figma with standardized UI elements—buttons, input fields, dropdowns, and navigation modules
    • Establishing naming conventions and usage documentation for cross-functional alignment
    • Collaborating with developers to ensure seamless handoff and design-token integration into code

    The design system served as a single source of truth, streamlining collaboration and significantly reducing redundancy during development. It also improved design velocity, allowing future features to be rolled out more efficiently and with visual consistency.

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    Results & Impact

  • Achieved a 40% reduction in duplicate data entry by streamlining product setup flows and simplifying key input points
  • Cut onboarding time for new team members by over 50%, thanks to a more transparent UI structure and more intuitive workflows
  • Internal users reported significantly reduced confusion and cognitive fatigue when navigating complex product lifecycle tasks
  • The engineering team experienced fewer clarification requests and smoother design-to-development handoff, driven by a well-documented design system and standardized UI component

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    (NEXT PROJECT)

    eLAMBS Cloud ERP solution

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