How to redesign a popular yet faltering feature into a seamless & powerful tool?

I built a strong case to present to PMs and TLs using Mixpanel data. I illustrated inefficiencies in the current invoicing process—average time to build an invoice and confusing interaction flows. I also cataloged user feedback and quotes that underscored frustrations with performance and design. With solid rationale and backing from engineering (eager to refactor), I pitched the need for a holistic redesign.

1. Enhance scalability and performance: Address deterioration caused by the bento-box design and ad-hoc patches.

2. Improve user experience: Create a more intuitive and efficient process using user feedback and industry best practices.

3. Streamline workflow: Design a step-by-step, user-friendly interface that accommodates most users and makes future feature additions easy.

I set out to design an experience that was simple yet powerful—a layout that offered increasing functionality as the user progressed. After four iterations, we reached a final design that addressed user problems, aligned with business goals, and facilitated future feature additions.

Iterations (scroll horizontally to see all)

1st iteration

Linear layout, clear labels; driven by competitor studies—e.g. Payment Terms at the beginning beside Invoice Date.

2nd iteration

Tested with design partners; users added customer first then progressed. Most users skipped date and terms, so those fields were repositioned (relative insignificance); we started to part ways from competitor insights.

3rd iteration

Same users then looked for date/terms—so kept them visible and easily accessible; added gamification (e.g. summary card unlocks after one item).

4th iteration

Search-and-select for customer and items; modal kept for multi-select; refined input states and interactions.

Final iteration

Gray customer region read as disabled, table cells not clearly clickable—added border strokes and clearer use of gray for customer details.

Ideally, invoice creation from start to finish should take no longer than a minute. Responsiveness was a big consideration—many users generate invoices on the go using mobile and tablet.

The redesigned invoicing module was met with overwhelmingly positive feedback. Daily invoice generation rose by 120%, and average time to create an invoice dropped by 50%—now around 3.5 minutes. The revamp resolved performance issues and positioned Ordr's invoicing experience among the best on the market. The attention to detail was well received by users and managers.