Sync - Revamp of a project management dashboard experience for Colliers

My Role

UX Design Lead

Category

B2B SaaS

Responsiblities

Redesigned key daily task user flows

Revamped UI + Design System

Optimized hierarchy & readability of tool

Impact

48k +

User transitioned

42 %

Faster task completion

Context.

Sync is a project management software built for desktop and tablet use, tailored specifically for the A/E/C (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) industry. It streamlines cross-functional collaboration among 7+ teams (on-site workers, project managers, clients, interior designers, and civil engineers) by enabling real-time site updates, organizing project documentation, automating daily reports, and more.


Here's what got better:

Role-based permissions

Customized dashboards

Streamlined workflows

METHODS


User research

User journey maps

Heuristic evaluation

Wire-framing

Prototyping

User Testing

SUS Questionnaire

TEAM


1 UX Design lead (Me)

1 Sr. UX Researcher

1 Product Manager

1 Dev Lead + team of 3

TIME


4 months

[Feb 2024 - Jun 2024]

Skip to redesign

Disclaimer*: Due to NDA restrictions, the visuals from my work for Colliers are limited and masked. Feel free to reach out for more details.

Why did we need a redesign?

Outdated legacy system

!

Misaligned with Modern Workflows

Complex, Inefficient Navigation

Slowed productivity

The redesign wasn’t just about refreshing the UI—it was about rebuilding the product to meet the evolving needs of A/E/C teams. The focus was on creating a scalable solution that supports real-time collaboration, eases communication between teams, and seamless integration with existing API's.

The goal.

A high-performing, market-ready tool that bridges functionality with flexibility for specialized project workflows.

Stakeholders.

Project Admins

  • Responsible for overseeing project management activities within the organization.

  • Wield comprehensive control over the app's functionalities, including user management, document access permissions, and project tracking.

Contractors

  • Represent a diverse array of external partners and vendors engaged in collaborative projects with the organization.

  • Use the tool to participate in project-related discussions, access pertinent documents, and submit necessary forms.

Impact by numbers.

25%

Increase in employee engagement

42%

Decrease in task completion time

84%

Increase in user retention

Impact by experience.

Having everything in one place, from form history to scheduling and approvals, really streamlines the process.

Rajesh

Project Associate

The app is super responsive on my iPad now -landscape or portrait. This has changed the way I work on site! It’s quick and easy to navigate.

Ajay

Contractor

So easy to access recently viewed files and switch between projects.

Surabhi

Project Associate

The interface is incredibly intuitive. I’m making fewer misclicks, which is saving me so much time.

Reshma

Associate Project Manager

The contrast is great, and I can clearly see everything, even when working in direct sunlight on bright days.

Vimal

Contractor

The Challenge.

1

For on-site workers

Completing tasks like submitting forms or filling out reports was often frustrating due to cluttered layouts and frequent misclicks. A major contributor was the low color contrast between primary and secondary CTAs, which became especially problematic outdoors, where glare and changing lighting conditions made it harder to distinguish interface elements clearly.

2

For project managers

The need for a seamless switch between multiple ongoing projects, assigning roles within in-built group chats, managing meeting logistics such as scheduling, sharing agendas, and recording Minutes of Meeting, as well as accessing audit history for various submitted forms - all within a single, unified platform.

3

From a business perspective

Designing Sync as a scalable SaaS solution for the A/E/C industry meant building robust customization capabilities to support diverse workflows and organizational hierarchies. This included enabling white-labeling options - such as brand-specific colors, fonts, and logos to better appeal to enterprise clients and enhance marketability across a range of companies.

Addressing the challenge.

Developed role-based information architectures to cater to different levels of the organizational hierarchy

This approach reduced information overload by 1/3rd and significantly improved workflow efficiency.

Line-level workers

Managerial staff

UI Components.

These components were developed based on guidelines from the Ant Design system.

Navigation bar


home active

Recent files panel

Project Files

View favourite folders

22 March 2023

Training-Test (2)

22 March 2023

CoPro revamp

22 March 2023

CoPro revamp

22 March 2023

CoPro revamp

Drop down menus

field active & inactive

Radio buttons

active & inactive

Rg Test Package - Test

MEP Package - ABC

FIN (Field Inspection Notice)

DQ (Design Query)

NCN (Non Compliance Notice)

NCR (Non Compliance Report)

CO (Change Order)

SD (Site Directive)

FIN (Field Inspection Notice)

Inspection Result Status

No Objection

No Objection with comments

Rejected in part

Rejected in whole

Checklist

Pop up container

Upload attachments panel

Project access component

selected & unselected

CTA’s

Download

Download

Inactive

Active

Attachments

Drawings

Photos

Others

Upload document

Upload document

Upload document

Yes

No

Are you sure you want to download form report?

The Redesign.

What changed and Why?

The Homepage, Groups and Files pages required significant UI standardization. The pain points on each screen were identified through heuristic evaluation and were further validated by insights from stakeholder feedback during contextual inquiries.

Tasks page (After)

  • Action Buttons
    All CTA’s were made consistent and made easy to access.
    Distinct buttons for 'New Task' and 'New Group' were added to minimize clicks and reduce initial user confusion.

  • Pagination
    A clear indication of the user's current page was provided.

Forms > Design Query form (After)

  • Addition of breadcrumbs for simplified navigation.

  • Addition of a dialog box when the user clicks 'New form' to simplify the form creation and prevent errors.

  • The form type could be quickly selected from the dropdown menu in the top-left corner.

  • Improvised view for filtering form status.

  • The form number can be easily selected from a dropdown displaying all active DQ forms.

  • Each form can be edited, with audit history displaying details of who made changes, when they were made, and any comments added.

  • PDFs of each form can now be generated, with the download CTA appearing only when a specific form is open to prevent confusion.

Daily Report (After)

  • Main categories moved to the top and each acts as a tab.

  • Sub categories under each main category can be chosen from drop-down.

  • Empty states, missing states for fields in the form were added.

  • Users can now add ‘New Task’ and ‘New Subtask’ directly under the ‘Work Items’ tab, avoiding repeated form entries for the same main task.

  • Under the ‘Plan of Work’ tab, weekly and monthly tasks were now differentiated for ease of use and review.

  • The 'Daily Report' tab now allows employees to submit weather reports directly, replacing the need for a separate logging platform.

  • An interactive cursor-follow feature was added to the graphs.

Forms > Material inspection report

A document used to assess and verify the quality and compliance of materials before they are used in a project. It ensures that materials meet specified standards and are suitable for their intended purpose.


Key features :


  • Project Information - Details such as project name, location, inspection date, and inspector's name

  • Material Details - Information about the materials inspected, including type, grade, manufacturer, and batch numbers

  • Inspection Findings - Observations on whether materials meet project specifications, including any deviations or non-conformities

  • Photographic Evidence - Visual documentation of the materials' condition

  • Deficiency Remediation - Recommendations for addressing any identified issues

Minutes of Meeting (MOM)

A document used to record the key discussions, decisions, and action items from project meetings. It serves as an official record, ensuring that all stakeholders are aligned and aware of their responsibilities.


Key features :


  • Project Details: Includes project name, meeting date, location, and attendees

  • Agenda Items: Lists topics discussed during the meeting

  • Attendees: Specify necessary and optional participants

  • Decisions Made: Documents resolutions and agreements reached

  • Action Items: Specifies tasks assigned, responsible individuals, and deadlines

  • Additional Notes: Records any other pertinent information or observations