Simplified the Structure with OOUX

To build a more scalable system, I applied an Object-Oriented UX (OOUX) approach to audit and reorganize the platform’s information architecture. This method helped reveal structural inefficiencies hiding behind legacy navigation labels.

For example, I identified that “fraud” wasn’t a standalone section—it was simply metadata tied to transactions. By redefining it as a view within a consolidated “Transactions” object, I streamlined access and reduced complexity. Similar patterns emerged throughout the system, allowing us to collapse overlapping content and introduce clearer navigation points that reflected how users actually work.

I presented these findings in a collaborative walkthrough, allowing stakeholders to challenge, validate, and build on the object model. This shifted the conversation from reactive feature requests to strategic system design—and ultimately led to a 53% reduction in top-level navigation items, improving both usability and long-term scalability.

Mapped a Connected Ecosystem

After restructuring the system with OOUX, I led the creation of a sitemap to visualize how users would navigate this new, simplified structure. This sitemap didn’t just outline page hierarchy—it showed how key objects and features connected across the platform, revealing dependencies, cross-navigation opportunities, and moments for contextual guidance.

It became a strategic tool for stakeholder alignment. We used it to map both existing and requested features to the right parts of the system, highlighting where consolidation or repositioning made sense. By shifting the focus from isolated pages to interconnected user flows, we created a clearer picture of how the platform could scale with purpose—supporting better task completion, easier orientation, and more intuitive feature discovery.

Prioritized User-First Features

With our new object-based foundation in place, I shifted focus to ensuring users could more easily access, understand, and act on critical information. My design decisions were driven by stakeholder requests, user expectations, and opportunities surfaced through OOUX and sitemap workshops.

Main & Secondary Navigation Redesign

The main navigation was streamlined to reflect key system objects—no longer cluttered with mismatched tools and settings. This reduced cognitive load and helped users find core areas like “Customers” and “Transactions” more intuitively. New sections such as “Admin Settings” supported requested functionality for managing stores, features, users, and roles.

To improve orientation and efficiency, I introduced a secondary navigation bar featuring breadcrumb navigation and a new global search tool—a significant addition that didn’t exist in the previous system. Previously, users were forced to navigate to multiple pages before they could begin searching for values. With the new search field always present, users could now directly query and access records—like a specific transaction ID or customer—without unnecessary steps. This saved time, reduced frustration, and empowered users to move faster through their daily workflows.

I also introduced a contextual “Create New” button, which dynamically adjusted to the page the user was viewing—making it seamless to initiate new tasks without breaking focus or backtracking.

Dashboard Enhancements

We unified fraud and payments dashboards under a single, tabbed layout—important since fraud is an add-on feature for select users. The design added trend indicators, clearer data visuals, and better text labels to help users interpret values without relying solely on visual cues. Hover states and accessible tables gave users clearer insight into patterns and issues over time.

Customer Page Creation

Following our object-mapping efforts, we identified “Customer” as a new, first-class object—earning a dedicated navigation link. I designed a page with a tabbed table view separating pre-approved and blocked customers, addressing key user tasks. This let users proactively manage fraud risk by requesting approvals before purchases and blocking risky individuals, all from the same interface. Status indicators made customer states clear, and each record supported direct actions like unblocking or reversing approvals.

Transactions Redesign

What was once labeled “Orders” was reframed as “Transactions” to better reflect business language. This page brought together what had previously been split across fraud and payment tools.

I designed a tabbed table with fraud-specific visual indicators, improved filters, and the ability to save search parameters to create new user configured tabs—making recurring tasks faster and more efficient. Clicking a transaction opened a unified detail page, combining fraud and payment data with linked access to customer and store records. This fluid navigation allowed users to trace and resolve issues quickly without losing context.