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Accommodation Engine
Accommodation Engine
Accommodation Engine
Accommodation Engine
Reimagining activation to better support parent companies and managing clients.
Reimagining the activation journey to better support parent companies and their client management needs.
Plooto
Plooto
Plooto
Role: Product Designer
Role: Product Designer
Role: Product Designer
4 weeks (Nov 2025)
4 weeks (Nov 2025)
4 weeks (Nov 2025)
Context
Context
A new dashboard for company management
A new dashboard for company management
Plooto is a fintech platform that automates accounts payable and accounts receivable for small and mid-sized businesses, while giving parent companies oversight to manage their child companies.
Plooto is a fintech platform that automates accounts payable and accounts receivable for small and mid-sized businesses, while giving parent companies oversight to manage their child companies.
For this project, I was tasked with designing a new parent company dashboard that supports both transactions and client management.
For this project, I was tasked with designing a new parent company dashboard that supports both transactions and client management.
the problem space
the problem space
Knew the user types, but not what they needed
Knew the user types, but not what they needed
During registration, users choose their business type to identify whether the business is an independent, child, or parent company. However, everyone landed on the same transaction-focused dashboard.
During registration, users choose their business type to identify whether the business is an independent, child, or parent company. However, everyone landed on the same transaction-focused dashboard.
The dashboard wasn't built for firm and client management
The dashboard wasn't built for firm and client management
Parent companies have a primary need of managing clients and firms, leading to a disconnect between what we knew about them and what the product offered.
Parent companies have a primary need of managing clients and firms, leading to a disconnect between what we knew about them and what the product offered.
Defining success
Defining success
From landing to managing faster
From landing to managing faster
We decided to design a new parent-focused dashboard and planned an A/B test to evaluate whether it is more intuitive and better suits user needs. These were our success criteria:
We decided to design a new parent-focused dashboard and planned an A/B test to evaluate whether it is more intuitive and better suits user needs. These were our success criteria:
Reduce time to add first client and staff member
Reduce time to add first client and staff member
When users land on their dashboard, we want them to access core features easily.
When users land on their dashboard, we want them to access core features easily.
Increase parents adding more than 1 client in 7 days
Increase parents adding more than 1 client in 7 days
Track whether more parent users begin managing and onboarding their clients shortly after activation.
Track whether more parent users begin managing and onboarding their clients shortly after activation.
Product Assessment
Product Assessment
Mapping the journey
Mapping the journey
I audited the parent company onboarding flow and created a user story map to understand their workflow and uncover any disjointed experiences.
I audited the parent company onboarding flow and created a user story map to understand their workflow and uncover any disjointed experiences.
Hearing the friction
Hearing the friction
Internal interviews with Account Executives and Customer Support Managers helped validate where parent users were struggling the most.
Internal interviews with Account Executives and Customer Support Managers helped validate where parent users were struggling the most.
Users are dropped on a company-selection screen with no direction
Users are dropped on a company-selection screen with no direction
The dashboard is built for transacting, not managing
The dashboard is built for transacting, not managing
Core management features are buried in settings
Core management features are buried in settings
'Steps to get started' is a permanent page until users unlock payment
'Steps to get started' is a permanent page until users unlock payment
Design
Design
What should come first?
What should come first?
While exploring different directions for the parent dashboard, I focused on the actions parent users needed most.
While exploring different directions for the parent dashboard, I focused on the actions parent users needed most.
What core features do users want?
What core features do users want?
While we wanted users to add their clients and staff, I also wanted to consider the other important actions they may do.
While we wanted users to add their clients and staff, I also wanted to consider the other important actions they may do.
How should features be seperated?
How should features be seperated?
Parent company users would primarily use Plooto as a firm management tool, but there were some that still transacted.
Parent company users would primarily use Plooto as a firm management tool, but there were some that still transacted.
How can we make perks visible?
How can we make perks visible?
Hidden bonuses were found in 'Settings', depending on the number of clients a user has. This info should be visible.
Hidden bonuses were found in 'Settings', depending on the number of clients a user has. This info should be visible.
These questions, along with feedback from the team, shaped each iteration of the dashboard.
These questions, along with feedback from the team, shaped each iteration of the dashboard.
Design decisions
Design decisions
01. Make setup one click away
01. Make setup one click away
Customer-facing teams have shared that many parent users need help with adding clients, inviting team members, and viewing all accounts. I brought these high-priority actions onto the dashboard through a quick actions section and practice management tools.
Customer-facing teams have shared that many parent users need help with adding clients, inviting team members, and viewing all accounts. I brought these high-priority actions onto the dashboard through a quick actions section and practice management tools.
02. Separate management from payments
02. Separate management from payments
Having tried multiple iterations of sectioning client management and unlocking payments, having separate tabs ensures that content is easily digestible and accessible.
Having tried multiple iterations of sectioning client management and unlocking payments, having separate tabs ensures that content is easily digestible and accessible.
V1: Lengthy and overwhelming
V1: Lengthy and overwhelming
V1: Lengthy and overwhelming
V2: Must scroll to access payment
V2: Must scroll to access payment
V2: Must scroll to access payment
03. Turn perks into progress
03. Turn perks into progress
While adding clients could unlock user bonuses, this was previously hidden in Settings. I moved it to the dashboard and gamified it as a progress-based experience, making rewards more visible.
While adding clients could unlock user bonuses, this was previously hidden in Settings. I moved it to the dashboard and gamified it as a progress-based experience, making rewards more visible.
Client sub discount in settings (OLD)
Client sub discount in settings (OLD)
Client sub discount in settings (OLD)
Client sub discount in dashbaord (NEW)
Client sub discount in dashbaord (NEW)
Client sub discount in dashbaord (NEW)
solution
solution
A dashboard with a clear starting point
A dashboard with a clear starting point
Parent users are now prompted to start with client management, rather than being dropped in a generic company-selection screen. The dashboard puts important actions front and center, even after unlocking transaction features.
Parent users are now prompted to start with client management, rather than being dropped in a generic company-selection screen. The dashboard puts important actions front and center, even after unlocking transaction features.
Before unlocking payments
Before unlocking payments
Before unlocking payments
After unlocking payments
After unlocking payments
After unlocking payments
One place to manage the company
One place to manage the company
Two workflows, one experience
Two workflows, one experience
The dashboard separates client management from payments, allowing parents to move between firm management and payment activation without mixing the two workflows.
The dashboard separates client management from payments, allowing parents to move between firm management and payment activation without mixing the two workflows.
Manage first, transact when ready
Manage first, transact when ready
Making growth visible
Making growth visible
Built-in incentives encourage parent users to add and manage more clients, reinforcing long-term engagement with the platform.
Built-in incentives encourage parent users to add and manage more clients, reinforcing long-term engagement with the platform.
Incentivize client growth
Incentivize client growth
Takeaways
Takeaways
Teachable moments
Teachable moments
No projects will ever go smoothly. There will always be lessons from the journey that shape me into a better designer.
No projects will ever go smoothly. There will always be lessons from the journey that shape me into a better designer.
Scope the mvp
Scope the mvp
The biggest challenge was identifying the MVP. Initially, I jumped into designing and kept wondering if more features needed to be added for this experiment. Creating the user story map helped narrow down what was important.
The biggest challenge was identifying the MVP. Initially, I jumped into designing and kept wondering if more features needed to be added for this experiment. Creating the user story map helped narrow down what was important.
Present with the audience in mind
Present with the audience in mind
Throughout my time at Plooto (and for this project), I had to present to different groups of people that may not have the full context of the project or why it was happening. I learned to show old flows and get everyone up to speed before presenting the new designs.
Throughout my time at Plooto (and for this project), I had to present to different groups of people that may not have the full context of the project or why it was happening. I learned to show old flows and get everyone up to speed before presenting the new designs.
Results
Results
Shipped to 100% of parent companies
Shipped to 100% of parent companies
While we initially planned to experiment and gather results first, Leadership pushed to get this live as soon as possible with tons of internal support.
While we initially planned to experiment and gather results first, Leadership pushed to get this live as soon as possible with tons of internal support.