Product design on an operational logistics platform
Shippy
Shippy operates at the heart of e-commerce logistics. Every shipping decision impacts cost, timing and margin in real time. In this type of system, errors do not appear at the end of the workflow; they emerge during operations, causing rework, delays and financial loss.
This project treated design as part of the operational system, responsible for supporting rapid decisions without compromising stability, traceability or integration.
The challenge
The problem was not the interface, but how logistical rules were presented.
The platform served logistics managers, operators and business teams. Calculation, configuration or reading errors propagated quickly through operations, exacerbated by integrations with ERPs and e-commerce platforms.
Important rules were implicit. Many decisions relied on the prior knowledge of system operators, making operations slower, more fragile and dependent on specific individuals.
Product decision
The central decision was to treat design as operational infrastructure.
The interface needed to
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reduce excessive reading under pressure
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make rules and exceptions explicit
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decrease reliance on tacit knowledge
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maintain consistency even with multiple integrations
Shipping complexity was not abstracted. It was organised to be readable and auditable at the moment of decision.
Trade-offs assumed
Visual customisations were limited to maintain predictability. Rules and calculation criteria remained visible, even when this made the interface more direct and less flexible.
“Black-box” logic was avoided. Calculations needed to be understood by both operators and system auditors.
Technical constraints of external integrations were respected. The design adapted to the platform’s actual functionality without creating artificial layers to conceal limitations.
The process
The work began with understanding the logistics domain and operational constraints.
Critical scenarios where rules, exceptions, and integrations intersected were analysed. These points guided prototyping and validations, always focusing on decision-making under pressure.
Collaboration with product, technology, and leadership was continuous. Interface adjustments only progressed when they reflected the system’s real behaviour in production.
Design role
Design assumed operational responsibility.
Critical information became visible and actionable. Decisions that previously required prior experience were now supported by the interface.
The product no longer depended on experienced operators to function correctly. Rules, exceptions and consequences became clear at the most sensitive points in the operation.
The solution
The solution reorganised shipping workflows to support decision-making, not navigation.
Rules and exceptions were made visible at the moment they mattered. Calculations ceased to operate as opaque logic and were presented in a comprehensible way for both operations and auditing.
The interface began to function as direct support for logistical decision-making.
Resoults
Quantitative indicators are confidential.
Even so, practical effects were observed. Rework in shipping decisions was reduced, and the system’s calculations became more predictable.
Operational clarity facilitated external integrations and reduced friction within the logistics ecosystem.
Learnings
In operational systems, clarity determines whether operations scale or collapse.
Design decisions directly impact cost, speed and reliability. When rules are explicit, operations cease to rely on individuals and depend on the system.
Design in a logistical context requires pragmatic choices, aligned with the business’s real constraints.
Closure
This project demonstrated that, in logistical products, design directly impacts operational efficiency.
By making rules, exceptions and decisions legible, the product reduced errors, increased predictability, and created a foundation for evolution in a high-pressure, continuously integrated environment.
