Workflows—Permits

About the project

Sine Workflows transforms the way facility managers and contractors handle compliance, replacing outdated, manual processes with a streamlined digital experience. The challenge was clear: paper-based permit approvals were slow, inconsistent, and prone to errors. Our mission was to create an intuitive, scalable solution that not only reduced administrative burden but also enhanced safety and efficiency.

As the Lead Designer, I led the charge in understanding user needs, defining a cohesive strategy, and crafting a seamless product experience. My focus was to simplify a complex workflow, ensuring that facility managers and contractors could request, track, and approve work permits with ease.

Full case study coming soon.

Role

Senior Product Designer

Responsibilities

Leading user research to uncover pain points and opportunities

Defining UX strategy and design principles

Designing and prototyping intuitive workflows

Conducting usability testing and iterating based on insights

Collaborating with product and engineering to ensure feasibility

Problem statement

Facility managers need a reliable, standardised process for initiating work authorisations. This process must capture the job scope, identify potential risks, and ensure compliance before work begins.

The existing approach—relying on manual paperwork and fragmented communication—was inefficient, error-prone, and difficult to track. The result? Delays, compliance risks, and frustration for both managers and contractors.

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Solution

We designed a flexible, user-friendly form builder that streamlines permit requests and approvals. Our solution focused on three core pillars:

Efficiency: Automating manual workflows to minimise delays and human error.
Flexibility: Allowing managers to customise forms to fit specific project requirements.
Accessibility: Prioritising a mobile-first experience for contractors who submit responses on-site.

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Results & impact

The redesigned form builder received highly positive feedback from users:

Secured a $250,000 annual contract with a top manufacturing company.
Rolled out to 50-60 sites in the UK, with an additional 200 sites worldwide.

Research and personas:

To ensure we built the right solution, we conducted extensive user research:

User interviews with facility managers and contractors to map existing workflows and identify pain points.
Persona development to align the design with real user needs, guiding decisions throughout the project.

Personas:

Facility Manager: Needs a structured process to request, track, and approve work permits.
Contractor: Requires a quick and mobile-friendly way to submit compliance documentation.

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Facilities manager and contractor personas

Brainstorming and user flows:

Collaboration was key. Partnering with the product manager and developers, we:

Outlined end-to-end user journeys to ensure a smooth, logical experience.
Identified technical constraints early to streamline development.
Created detailed user flows to clarify each step of the process.

Design principles

To ensure the form builder was intuitive and effective, we defined three guiding principles:

Simplicity: A frictionless experience with a minimal learning curve.
Flexibility: Customisable forms that adapt to different workflows.
Intuitiveness: Clear hierarchy and navigation for seamless interactions.

Prototyping, testing and iteration

We ran multiple usability tests to refine the form builder. Key improvements based on real user feedback included:

Preview mode: Allowing users to see forms across different devices before finalising.
Undo/redo functionality: Reducing frustration and improving error recovery.
Enhanced layout: Making navigation more intuitive and reducing cognitive load.

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Final Design & Key Features

Form builder

A drag-and-drop interface that allows managers to customise forms with ease.

Workflows multiple choice and page break

Request form

Facility managers initiate work authorisations, outlining the job scope and necessary permits.

Response form

Contractors confirm compliance and submit documentation. The mobile-first approach ensures easy on-the-go access, aligning with data showing that 80% of responses come from mobile devices.

Approvals

A structured approval process ensures compliance before work begins, reducing risk and preventing costly mistakes.

Conclusion

By focusing on user needs and leveraging an iterative design process, we delivered a powerful tool that simplifies compliance, enhances efficiency, and scales effortlessly. This project reinforced the value of research-driven design and cross-functional collaboration in building impactful enterprise solutions.