Fintech SaaS Platform

Fintech SaaS Platform: Transforming Spreadsheets into Enterprise-Ready Apps

COMPANY

Coherent

ROLE

Lead UX Designer

EXPERTISE

UX Research, Workflow Design, Design Systems

YEAR

2023

Project description

Project description

Project description

This project focused on building an Excel add-on that empowers business users to instantly convert complex spreadsheets into enterprise-grade applications. The challenge was to streamline adoption by making workflows intuitive for non-technical users while maintaining flexibility for advanced ones.

I owned the end-to-end UX design—from research and workflow ideation to prototyping and design system contribution.

Timeline

From initial research to final design delivery in ~6 weeks while collaborating with cross-functional teams on parallel projects.

Background

Enterprise analysts and actuaries often rely on spreadsheets to manage complex financial models. While familiar, spreadsheets are error-prone, hard to scale across teams, and lack collaboration. This project aimed to seamlessly bridge the gap between spreadsheet-based modeling and enterprise-ready applications—without disrupting existing workflows.

Process

Process

Process

This category details the step-by-step approach taken during the project, including research, planning, design, development, testing, and optimization phases.

Research & Planning

Conducted interviews and usability audits with business analysts, actuaries, and underwriters. Defined user pain points such as transparency in formula mapping, error-prone manual processes, and resistance to changing established workflows. Outlined key features needed to ensure adoption and trust.

Design & Prototyping

Created multiple workflow variations and tested interaction models in Figma. Introduced drag-and-drop schema mapping, step-by-step guidance for deployment, and clear validation/error states. Iterated on designs based on continuous stakeholder and user feedback.

Implementation

Worked closely with product managers and engineers in agile sprints to integrate flows within Excel. Extended the product design system with reusable stepper components, mapping UI patterns, and scalable form elements to accelerate delivery.

Testing & Optimization

Conducted iterative usability testing across different user groups. Measured onboarding drop-offs, time-to-complete key workflows, and error frequency. Optimized flows based on testing feedback—achieving higher task completion rates and reduced confusion.

Solution

Solution

Solution

The resulting spreadsheet-to-app platform offered an intuitive user experience, enabling enterprises to scale business logic securely and efficiently. Key features included:

Guided Workflow

A streamlined three-step journey: Upload → Configure → Deploy. Progressive disclosure ensured advanced features were accessible without overwhelming first-time users.

Schema Mapping UI

Drag-and-drop interaction for mapping spreadsheet columns to application fields, with real-time validation and error handling.

Design System Integration

Reusable, accessible components (steppers, form inputs, error states) were integrated into the design system, ensuring product-wide consistency.

Results

Results

Results

Here, the outcomes and achievements of the project are highlighted, including user feedback, adoption rates, and impact.

Increased Efficiency

Reduced first-time onboarding time by 35% and significantly lowered configuration errors through clearer flows.

Positive User Feedback

Users reported improved trust and confidence in the system due to transparent mapping and guided steps.

Enterprise Adoption

The platform gained rapid traction with global financial institutions, cutting deployment cycles from weeks to hours and becoming a cornerstone in their digital transformation strategy.