Designing a mobile-first marketplace where tradespeople can order materials and receive them within two hours.
TradeKart set out to become the “on-demand delivery platform” for construction, making it as simple for builders to order materials as it is to order food. Instead of losing time driving to suppliers, tradespeople could quickly place an order through the app and have materials delivered straight to the job site.
My responsibility was to design the end-to-end user experience: from discovery and ordering, to checkout and delivery tracking, balancing simplicity for busy tradespeople with the operational needs of suppliers and drivers.
Challenges
Time sensitivity: Construction workers needed to order and receive items within two hours.
Complex inventory: Wide product range with variations in size, quantity, and availability.
Multiple stakeholders: The app had to work seamlessly for contractors, suppliers, and delivery drivers.
Trust & adoption: For an MVP, we had to ensure a smooth, reliable experience to build credibility quickly.
Design Process
1. Discovery & Research
Interviewed tradespeople to map their day-to-day purchasing workflows.
Identified pain points in traditional supplier runs: time wasted, inventory uncertainty, and order tracking issues.
2. User Flows & Wireframing
Created fast, minimal checkout flows optimized for mobile.
Designed intuitive product search and categorization for a broad catalogue.
Built flows for supplier onboarding and order management.
3. Visual Design & Prototyping
Mobile-first design language emphasizing clarity and speed of use.
High-contrast UI for outdoor/on-site conditions.
Interactive prototypes for testing scenarios like low connectivity and one-handed use.
4. Collaboration
Worked closely with the product team to prioritize MVP features.
Partnered with developers to validate feasibility and refine design details for launch.
Solutions
🛒 Seamless Ordering:
Tradespeople could browse or search, add items to cart, and check out in under two minutes.
🚚 Real-Time Delivery Tracking:
Integrated a live map for tracking driver progress, giving users confidence in the two-hour delivery promise.
⚒️ Supplier & Admin Tools:
Suppliers could manage stock, accept orders, and track fulfillment directly within the system.
