At Chewy, I led an initiative to unify six fragmented warehouse management systems (WMS) that were slowing down warehouse teams and duplicating effort. I partnered with engineering and operations to design a 5-month agile MVP rollout, helping the division rethink its internal tools and proving how design could accelerate operational efficiency.
June 2021 — 3 Months
CLIENT
Chewy
Role
Staff Product Designer
DELIVERABLES
UX Research
Internal Tool Strategy
Agile Sprint Planning
As the first designer embedded in Chewy’s Supply Chain division, I joined a cross-functional team with a project manager, developer lead, and supply chain specialist to enhance warehouse operations. We conducted user research with floor managers to understand their workflows and challenges, revealing the need for a unified Warehouse Management System (WMS). To address this, we planned a 5-month MVP with 2-week sprints, setting the stage for a streamlined solution tailored to operational needs.
Chewy’s warehouses operated on six separate WMS platforms, causing poor communication, duplicated tasks, and inconsistent data. These systems tracked essential metrics—like injuries per shift, hours on the floor, and attendance—but lacked integration, frustrating floor managers. The enterprise design team saw an opportunity to deliver a more cohesive and user-friendly solution.
Supply Chain had never worked with a designer before, and there wasn’t yet a process for integrating UX into operational planning. Floor managers were frustrated, but their needs weren’t being prioritized.
I focused on building trust, identifying key friction points, and partnering with the project manager and tech lead to shape a rollout plan rooted in how teams actually worked. This laid the foundation for a 5-month MVP schedule the division could commit to.
While the MVP schedule included a dedicated design role, I later learned the Supply Chain division didn’t have the budget to carry UX forward into development.
Still, the framework I delivered gave them a strong foundation—one that demonstrated how design could drive efficiency, reduce redundancy, and support long-term improvements across warehouse operations.