Transforming the iHCM Payroll Implementation Experience

Personal Objectives

I had two primary objectives for this case study:
1. Enhance the user experience of the iHCM implementation process by streamlining and digitizing the workflow to make it more intuitive and efficient for end users.
2. Demonstrate end-to-end ownership across key product design roles—including User Research, UX Design, and Product Design—by independently managing all aspects of the design process.

Understanding iHCM product and its user group

I began the project by analyzing the existing, traditional implementation process, which was primarily conducted through Excel spreadsheets. To gain a deeper understanding, I engaged with key users—Implementation Consultants—to identify pain points and inefficiencies within the current workflow. Through these user interviews and interactions, I was able to capture critical challenges and gather insights into the iHCM implementation process, forming the foundation for a more informed and user-centered redesign.

Target Audience

The target audience for the iHCM implementation product comprises working professionals—both male and female—typically aged between 25 and 55. These users are primarily Implementation Consultants and Clients who are responsible for capturing informations, managing payroll setup. Their key focus is on accurate information capture, efficient collaboration, and clear communication throughout the implementation journey to ensure timely and error-free outcome.

User Research

As a part of user research, I collaborated closely with key stakeholders—primarily Implementation Consultants—to uncover pain points and inefficiencies in the existing workflow. Through in-depth user interviews and contextual inquiries, I identified critical challenges and gathered valuable insights into the iHCM implementation process. These findings served as the foundation for driving a more informed, efficient, and user-centric design solution.

Key Pain Points Identified from User Research:

1. Stakeholders were required to work across multiple disconnected tools, relying heavily on Excel sheets to share updates and collaborate.

2. Lack of a centralised system made it difficult to track the overall progress of the implementation process.

3. Excessive offline communication between stakeholders led to misalignment and delays.

4. The end-to-end implementation process was time-consuming, often taking several months to complete.

5. The workflow was overly complex for new users, resulting in a steep learning curve and reduced efficiency.

Persona Development

I developed a user persona representing the Implementation Consultant (IC) to humanise the target user and better visualise their behaviours, goals, and motivations. This persona was informed by insights gathered during user research interviews, ensuring it accurately reflected real user needs and pain points.

On to the Redesign

Existing excel spreadsheet used for implementation process

Current Implementation process

Existing iHCM payroll flow

User Journey Map

I created a detailed user journey map capturing user actions, emotions, and experiences by collaborating closely with key stakeholders—primarily Implementation Consultants. Through in-depth user interviews and contextual inquiries, I uncovered pain points, inefficiencies, and critical challenges within the existing workflow, generating valuable insights into the iHCM implementation process

Revised iHCM payroll process flow

The conversion and validation of the iHCM template have been repositioned to the end of the process to minimise redundancy and avoid multiple rounds of approvals which eventually will reduce the overall implementation timeline.

Information Architecture

Information architecture of existing excel spreadsheet used for implementation process

Current Information Architecture (IA)

Revised IA

The newly designed information architecture simplifies the overall process by introducing a step-by-step timeline for tracking progress and enabling clients to complete requirement forms one module at a time through a centralised application, client central.

Ideation & Paper Prototyping

After analyzing the revised information architecture, I carried out initial ideation using pen-and-paper sketches to create wireframe mockups. These wireframe mockups were developed with the aim of addressing and reducing the user pain points identified during the initial research.

UX Suggestions & Solution design

Building on the initial paper mockups, I translated the concepts into a detailed visual design enriched with UX recommendations. The design encompasses the end-to-end implementation flows, ensuring that the identified user pain points are systematically addressed and minimised. This approach not only streamlines the overall process but also enhances usability, clarity, and efficiency for all stakeholders involved.

Landing Page

Process Timeline Page

Entities Details Page

Required Information Page

Manage Access Page

Process Timeline Page with Two steps Completed

Specific Entity Detail Page

Payroll Submit Page

Usability Testing for validating the design with end users

I conducted moderated usability testing sessions with five end users (Implementation Consultants) to evaluate whether the design met their expectations and addressed their needs in simplifying the implementation process. The testing also validated that the design effectively supports end-to-end implementation flows while systematically minimising the previously identified user pain points. The results were highly positive, with users confirming that the solution not only meets their expectations but also streamlines the overall process, enhances usability, and improves clarity and efficiency for all stakeholders

Next project →

Reflections on my work here

I was genuinely excited to take on this project, not only because of the scale of work involved but also because of the immense opportunity it provided for learning and growth as a designer. From the outset, I viewed it as the perfect chance to refine my craft by navigating through a structured, human-centred design process. My focus was on translating research insights into meaningful design decisions that simplify complex workflows and create intuitive experiences for the end users.
Projects like this consistently reinforce my belief in a core design principle: solutions must always remain anchored to human needs.
As Frank Chimero aptly said, ‘People ignore design that ignores people.’
This project became a living example of that philosophy, reminding me that impactful design is not about adding more, but about carefully crafting experiences that are empathetic, accessible, and truly user-centric.

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