The Challenge
As GFL’s first Senior Product Designer, I led the end-to-end redesign of a Customer Portal serving 1.1 million active users. Triggered by a migration to a new payment provider, the project required transforming an outdated legacy system into a cohesive, modern experience.
Stepping into a high-ambiguity environment with no existing documentation, I initially worked independently to audit the system and define the UI strategy. I then collaborated with a Junior Designer, Product Management, and Devs to execute the vision, establishing the foundational design standards that now guide the company’s digital future.
Main results
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Scalable Infrastructure: Established GFL’s first Design System with 50+ reusable components, achieving full UI consistency across all three versions of the portal.
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Architectural Overhaul: Reconstructed the legacy information architecture to consolidate 12 complex modules into a single, intuitive portal serving 1.1M+ active users, with a foundation built for future scalability.
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Operational Impact: Designed high-conversion payment flows for Guest and Commercial users, ensuring a seamless migration to our new payment provider.
Project Stages
Discovery & Systems Design
2 months
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Legacy Audit: Conducted an extensive audit of the legacy site to reconstruct the Information Architecture and technical requirements.
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Data-Driven Personas: Defined 4 core user types by analyzing internal metrics.
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System Architecture: Established the company's first Design System based on Material Design 3 for cross-project scalability.
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Stakeholder Alignment: Collaborated with Dev and Marketing teams to unify the product vision with the global GFL brand.
1
Residential Experience
4 months
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Feature Strategy: Defined 12 central platform sections in collaboration with Product, Finance, and Marketing.
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Payment UX: Architected end-to-end residential payment flows and intuitive user journeys.
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Technical Handoff: Delivered high-fidelity prototypes with detailed interaction notes and specs for front-end developers.
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Accessibility: Implemented WCAG criteria to ensure an inclusive experience.
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Commercial & Guest Growth
3 months
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Design Leadership: Mentored a Junior Designer to expand the portal’s capabilities into the commercial sector.
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B2B & Guest Flows: Developed specialized payment processes and workflows for commercial clients and one-time guests.
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UI Standardization: Performed internal audits to ensure visual consistency across diverse user views.
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Executive Approvals: Facilitated design reviews to secure buy-in from key stakeholders and leadership.
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Enhancements
5 months
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System Evolution: Iterated on the Design System to incorporate new patterns discovered during the scaling phase.
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Data Strategy: Led the research and selection of usability tools to establish a long-term, metric-driven design culture.
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Compliance UX: Refined legal messaging and transparency within the payment process.
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Team Enablement: Supported the Learning & Development team in creating training materials for Customer Service agents.
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The Legacy State vs. The Future State
The Design Process
As GFL’s first Product Designer, my role extended beyond the portal redesign. I was tasked with establishing the company’s first internal design culture, replacing a history of fragmented external consultancies and developer-led UI with standardized processes and best practices.
I began by auditing the undocumented legacy system to reconstruct its logic and Information Architecture. This foundation allowed me to translate business goals into GFL’s first scalable design system, creating a unified language for the entire platform. Serving as the strategic link between IT and Business, I delivered technical documentation and prototypes optimized for development.
By balancing user needs with technical feasibility, I mentored junior talent and refined complex workflows, ensuring the final product was built for long-term, scalable growth.
AI-Driven Insights & Data Strategy
To bridge the gap in user research, I utilized AI-driven sentiment analysis to categorize months of reported website issues. By combining these insights with internal metrics, I defined five data-backed personas to ensure every design decision was grounded in actual user pain points.
Strategic Simplification & Information Architecture
My strategy focused on radical simplification. I restructured the portal’s logic to prioritize high-value fields, eliminated redundant data points, and removed low-relevance diagrams and legacy features that cluttered the user journey. This transformed a fragmented experience into a streamlined, intuitive interface.
