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Transforming CPQ Experience from Complexity to Clarity

UX RESEARCH | UX DESIGN | UI DESIGN | USABILITY TEST


The initiative aims to create a more efficient, scalable, and user-centered CPQ platform that empowers Client's sales teams in building the quote, drives business growth, and enhances the overall customer experience


Note: To comply with my non-disclosure agreement, I have omitted confidential information in this case study. All information in this case study is my own and does not necessarily reflect the views of the platform


Overview


Client faced significant challenges with its existing Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) platforms, which were fragmented across three legacy systems. These platforms were inefficient and complex, leading to delays, errors, and frustration among business customers and sales teams. The goal of this project was to design a unified CPQ platform that streamlined the quoting process, enhanced user experience, and improved operational efficiency.


Role: Senior UX Designer focused on creating the product strategy, collaborating with a cross-functional team, building experience and aligning it with all the capabilities.


Duration: January 2023 – June 2023


Tools & Technologies: Figma, Figjam, Google suite, Sketch, Invision



"Vision - Revolutionizing Quoting with the Redesign of CPQ Platform"


Step 1 - Understand

 

Problem Statement


Clients legacy systems were plagued by slow processing times, frequent errors, and an inconsistent user experience, leading to frustration among sales teams and delays in generating accurate quotes.


As a result, the sales process was cumbersome, which negatively impacted customer satisfaction, conversion rates, and overall business growth.


  • Complex workflows made product configuration and quote generation time-consuming.

  • Fragmented systems caused inefficiencies and data inconsistencies.

  • High learning curves delayed onboarding and reduced user adoption.

  • Limited scalability restricted the platform’s ability to adapt to new products and pricing models.

  • Inconsistent quoting accuracy resulted in rework, lost deals, and customer dissatisfaction.

 

Business Challenge


  1. Streamline Sales Operations

    Existing inefficiencies in the sales process slow down operations, impacting the ability to handle high customer volumes effectively.


  2. Facilitate Seamless Integration

    Disconnected systems lead to fragmented workflows and inefficiencies, making it difficult to achieve a unified sales process.


  3. Reduce Training and Onboarding Time

    Complex platforms with steep learning curves delay productivity for new sales reps and hinder adoption rates.


  4. Enhance Quote Accuracy

    Inaccurate quotes create rework, damage customer trust, and result in lost sales opportunities.


  5. Support Scalability and Flexibility

    Legacy systems struggle to adapt to business growth, new products, or pricing models, limiting the platform's long-term utility.


  6. Minimize Operational Costs

    Maintaining multiple systems and relying on manual processes is resource-intensive and costly.



Key Business Priority


  • Reduce the Time Required to Configure Products and Generate Quotes

    Accelerate the sales process to handle more customers efficiently and improve overall productivity.


  • Improve Customer Satisfaction

    Deliver a smoother, faster, and more reliable quoting experience to strengthen customer loyalty and relationships.


  • Increase Revenue Growth

    Drive higher conversion rates and sales volume to achieve revenue growth targets.


  • Support Scalability and Flexibility

    Create a future-proof system capable of adapting to business changes and evolving customer demands.


  • Minimize Operational Costs

    Streamline processes to reduce reliance on outdated systems and manual interventions, achieving cost savings.



My Role


I led the UX design for the CPQ platform, focusing on simplifying products, processes, and systems using Design Thinking. My goal was to address business challenges, improve user experience, and align the platform with key business priorities such as revenue growth, customer satisfaction, and operational efficiency.



Core Priorities


Supports long-term business objectives, including scalability, operational efficiency, and revenue growth. By addressing these priorities, you effectively connect user experience with overarching business success.


  • Design a simple, intuitive interface by ensuring easy accessibility to reduce the learning curve and boost adoption.

  • Simplify workflows for product configuration and quoting and automating repetitive tasks to speed up the quoting process.

  • Maintain consistency and prevent errors

  • Design for future adaptability with modular components.

  • Support new products, pricing models, and business needs.

  • Collaborate across teams to ensure alignment with business goals.

  • Conduct workshops and gather feedback for continuous alignment.

  • Prioritize user needs with research-driven designs.



Goals & Objectives


The goal here is to build a CPQ platform which supports an expert workforce with a global footprint enabling over $3B in annual booking. The platform focuses on simplifying products, processes, and systems to create a comprehensive and efficient digital landscape.





Focused on these areas


  • Streamline sales operations to reduce the time required for configuring products and generating quotes.

  • Design a unified and intuitive platform that integrates seamlessly with other systems (CRM, inventory management, billing).

  • Minimize training and onboarding time with a user-friendly interface.

  • Improve quote accuracy to boost trust and reduce errors.

  • Ensure the platform is scalable, flexible, and future-ready to meet evolving business needs.




Our aim is to make support interactions smoother and more efficient. Reduce the number of support calls, boosting user satisfaction and improve response accuracy.



Step 2 - Define


 


  • Process Understanding

    Map current workflows, identify pain points, and outline areas for improvement in product configuration and quoting.


  • Research

    Conduct user interviews, competitor analysis, and usability studies to gather actionable data for designing an optimal solution.


  • Key Insights

    Identify recurring challenges, such as inefficiencies, errors, and usability gaps, to prioritize improvements.


  • Resources

    Leverage design systems, cross-functional expertise, and technology frameworks to ensure a scalable and efficient platform.


  • Design

    Create Intuitive interfaces, streamlined workflows, and developed a unified design for generating Quote.





Priorities

Objective
Key Actions
Expected Outcomes

Understand Key Value Propositions and User Personas

- Identify primary user roles and their goals.


 - Map key value propositions for each user segment.

- Clear understanding of user needs and motivations.


 - Defined user personas tied to actionable insights.

Identify Competitors and Analyze Offerings

- Conduct competitor research to evaluate features, strengths, and gaps.


 - Benchmark against industry leaders.

- Insights into competitor strengths, weaknesses, and differentiators to define a competitive product strategy.

Map & Understand Existing User Flows Across Platforms

- Review and analyze current user flows across all platforms.


 - Conduct user research to identify pain points.

- Comprehensive understanding of existing user flows and identification of areas causing friction.

Propose Improved IA for Better Navigation

- Evaluate current IA structure for inefficiencies.


 - Propose new IA structures to improve content organization and navigation.

- Improved IA that streamlines navigation, makes content easier to find, and enhances usability.

Introduce New User Flows Aiming to Reduce Friction

- Identify key friction points within existing flows.


 - Redesign IA to simplify user tasks and improve flow efficiency.

- New, simplified user flows that reduce friction, increase task completion speed, and improve overall satisfaction.

Define Feature List

- Collaborate with stakeholders to define core features based on user needs and business requirements.


 - Prioritize features for development.

- Clear, prioritized feature list with a focus on improving IA and user flow organization, ensuring ease of navigation.

Create Multiple Concepts and Finalize the Best One

- Generate different design concepts addressing user needs and business goals.


 - Evaluate and select the most effective concept based on user feedback and feasibility.

- Finalized design concept that optimizes user experience and aligns with business objectives.

Create Lo-Fi Designs and Share with Stakeholders

- Develop low-fidelity wireframes for key user flows and interactions.


 - Present designs to stakeholders for feedback and validation.

- Lo-fi designs that convey core design ideas and facilitate stakeholder alignment and feedback.

Iterate and Design for Usability Testing

- Refine designs based on stakeholder feedback and internal reviews.


 - Prepare designs for usability testing with real users.

- Iterative design improvements that address user feedback, leading to a more user-centered and functional product.


Who are the USERS?

The primary users of the CPQ platform are


  • Sales Representatives 

    They configure products, generate quotes, and manage customer interactions.


  • Sales Managers 

    They oversee the sales team, ensure quote accuracy, and monitor performance.



Focused on the Primary User Persona for the first phase


.

User Pain Point


There are three legacy platforms, each responsible for different steps in the quoting process, the key user pain points are likely to stem from fragmentation, inefficiency, and inconsistencies.


  • Fragmented Workflows Across Platforms

    Users need to switch between platforms to complete different steps of the quoting process, increasing time and effort.


  • Inconsistent User Experience

    Each platform has its own interface, navigation, and interaction patterns, making it harder for users to learn and adapt.


  • Data Silos

    Lack of seamless data flow between platforms causes duplication, errors, and delays. Users may have to manually transfer information across systems.


  • Time-Consuming Quoting Process

    Users experience delays in completing quotes because of redundant steps and the need to navigate through multiple systems.


  • High Cognitive Load

    Switching between platforms and managing separate workflows is mentally taxing, reducing user productivity and focus.


  • Limited Visibility

    Users lack a unified view of the quoting process, making it hard to track progress, identify bottlenecks, or ensure accuracy.


  • Error-Prone Manual Processes

    Manual tasks, such as transferring data or reconciling information across platforms, increase the likelihood of errors and rework.


  • Scalability Challenges

    Adding new products, features, or steps to the process requires updates in multiple systems, leading to inefficiencies and delays.


  • Training and Onboarding Complexity

    Training new users becomes more difficult as they must learn to navigate three distinct platforms to complete one process.




Data Analysis


The primary goal of our data analysis was to enhance the CPQ platform's efficiency, improve user experience, reduce costs, and drive revenue growth. We focused on assessing key performance metrics like quote generation time and user adoption rates, identifying pain points faced by sales reps, and analyzing conversion rates before and after platform updates.


Key Findings

  • Gathered User Feedback through Surveys and interviews with sales reps using legacy systems and analyzed those to benchmark performance. .

  • Tracked user interactions, errors, and quote lifecycle data.

  • Looked into customer Insights from the Data on client preferences, quote requests, and sales conversion rates.

  • Checked the Business Metrics such as Cost-per-quote generated, quote-to-order conversion ratio, and time-to-quote metrics

  • High quote generation time (average of 45 minutes per quote).

  • Limited support for complex product configurations.

  • Categorized user pain points (e.g., issues with navigation, lack of customization).

  • Extracted actionable insights from open-ended feedback.



Stakeholders Interview


The purpose of conducting stakeholder interviews was to gather insights on business objectives, challenges, desired functionalities, and success metrics for the CPQ platform. These interviews were instrumental in aligning the platform’s design and functionality with organizational goals and operational needs.


In the interview we engaged with the primary user i.e. sales representatives, including sales managers and product teams as well who played a key role by defining product configurations and pricing models to align with business needs.





Key Findings

  • Stakeholders emphasized the need for the CPQ platform to drive higher quote-to-order conversion rates and support upselling opportunities.

  • Reducing the time and effort required for quote generation was a top priority.

  • Leadership wanted the platform to handle increased volumes as the business grows.

  • Sales reps struggled with configuring products manually, leading to errors and delays.

  • Lack of a unified pricing system resulted in discrepancies across quotes.

  • Lengthy approval processes slowed down deal closures.

  • The legacy system was difficult to navigate, with a steep learning curve for new users.




UX Audit


The UX audit aimed to evaluate the existing legacy platforms used for the quoting process to identify inefficiencies, user pain points, and areas for improvement. The audit provided insights into streamlining workflows, improving navigation, and enhancing the overall user experience.



Key Areas Analyzed

Navigation and Information Architecture (IA):

  • How users move through the platforms to complete their tasks.

  • Complexity of finding essential tools and information.

Workflow Efficiency

  • Steps involved in completing a quote across platforms.

  • Time taken for repetitive tasks and areas of redundancy.

Usability and Accessibility:

  • Ease of use for new and experienced users.

  • Compliance with accessibility standards


Data and Process Flow:

  • How data moves between platforms.

  • Pain points in synchronizing or accessing data.

Visual Design and Consistency:

  • Uniformity of design elements across the platforms.

  • Impact of inconsistent interfaces on user experience.


Key Findings

  1. Fragmented User Experience:

    • Users had to switch between three platforms to complete the quoting process, causing confusion and delays.

    • Lack of consistent navigation patterns increased cognitive load.


  2. Inefficient Workflows:

    • Some workflows required redundant steps, such as re-entering data across platforms.

    • Lack of automation for repetitive tasks.


  3. Poor Data Accessibility:

    • Information silos created inconsistencies in quoting accuracy and pricing models.

    • Slow data synchronization between platforms caused delays.


  4. Inconsistent Design:

    • Each platform had a different visual style and interaction patterns, reducing usability and creating frustration.

    • Misaligned button placements and labeling led to errors.


  5. High Learning Curve:

    • The lack of intuitive design resulted in long onboarding times for new users.

    • Documentation for processes was outdated and insufficient.


  6. Limited Scalability:

    • Legacy systems were rigid, making it difficult to adapt to new business requirements like additional product lines or dynamic pricing models.



Competitive Analysis


The primary goal of conducting competitive analysis is to benchmark features, capabilities, and user experiences of existing CPQ solutions, identify gaps and opportunities, and derive insights that inform the design and functionality of our unified CPQ platform.


Main Competitor we have analyzed are

  1. Salesforce CPQ

  2. Oracle CPQ

  3. SAP CPQ



Key Strengths Across Competitors
Identified Gaps and Challenges
Opportunities for Differentiation
Seamless Integrations

Most competitors offered robust integrations with CRMs, ERPs, and other business systems, enabling smooth data flow.

Complex Interfaces

Some platforms had steep learning curves due to cluttered and non-intuitive interfaces.

Unified Navigation

A consistent and simplified IA to eliminate platform switching.


Guided Selling

Competitors featured intuitive workflows to guide users through complex quoting processes, reducing errors and training needs.

Limited Customization

While configurable, certain tools lacked deep customization for unique business needs.


User-Centric Design

Focus on reducing cognitive load and streamlining complex workflows.

Scalability

Platforms supported dynamic scalability for adding new products, pricing models, and geographies.

Data Synchronization Issues

Delays or inconsistencies in data updates across integrated systems.

Assisted Quoting

Real-time suggestions for configurations and pricing based on historical data.

Personalization

Advanced configuration options allowed users to tailor quotes to customer-specific needs.

High Cost of Implementation

Many platforms required significant investment for setup and customization.

Cost-Efficiency

Provide an agile, scalable solution with a lower implementation cost compared

Analytics

Real-time reporting and dashboards provided insights into quote performance and sales trends.

Fragmented Workflows

Switching between modules or platforms to complete a quote was a common pain point.

Integrated Dashboards

Offer a single-pane view for tracking quote lifecycle and user performance metrics.






A Scalable CPQ platform that streamlines workflows, reduces errors, and integrates seamlessly with business systems to drive efficiency, boost adoption, and enhance customer satisfaction.


Proposed Solution



Some More like

  • Guided Selling 

    Automated workflows to guide sales reps through product selection and pricing.


  • Real-Time Collaboration

    Shared workspaces to enable seamless collaboration between sales reps and managers.


  • Integrated Dashboards

    A central view of key metrics, such as quote status, conversion rates, and sales performance.


  • Automation

    Features like auto-completion for repetitive tasks and intelligent suggestions based on previous quotes.




Step 3 - Design

 


Phase 1




Generating Ideas


.


After the workshop , we identified and prioritize the ideas and worked on some concepts generated during ideation. we evaluated each idea based on criteria such as feasibility, impact on users, and alignment with business goals. Prioritization helps us focus efforts on the most promising concepts.


Conceptualizing


After prioritizing the ideas, we explored various ways to implement them. This phase encouraged creativity and generated multiple design concepts or solutions. It involved activities like sketching, brainstorming, and creating rough prototypes to visualize different approaches.


What I Did
  • Mapped user pain points to potential solutions using affinity diagrams.

  • Developed preliminary concepts for key features, emphasizing automation, error reduction, and usability.

  • Presented early concepts to stakeholders for feedback and validation.


Results
  • Refined concepts into actionable design elements aligned with stakeholder expectations.

  • Secured stakeholder buy-in for proposed solutions, ensuring smoother implementation in subsequent phases.



Component & Composition

Core Components


Headers and Navigation Bars:
  • Global navigation with clear hierarchies for easy access to key sections.

  • Breadcrumbs for context and location tracking.

  • Sticky headers for better usability.

Dashboards and Overview Panels:
  • Summarized metrics (e.g., quotes in progress, conversion rates).

  • Modular widgets for customizable user dashboards.

Form Elements:
  • Input fields for data entry (e.g., product configurations, pricing details).

  • Dropdowns, checkboxes, and radio buttons for selection options.

  • Validation messages for error prevention and correction.

Guided Selling Tools:
  • Step-by-step wizards for configuring products or services.

  • Contextual help or tooltips for user guidance.

Workspaces for Collaboration:
  • Shared quote editing or review spaces.

  • Commenting and annotation features for team communication.

Action Buttons:
  • Primary and secondary buttons for core actions like "Save," "Submit," and "Approve."

  • Floating action buttons for quick-access tasks.


Compositions and Layouts


Grid Systems:
  • Used to structure content in a clean, responsive layout.

  • Allows flexibility for different screen sizes and resolutions

Content Hierarchies:
  • Title and header text for clarity and emphasis.

  • Grouping related elements (e.g., pricing details with discounts).

Pop-ups and Modals:
  • For critical actions like confirmation dialogs or additional configuration options.

Panels and Sidebars:
  • Left or right navigation for secondary actions like history, filters, or settings.

  • Collapsible panels for compact UI designs.


Visual and Functional Enhancements



Icons and Imagery:
  • Icons to represent actions (e.g., edit, delete, view).

  • Imagery for branding or context (optional).

Progress Indicators:
  • Linear or circular progress bars for multi-step tasks.

  • Status badges to indicate stages like "Pending," "Approved," or "Rejected."

Color Coding:
  • Use of color to denote statuses (e.g., red for errors, green for success based on brand guidelines).

Typography:
  • Consistent font styles for readability and hierarchy.



Interaction Components



Hover and Click Effects:

Visual cues for clickable items or actionable elements.

Expandable/collapsible elements for additional information.


Drag-and-Drop Features:

For reorganizing or customizing dashboards and workflows.

Dynamic Filters and Sorting:

Interactive tools to refine and view data (e.g., by date, priority, or type).



Feedback Mechanisms




Notifications:
  • Toast messages or alerts for actions like successful quote submission or errors.

Tooltips:
  • Context-sensitive information to aid user understanding.

Error Messages:
  • Inline feedback for invalid entries or failed processes.


User-Specific Components



Role-Based Dashboards:
  • Custom layouts for sales reps, managers, and product teams

Personalized Recommendations:
  • Suggestions for frequently used configurations or products.



Building Information Architecture (IA) and Navigation


  • What I Did:

    • Organized the platform’s content into logical categories and hierarchies to create a clear structure.

    • Designed intuitive navigation patterns to reduce cognitive load for users.

    • Conducted card sorting sessions to validate IA with actual users.

  • Results:

    • Established a streamlined IA that allowed users to access key features with minimal effort.

    • Improved discoverability of functionalities, reducing the time users spent searching for tools or information.



 Understanding the Use Case


This involved analyzing workflows for generating complex quotes and identifying key areas that hindered efficiency.


To ensure a user-centric approach, I developed detailed use case scenarios reflecting real-world tasks. These efforts resulted in a comprehensive understanding of user workflows and challenges, enabling effective prioritization of features.


Ultimately, this ensured the platform was designed to address actual user needs rather than hypothetical requirements. Some of the use case are below



User should be able to Quote a new Transactional contract for 1-5 US sites for a Domestic Customer for Internet, Access, CPE and Managed Services

User should be able to establish a new RTB contract 25 Domestic sites or above (can go upto 1000s of sites) for a large enterprise

User Should be able to Order services on a previously established RTB Contract for customer to transfer his network in a phased

User Should be able to Amend the existing transactional or right to buy contracts to add/change additional products, pricing and discount structure

User should be able to Quote a new Transactional contract for 1-5 US sites for International Customer for Internet, Access, CPE and Managed Services

+more



Building User Flows and Journeys


I mapped user journeys for key tasks like quote creation, approval, and collaboration, designing step-by-step user flows to identify and address friction points. After iterating flows based on usability testing feedback, I created streamlined journeys that minimized redundancy and improved task efficiency, ultimately reducing time-to-quote by 30%.



Wireframing & Prototype


I created low-fidelity wireframes to define layouts, content placement, and functionality, iterating them based on stakeholder feedback and user testing. These wireframes validated design concepts early, serving as a solid foundation for high-fidelity prototypes and minimizing risks in later stages







Stakeholder Review and Socialization


In our next step we presented the designs to stakeholders and all the three legacy platform owners to gather their feedback and ensure alignment with business goals. We focused on clearly communicating the proposed solutions and their value to the platform.


  • Stakeholders found the quote creation process clear but suggested streamlining multi-step tasks further.

  • ales managers requested a quick summary view of quote statuses across teams.

  • Stakeholders emphasized the need for better validation feedback during quote creation to prevent errors.

  • +more


We focused on iterating some which are really needed and then move further with the Usability study


Usability study


We planned to conduct usability testing with real users to validate the design and gather actionable insights. Based on the feedback, we refined and iterate the designs to ensure they address user needs effectively.


Usability study has been done by CMI team and we have shared the requirement with them and based on that they shared the Key findings with us.


  • The study Revealed area in quote creation and approval processes, leading to workflow optimization.

  • Team also validated key features, ensuring alignment with user expectations.

  • User mentioned that it will reduced average task completion time as well.

  • +more


Continuous improvement


Regular Feedback Collection

Focused on Implementing ongoing feedback mechanisms to capture real-time user insights.


Periodic Usability Testing

Planned on Scheduling quarterly usability tests to evaluate the effectiveness of new features and identify areas for further enhancement.


Monitoring Key Metrics

Continuously tracking performance metrics like time-to-quote, error rates, and user adoption to measure improvement over time.



By integrating usability insights into a continuous improvement cycle, the platform remains responsive to user needs, scalable, and aligned with business objectives.


 


Outcomes


Improved Workflow Efficiency
  • Streamlined the quote creation process by reducing redundant steps and clarifying user actions.


Enhanced Navigation and Usability
  • Simplified navigation with clear labels and contextual tooltips, making the platform more intuitive for new users.

  • Reduced confusion around multi-step processes by grouping related actions and providing visual guidance.


Error Prevention and Validation
  • Introduced real-time validation messages to minimize input errors during quote creation.


Customizable Features
  • Incorporated customizable dashboards based on user roles, improving accessibility and productivity.

  • Enabled users to save frequently used configurations, enhancing convenience for repeat tasks.




Key Challenges


Balancing user needs with business goals required continuous alignment with stakeholders.

Complex Legacy Data: Ensuring data integrity during migration.

Alignment Across Teams: Balancing diverse stakeholder priorities.

Change Management: Encouraging adoption of the new platform.


Key Learnings


Early involvement of stakeholders and iterative testing were critical to project success.

Placing users at the center of the design process is essential for driving adoption and satisfaction.

Close collaboration with cross-functional teams ensures alignment with business objectives.

Building modular and flexible systems is crucial for long-term success.

Early and frequent collaboration with stakeholders ensures alignment and avoids rework.

Usability testing is crucial to validate designs and identify areas for improvement.


Conclusion


This project exemplifies the power of a research-driven, iterative approach to UX design, delivering tangible business benefits such as improved productivity, reduced errors, and a scalable foundation for future enhancements. By incorporating continuous improvement strategies, the CPQ platform is well-positioned to evolve with user needs and maintain its value over time.



Next Steps


  • Hand over to VD Team

  • Continue monitoring platform performance and gathering user feedback for future enhancements.

  • Explore opportunities to further improve the system

  • Integrate additional tools quick tools, automating the task expanding the knowledge bases and smart suggestions.

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