case study
case study
designing a client relationship tool that improves sales
designing a client relationship tool that improves sales
who: aktana, early start-up
team: founders, PM, & eng
my role: FOUNDING DESIGNER
when: 2014-2017
who: aktana, early start-up
team: founders, PM, & eng
my role: design team of one
when: 2014-2017
the ask
Sales representatives in the life sciences and pharma industries often struggle to keep up with client (health care professionals) needs, including prioritizing visits during the week, and even what to discuss. Aktana’s core product provides dynamic engagement guidance to address these challenges. I helped design a complementary tool that enables sales managers to fine-tune this guidance based on market conditions, events, and actions taken by their clients.
the ask
Sales representatives in the life sciences and pharma industries often struggle to keep up with client (health care professionals) needs, including prioritizing visits during the week, and even what to discuss. Aktana’s core product provides dynamic engagement guidance to address these challenges. I helped design a complementary tool that enables sales managers to fine-tune this guidance based on market conditions, events, and actions taken by their clients.
the ask
Sales representatives in the life sciences and pharma industries often struggle to keep up with client (health care professionals) needs, including prioritizing visits during the week, and even what to discuss. Aktana’s core product provides dynamic engagement guidance to address these challenges. I helped design a complementary tool that enables sales managers to fine-tune this guidance based on market conditions, events, and actions taken by their clients.
the challenges
How might we simplify complex features and reduce churn?
How might we transform complex data into actionable insights?
Constraints: Single designer, no budget for research, timing
the challenges
How might we simplify complex features and reduce churn?
How might we transform complex data into actionable insights?
Constraints: Single designer, no budget for research, timing
the challenges
How might we simplify complex features and reduce churn?
How might we transform complex data into actionable insights?
Constraints: Single designer, no budget for research, timing
the process
the process
the process
Prioritizing & Scoping
I first needed to scope and prioritize features. I collaborated with the project manager and engineering leads to evaluate each feature by its impact versus the effort needed to develop it. Higher impact features would allow sales reps to strengthern their relationship with health care professionals.
Prioritizing & Scoping
I first needed to scope and prioritize features. I collaborated with the project manager and engineering leads to evaluate each feature by its impact versus the effort needed to develop it. Higher impact features would allow sales reps to strengthern their relationship with health care professionals.
Prioritizing & Scoping
I first needed to scope and prioritize features. I collaborated with the project manager and engineering leads to evaluate each feature by its impact versus the effort needed to develop it. Higher impact features would allow sales reps to strengthern their relationship with health care professionals.
Requirements Mapping
There was quite a bit of complexity with the product feature requirements, most of which I did not completely understand. The project manager, helped me break it down with a briefing or two. After that, I started to organize each of the requirements into buckets based on order of operation and dependencies, which I then used to construct a basic user flow.
Requirements Mapping
There was quite a bit of complexity with the product feature requirements, most of which I did not completely understand. The project manager, helped me break it down with a briefing or two. After that, I started to organize each of the requirements into buckets based on order of operation and dependencies, which I then used to construct a basic user flow.
Requirements Mapping
There was quite a bit of complexity with the product feature requirements, most of which I did not completely understand. The project manager, helped me break it down with a briefing or two. After that, I started to organize each of the requirements into buckets based on order of operation and dependencies, which I then used to construct a basic user flow.
wireframes
With all the requirements settled, I drafted the user flow and wireframes, ensuring that the design aligned with the business strategy. I then did a little research to validate the flow before starting development. This process also enabled me to identify user interface elements that could simplify the design.
wireframes
With all the requirements settled, I drafted the user flow and wireframes, ensuring that the design aligned with the business strategy. I then did a little research to validate the flow before starting development. This process also enabled me to identify user interface elements that could simplify the design.
wireframes
With all the requirements settled, I drafted the user flow and wireframes, ensuring that the design aligned with the business strategy. I then did a little research to validate the flow before starting development. This process also enabled me to identify user interface elements that could simplify the design.
early versions & testing
Due to time and resource constraints, I conducted most of the testing internally. However, after testing, the participants did not find it entirely clear that the factors were essentially conditional statements. For example, if certain market events occurred (trigger), then the sales team should take a specific action. I wanted to make this connection more obvious in the next version.
early versions & testing
Due to time and resource constraints, I conducted most of the testing internally. However, after testing, the participants did not find it entirely clear that the factors were essentially conditional statements. For example, if certain market events occurred (trigger), then the sales team should take a specific action. I wanted to make this connection more obvious in the next version.
early versions & testing
Due to time and resource constraints, I conducted most of the testing internally. However, after testing, the participants did not find it entirely clear that the factors were essentially conditional statements. For example, if certain market events occurred (trigger), then the sales team should take a specific action. I wanted to make this connection more obvious in the next version.
factor creation
The sales team lead needed a way to say, “if such-and-such event happens, then the team needs to engage with client like this.” I was essentially wrapping conditional code in UI. In the sections below, we can see (1) the first time state, where the user first needs to select the factor type. After that, (2) the user is shown additional UI based on the selected factor type. Finally, (3) shows three stacked rows of conditions with different UIs for each of the factor types. Groups of conditions could even be connected with operators for finer precision.
factor creation
The sales team lead needed a way to say, “if such-and-such event happens, then the team needs to engage with client like this.” I was essentially wrapping conditional code in UI. In the sections below, we can see (1) the first time state, where the user first needs to select the factor type. After that, (2) the user is shown additional UI based on the selected factor type. Finally, (3) shows three stacked rows of conditions with different UIs for each of the factor types. Groups of conditions could even be connected with operators for finer precision.
factor creation
The sales team lead needed a way to say, “if such-and-such event happens, then the team needs to engage with client like this.” I was essentially wrapping conditional code in UI. In the sections below, we can see (1) the first time state, where the user first needs to select the factor type. After that, (2) the user is shown additional UI based on the selected factor type. Finally, (3) shows three stacked rows of conditions with different UIs for each of the factor types. Groups of conditions could even be connected with operators for finer precision.
the final delivery
The screen below is a sample of the final delivered product—an early release for the company. There were, of course, hundreds more flows, screens, and versions which were produced over a period of about 5 years working with the awesome team at Aktana. In the end, I produced a system of UX that allowed sales leads to capture the complex concepts of sales strategy.
the final delivery
The screen below is a sample of the final delivered product—an early release for the company. There were, of course, hundreds more flows, screens, and versions which were produced over a period of about 5 years working with the awesome team at Aktana. In the end, I produced a system of UX that allowed sales leads to capture the complex concepts of sales strategy.
the final delivery
The screen below is a sample of the final delivered product—an early release for the company. There were, of course, hundreds more flows, screens, and versions which were produced over a period of about 5 years working with the awesome team at Aktana. In the end, I produced a system of UX that allowed sales leads to capture the complex concepts of sales strategy.
Using a similar process, I also produced visionary concepts for what an individual sales rep might see on their end, data visualizations and insights that would guide their engagement with health care professionals.
the impact
A month-long discovery aligned the team on features, minimizing design/dev churn
Sales leads were able to create configurations easily, giving direct guidance to sales teams
Sales teams who used Aktana increased sales up to 30%
the impact
A month-long discovery aligned the team on features, minimizing design/dev churn
Sales leads were able to create configurations easily, giving direct guidance to sales teams
Sales teams who used Aktana increased sales up to 30%
the impact
A month-long discovery aligned the team on features, minimizing design/dev churn
Sales leads were able to create configurations easily, giving direct guidance to sales teams
Sales teams who used Aktana increased sales up to 30%
lessons
Although this product is unique and unlike anything I’ve ever worked on, I would have loved more time doing market research and competitive analysis. A deeper usability heuristic evaluation of competing products might have revealed gaps and areas of opportunity within the market. The product has seen multiple versions since I’ve left the team, however, I’m super proud of the work I did and the design foundations laid.
lessons
Although this product is unique and unlike anything I’ve ever worked on, I would have loved more time doing market research and competitive analysis. A deeper usability heuristic evaluation of competing products might have revealed gaps and areas of opportunity within the market. The product has seen multiple versions since I’ve left the team, however, I’m super proud of the work I did and the design foundations laid.
lessons
Although this product is unique and unlike anything I’ve ever worked on, I would have loved more time doing market research and competitive analysis. A deeper usability heuristic evaluation of competing products might have revealed gaps and areas of opportunity within the market. The product has seen multiple versions since I’ve left the team, however, I’m super proud of the work I did and the design foundations laid.
kaiser permanente
kaiser permanente
building a scalable design system
building a scalable design system
How can a design system balance usability and brand consistency across diverse, complex products while staying flexible and easy to manage?
open to work!
Copyright © 2025 Jesse Bones. All Rights Reserved.
All content, designs, and images on this website are the property of Jesse Bones and respective clients. Unauthorized use, reproduction, or distribution of any materials without explicit permission is prohibited.
open to work!
Copyright © 2025 Jesse Bones. All Rights Reserved.
All content, designs, and images on this website are the property of Jesse Bones and respective clients. Unauthorized use, reproduction, or distribution of any materials without explicit permission is prohibited.
open to work!
Copyright © 2025 Jesse Bones. All Rights Reserved.
All content, designs, and images on this website are the property of Jesse Bones and respective clients. Unauthorized use, reproduction, or distribution of any materials without explicit permission is prohibited.