Project Challenge

The Enterprise Document Upload (EDU) component was mandated enterprise-wide but didn’t fit our product’s workflow needs. I collaborated with engineers to address gaps like file persistence and visibility, iterating toward a unified document management modal. The solution was validated as an innovative adaptation and documented for future rollout.

My Contributions

I partnered with engineers to identify workflow gaps and technical constraints in the Enterprise Document Upload component, then designed and iterated multiple solutions to address them. Through stakeholder reviews, I refined the approach and secured approval for a unified document management modal. I also documented the solution for future rollout and shared insights back with the enterprise design system team.

Initial Design

  • Attempted to implement the base “Enterprise Document Upload” as provided.
  • Users could upload files, but no ability to see previously uploaded documents if going to next page, even within flow.‍
  • Key issue: Users returning to the upload step might believe files were lost and re-upload unnecessarily.

1st Iteration

Table
Representation of how dual upload would work.
  • Added a secondary chart below the component to display previously uploaded documents.
  • Table only appeared when users navigated forward and returned, avoiding conflict with the component’s built-in “uploaded” state.
  • Issue: Managing state through the API was difficult, and the delay risked confusing users.

2nd Iteration

  • UI remained the same
  • Adjusted the behavior so the table updated instantly after each upload.‍
  • Issue: When multiple upload components were stacked (in ~10% of cases), the Enterprise Document Upload(EDU) component was so large that it pushed the table out of view at the bottom of the page. Moving to the top barely helped the issue

Third Iteration

  • Replaced the inline table with a modal, ensuring visibility regardless of page layout.
  • Consolidated uploads: users could see all documents in one place, rather than files being split across pages.‍
  • Benefit: Simplified the workflow and eliminated layout conflicts.

Results

  • Unified document management modal validated with engineers and stakeholders.
  • Seen as an innovative use of the Enterprise Document Upload component.
  • Not yet deployed, but expected to reduce re-uploads and improve visibility.
  • Showed the need to balance system intent with real workflows.