The Challenge
Enterprise inventory software is frequently dense, visually cluttered, and exhausting to navigate during long shifts. When software fails to account for real-world conditions, physical and cognitive fatigue accumulate rapidly, leading to preventable input errors and operational delays.
To solve this, I redesigned Harris Teeter's baseline inventory interface using principles I developed through my studies and hands-on experience as a clinician rehabilitating individuals. This includes applying frameworks from Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), neuro-rehabilitation, developmental language disorders, and my direct work with exhausted caregivers. By structuring layouts to accommodate fine motor constraints, visual tracking fatigue, and language processing barriers, I created a streamlined system that protects data integrity while reducing unnecessary mental load on the retail floor.
Core Design Solutions
AAC-Inspired Visual Scaffolding
I restructured core navigation using explicit visual symbol cards, persistent text labels, and semantic functional grouping. Rooted in AAC board design, this layout reduces visual decoding demand for users managing aphasia, language barriers, or severe shift-related fatigue.
Spatial Target Separation
I reconfigured input fields and action buttons to clear out cramped UI boundaries. By increasing target padding and separating primary action controls, I created distinct, predictable touch zones. This directly reduces mis-taps for users managing fine motor tremors, unsteady hands, or physical fatigue during long shifts.
Multi-Sensory Action Confirmation
I paired high-contrast status badges with explicit confirmation alerts and tactile haptic feedback. Triggering a vibration pulse alongside the visual confirmation gives users immediate, non-visual feedback that their entry registered. This protects system data from accidental double-taps, especially on a noisy, fast-paced store floor with constant distractions.
Clinical and Design Impact
WCAG 2.1 AA Compliance: Rebuilt a rigid, outdated baseline interface into a multi-sensory workspace that uses intentional color contrast, tactile haptic feedback, and structured visual scaffolding.
Real-World Usability: Showed how the same AAC and motor-support structures I use in clinical therapy translate directly to enterprise tools. Designing for language processing barriers and motor tremors protects every user on the floor from energy burn-out and preventable input errors.
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