Horizon
Horizon was a project where I led the design and development of a product designed to help Digital Transformation for small businesses. This project was completed in Fall 2024, during my time as Lead Product Manager within SDSU's Digital Innovation Lab (DiLab).
Problem
Horizon was developed to solve the problem of Digital Transformation for small businesses. Small businesses often struggle to adopt new technologies and digital solutions, which can hinder their growth and competitiveness in the market. The goal of Horizon was to create a user-friendly platform that would help small businesses navigate the complexities of digital transformation, providing them with the tools and resources they need to succeed in the digital age.
Initial Ideation
I began the project by first ideating potential solutions on how to solve the problem of Digital Transformation for small businesses.
Based on research provided by DiLab, the solution I ideated was a SaaS platform that provided small businesses with the same tools and resources that large enterprises had for Digital Transformation, but in a more accessible and user-friendly way. The platform would assess Digital Transformation readiness, provide AI-driven recommendations, and assist the small business through solution implementation.
UI/UX & Design
Next, I began to work on both Horizon's visual identity, as well as the UI/UX of the platform itself. I created the logo design through Adobe Illustrator, exploring a modern and sleek design that incorporated the concept of a new future for small businesses with a new horizon.
Next I began to work on developing a medium-fidelity prototype of the platform in Figma. I designed the UI/UX of the platform to be simple and intuitive, creating a user flow diagram for a variety of user journeys.
Product Management
Finally, I led a team of software developers to build the platform. I was in charge of a full-stack developer and back-end developer, where I provided them with the designs and user flows that I created, while also coordinating development with them in parallel.
The platform was being built using React for the front-end, Node.js and Express for the back-end, and MongoDB for the database. I worked closely with the developers to ensure that the platform was being built according to the designs and specifications that I had created.
Other Deliverables
Here is a link to all of the deliverables I had provided for Horizon, including the User Flow Diagrams, Mid-Fi Figma Mockups, and Logo Designs.
Link to MaterialsReflection
Throughout this project, I have gained more insight into being a leader and product manager. Being my first experience leading a team of developers, there was a lot of trial and error and it helped me develop my problem-solving perspective. Alongside honing my design skills, this project helped me become a better product manager, designer, and leader.
