Otrafy
Making The Digital Irresistible
How I Designed a Floor Management Platform That Manufacturers Couldn’t Ignore
01. Project overview
Objective
Most food manufacturers resist digitization, citing cost, complexity, and workflow disruptions. So when a major industry client suggested we partner in building a digital facility floor management module, I saw a challenge and an opportunity: How do we create a platform that's so monetarily beneficial that other manufacturers can't afford to ignore it?
Results
Within three weeks, I delivered a working prototype that not only won over our client but also attracted two additional industry leaders to invest in its development.
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Early projections showed a 30%-40% reduction in food recalls, and up to a 25% reduction in administrative workload, proving that digital could be more than just convenient—it could be profitable.
💻 Context: Web Platform, Tablet App. B2B, SaaS.
👩💻 Role: Product design: Research, Ideation, Prototyping
🤝 Team members: Product Owner, Head of development
⏳ Time Frame: 3 Weeks
02. Defining the Problem
Convincing a Resistant Industry to Change it's mind
I conducted stakeholder interviews, field research, extensive competetive audit, and expert consultations (including with Dr. Bruno Xavier, Associate Director of Cornell’s Food Venture Center). Biggest takeaways:
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Food manufacturers use paper because:
It’s cheap (or so they think).
It’s fast (until something goes wrong).
It works (until an audit, error, or miscommunication costs them thousands).
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80% of medium to large manufacturers saw digitization as “expensive” rather than “profitable.” The didn't see the financial ROI.
03. Strategy
Competing against complacency
The biggest roadblock? We weren’t competing against another platform. Manufacturers weren't actively looking for a digital solution.
So, instead of asking:
"How do we make digital forms easier to use?"
I reframed the question to:
"How might we design a platform that makes manufacturers money?"
This shift in perspective along with the following strategic principles that underpinned every design decision:
03. Solutions and iterations
Monetizing Efficiency
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Key Insight: Manufacturers don’t care about software—they care about cost savings and revenue growth.
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Solution: designed forms with
Real-time error prevention
Automated compliance tracking
Searchable archives and audit trails
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Result:
Projected 25-35% improvement in client compliance & safety audits, boosting the manufacturers' reputation and client base.
Error prevention tools can save up to $50K/year per facility in wasted materials and resources in recalls.
By utilizing conditional logic and real-time alerts, QAs can detect and even prevent errors as they occur.
Technicians are empowered to independently generate their own forms as needed
Aligning with Existing Workflows
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Key Insight: A competitive audit found that on other platforms, supervisors send forms to technicians. However, field observations and expert interviews showed that technicians usually get their forms themselves.
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Solution: Instead of following the top-down workflow of other platform , I flipped the model to empower technicians to retrieve and complete digital forms independently—just like they already did with paper.
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Result:
Early testing showed a 20%+ reduction in administrative workload
Higher approval rate among supervisors
Leveraging Proprietary Technology for a Competitive Edge
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Key Insight: A generic form builder wouldn’t cut it—we needed to offer something competitor couldn't easily replicate.
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I leveraged Otrafy’s existing proprietary technology to create a high-value digital form system with:
✅ Conditional logic – Adaptive forms that respond to user inputs, preventing errors.
✅ Reach Media capture – Attach photos/videos for richer documentation.
✅ Smart compliance alerts – Reducing regulatory risks.
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Result:
The adaptation of existing technology meant warp-speed development to MVP.
100% alignment with existing compliance standards, making adoption risk-free.
Improved accessibility and faster employee training
Technicians are empwered to generate their own forms was needed
04. Results & Impact
Industry Disruption in Just Three Weeks
Client reaction: “You over-delivered.”
The design wasn’t just a digital replacement— By tying every feature directly to revenue impact we fundamentally shifted how manufacturers viewed compliance documentation.
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Industry impact: Two additional manufacturers signed on for development.
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Projected efficiency gains: Up to 25% reduction in administrative workload.
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Projected compliance improvements: 30-40% Reduction in recalls scopes & fines.
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Reaching new industries: The flexible platform facilitates rapid expansion into adjacent industries (pharmaceuticals, logistics, etc.).
Final thoughts
This project wasn’t just about digitizing forms. It was about changing mindsets.
By shifting the focus from technology to financial impact, we transformed digital adoption from an obligation into a business opportunity.
