Payroll
Redesign of Payroll: how to make payroll so easy, so even children can be accountants
Context (situation)
Context (situation)
Context (situation)
1
About the company
Workly is HR tech SaaS startup in Uzbekistan
It was founded in 2012 and it's now the leader of the region in this sector
Payroll is one of the products of Workly ecosystem that enables companies to make all payroll operations of employees within one system
Workly is HR tech SaaS startup in Uzbekistan
It was founded in 2012 and it's now the leader of the region in this sector
Payroll is one of the products of Workly ecosystem that enables companies to make all payroll operations of employees within one system
Workly is HR tech SaaS startup in Uzbekistan
It was founded in 2012 and it's now the leader of the region in this sector
Payroll is one of the products of Workly ecosystem that enables companies to make all payroll operations of employees within one system
2
Why we did it?
Enhance functionality and remove bottlenecks
Offer better functionality than competitors
Attract more clients and increase the revenue
Enhance functionality and remove bottlenecks
Offer better functionality than competitors
Attract more clients and increase the revenue
Enhance functionality and remove bottlenecks
Offer better functionality than competitors
Attract more clients and increase the revenue
3
My Role & the team
Senior Product Designer
Responsible for the whole CJM, user research and testing
Our team composed of 1 QA engineer, 2 backend developers, 1 tech lead, 1 frontend developer and 1 product manager
Senior Product Designer
Responsible for the whole CJM, user research and testing
Our team composed of 1 QA engineer, 2 backend developers, 1 tech lead, 1 frontend developer and 1 product manager
Senior Product Designer
Responsible for the whole CJM, user research and testing
Our team composed of 1 QA engineer, 2 backend developers, 1 tech lead, 1 frontend developer and 1 product manager
4
My Start and Exit
I've started to work on this project from the start till the first rollout
I've worked on Payroll about 6 months and exited after the rollout and the first rounds of testing, handed it over to another designer and focused primarily on other projects
Senior Product Designer
Senior Product Designer
Senior Product Designer
My role
MY ROLE
MY ROLE
6 months
6 months
6 months
duration
DURATION
DURATION
2023
2023
2023
Year
YEAR
YEAR
problem (Complication)
problem (Complication)
problem (Complication)
5
How did we find out the problems?
Customer Support & Feedback Analysis – Over several months, we tracked repeated issues and complaints from users struggling with payroll management
Internal Stakeholder Discussions – HR managers and finance teams within our client companies frequently mentioned pain points in payroll processing
Competitive Research – We analyzed other payroll systems on the market and realized that many competitors were offering more automation, real-time payroll tracking, and deeper integrations
Customer Support & Feedback Analysis – Over several months, we tracked repeated issues and complaints from users struggling with payroll management
Internal Stakeholder Discussions – HR managers and finance teams within our client companies frequently mentioned pain points in payroll processing
Competitive Research – We analyzed other payroll systems on the market and realized that many competitors were offering more automation, real-time payroll tracking, and deeper integrations
Customer Support & Feedback Analysis – Over several months, we tracked repeated issues and complaints from users struggling with payroll management
Internal Stakeholder Discussions – HR managers and finance teams within our client companies frequently mentioned pain points in payroll processing
Competitive Research – We analyzed other payroll systems on the market and realized that many competitors were offering more automation, real-time payroll tracking, and deeper integrations
6
What was the problem?
Lacking functions: product did not cover all user needs
Lacking functions: product did not cover all user needs
Lacking functions: product did not cover all user needs
Lacking functions: product did not cover all user needs
Lacking functions: product did not cover all user needs
Lots of manual calculations, lack of transparency
Lots of manual calculations, lack of transparency
Lots of manual calculations, lack of transparency
Lots of manual calculations, lack of transparency
Lots of manual calculations, lack of transparency
Holding back from competitors
Holding back from competitors
Holding back from competitors
Holding back from competitors
Holding back from competitors
Outdated and inconsistent UI, complicated UX
Outdated and inconsistent UI, complicated UX
Outdated and inconsistent UI, complicated UX
Outdated and inconsistent UI, complicated UX
Outdated and inconsistent UI, complicated UX
Risk of losing clients and losing money
Risk of losing clients and losing money
7
Identifying functionality in detail
In order to address the problem effectively, I initiated dialogue with 2 different user groups
In order to address the problem effectively, I initiated dialogue with 2 different user groups
In order to address the problem effectively, I initiated dialogue with 2 different user groups
Internal Focus Groups (with team members)
Internal Focus Groups (with team members)
Internal Focus Groups (with team members)
Process: I explained the problem, goal and user pain points. Then I asked their experience about payroll and how it could be enhanced
Process: I explained the problem, goal and user pain points. Then I asked their experience about payroll and how it could be enhanced
Process: I explained the problem, goal and user pain points. Then I asked their experience about payroll and how it could be enhanced
Key Takeaway: employees need transparency in salary calculation, managers need multi-step approval of salary confirmation
Key Takeaway: employees need transparency in salary calculation, managers need multi-step approval of salary confirmation
Key Takeaway: employees need transparency in salary calculation, managers need multi-step approval of salary confirmation
Client Interviews
Client Interviews
Client Interviews
Process: we've discussed key functions and problems of the existing system and what functionality should be added
Process: we've discussed key functions and problems of the existing system and what functionality should be added
Process: we've discussed key functions and problems of the existing system and what functionality should be added
Key Takeaway: clients need detailed overview of how the salary is calculated, history of payroll, automated salary calculations and much more…
Key Takeaway: clients need detailed overview of how the salary is calculated, history of payroll, automated salary calculations and much more…
Key Takeaway: clients need detailed overview of how the salary is calculated, history of payroll, automated salary calculations and much more…
"We've conducted interviews with 2 different audiences (both directly related to the product)
to minimize the risk that we're following wrong direction"
"We've conducted interviews with 2 different audiences (both directly related to the product)
to minimize the risk that we're following wrong direction"
"We've conducted interviews with 2 different audiences (both directly related to the product)
to minimize the risk that we're following wrong direction"
"We've conducted interviews with 2 different audiences (both directly related to the product)
to minimize the risk that we're following wrong direction"
8
Transforming Insights into Concepts and Solutions
Employees need to know how their salaries are calculated
Employees need to know how their salaries are calculated
Employees need to know how their salaries are calculated
Managers need to be able to approve or reject salaries or bonuses of the employees
Managers need to be able to approve or reject salaries or bonuses of the employees
Managers need to be able to approve or reject salaries or bonuses of the employees
Accountants need to be able to create and set certain rules of how the salaries are calculated for each employee individually
Accountants need to be able to create and set certain rules of how the salaries are calculated for each employee individually
Accountants need to be able to create and set certain rules of how the salaries are calculated for each employee individually
Each employee can log in into the system and review his salary calculations and the history
Each employee can log in into the system and review his salary calculations and the history
Each employee can log in into the system and review his salary calculations and the history
The system allows to personalize the flow of salary calculations, so a manager can approve salararies of his employees
The system allows to personalize the flow of salary calculations, so a manager can approve salararies of his employees
The system allows to personalize the flow of salary calculations, so a manager can approve salararies of his employees
It's possible to set and adjust many rules, such as late arrival penalties, special bonuses and KPIs, hourly rate and overwork etc.
It's possible to set and adjust many rules, such as late arrival penalties, special bonuses and KPIs, hourly rate and overwork etc.
It's possible to set and adjust many rules, such as late arrival penalties, special bonuses and KPIs, hourly rate and overwork etc.
9
How did we prioritise the features?
First things first, we'll focus on the rest later on. So, I've suggested to use MoSCoW (Must have, Should have, Could have and Won't have) method to prioritize the functionality.
We focused primarily on the Must Have features for the first iterations and test the implementation and results.
First things first, we'll focus on the rest later on. So, I've suggested to use MoSCoW (Must have, Should have, Could have and Won't have) method to prioritize the functionality.
We focused primarily on the Must Have features for the first iterations and test the implementation and results.
First things first, we'll focus on the rest later on. So, I've suggested to use MoSCoW (Must have, Should have, Could have and Won't have) method to prioritize the functionality.
We focused primarily on the Must Have features for the first iterations and test the implementation and results.
resolution (Results)
resolution (Results)
resolution (Results)
10
Previous Design
11
Low and Mid Fidelity Designs
I suggested to design to work on Low and Mid Fidelity designs since it plays very important role in brainstorming and information architechture
I suggested to design to work on Low and Mid Fidelity designs since it plays very important role in brainstorming and information architechture
I suggested to design to work on Low and Mid Fidelity designs since it plays very important role in brainstorming and information architechture
12
New High Fidelity Designs
With explanation of the key feature of Payroll — salary confirmation
With explanation of the key feature of Payroll — salary confirmation
With explanation of the key feature of Payroll — salary confirmation
Impact
Impact
Impact
13
What was achieved?
Although, it's only second month after rollout, I'm happy to share about initial results:
Although, it's only second month after rollout, I'm happy to share about initial results:
Although, it's only second month after rollout, I'm happy to share about initial results:
0 to 1: we were able to launch our product and successfully test it before rollout
As surveys and user tests conducted afterwards confirmed — we're able to solve all the problems of previous design, catching up competitors in terms of functionality and removing the UX bottlenecks
First sales: within the first month 11 current clients added Payroll to their subscription, 3 new clients
0 to 1: we were able to launch our product and successfully test it before rollout
As surveys and user tests conducted afterwards confirmed — we're able to solve all the problems of previous design, catching up competitors in terms of functionality and removing the UX bottlenecks
First sales: within the first month 11 current clients added Payroll to their subscription, 3 new clients
0 to 1: we were able to launch our product and successfully test it before rollout
As surveys and user tests conducted afterwards confirmed — we're able to solve all the problems of previous design, catching up competitors in terms of functionality and removing the UX bottlenecks
First sales: within the first month 11 current clients added Payroll to their subscription, 3 new clients
20%
20%
20%
less requests for Customer Support regarding Payroll
less requests for Customer Support regarding Payroll
less requests for Customer Support regarding Payroll
3 new clients
3 new clients
3 new clients
were attracted during the first month
were attracted during the first month
were attracted during the first month
30%
30%
30%
increase in the user satisfaction in the post rollout survey
increase in the user satisfaction in the post rollout survey
increase in the user satisfaction in the post rollout survey
Before
Lots of manual calculations for accountants
Not clear CJM
Lack of essential functionality, such as Salary Confirmation, reports or payment history
Outdated and inconsistent UI
Salary calculation rules were rigid and impossible to tailor to specific needs
Lots of manual calculations for accountants
Not clear CJM
Lack of essential functionality, such as Salary Confirmation, reports or payment history
Outdated and inconsistent UI
Salary calculation rules were rigid and impossible to tailor to specific needs
Lots of manual calculations for accountants
Not clear CJM
Lack of essential functionality, such as Salary Confirmation, reports or payment history
Outdated and inconsistent UI
Salary calculation rules were rigid and impossible to tailor to specific needs
Now
All salary information and calculations in one system with clear CJM and UI
Keyboard-navigable, and WCAG-compliant interface
All "Must have" functionality we identified in MoSCoW were implemented
Salary confirmations and payment history
Flexible, adjustable and complex rules for salary calculations, considering: night hours, overwork, additional hours, holidays, location bonuses, different types of penalties, arrival and leaving time, taxes and so on
All salary information and calculations in one system with clear CJM and UI
Keyboard-navigable, and WCAG-compliant interface
All "Must have" functionality we identified in MoSCoW were implemented
Salary confirmations and payment history
Flexible, adjustable and complex rules for salary calculations, considering: night hours, overwork, additional hours, holidays, location bonuses, different types of penalties, arrival and leaving time, taxes and so on
All salary information and calculations in one system with clear CJM and UI
Keyboard-navigable, and WCAG-compliant interface
All "Must have" functionality we identified in MoSCoW were implemented
Salary confirmations and payment history
Flexible, adjustable and complex rules for salary calculations, considering: night hours, overwork, additional hours, holidays, location bonuses, different types of penalties, arrival and leaving time, taxes and so on
14
Challenges and Reflection
After so much work we've done and great results we've achieved, we can make small reflections 😅
After so much work we've done and great results we've achieved, we can make small reflections 😅
After so much work we've done and great results we've achieved, we can make small reflections 😅
Challenges:
Challenges:
Challenges:
Understanding details of local financial system
Testing plenty of hypothesises (most of them did not work)
Balancing between the deadlines, backlog and project mission
Understanding details of local financial system
Testing plenty of hypothesises (most of them did not work)
Balancing between the deadlines, backlog and project mission
Understanding details of local financial system
Testing plenty of hypothesises (most of them did not work)
Balancing between the deadlines, backlog and project mission
What I'd do differently:
What I'd do differently:
What I'd do differently:
Engaging real and potential clients even earlier: it would save weeks of time
Collaborating with local banks more to understand how salary confirmations and payments work on their side
Creating a more structured validation phase before development, including more detailed prototypes and earlier usability testing
Engaging real and potential clients even earlier: it would save weeks of time
Collaborating with local banks more to understand how salary confirmations and payments work on their side
Creating a more structured validation phase before development, including more detailed prototypes and earlier usability testing
Engaging real and potential clients even earlier: it would save weeks of time
Collaborating with local banks more to understand how salary confirmations and payments work on their side
Creating a more structured validation phase before development, including more detailed prototypes and earlier usability testing
Next steps? We'll continue polishing the product, checking metrics and statistics, testing the hypothesises and regularly update it 🚀
Next steps? We'll continue polishing the product, checking metrics and statistics, testing the hypothesises and regularly update it 🚀
Next steps? We'll continue polishing the product, checking metrics and statistics, testing the hypothesises and regularly update it 🚀
