Modernizing a 50-Year-Old Enterprise Scheduler
Consolidating 5 disparate subsystems into one unified experience for 20M+ weekly schedules.
So what are you going to do next?
— Customer feedback during Virtual User Group, after publicly praising the redesign
At a Glance
A 50-year-old scheduling system with five fragmented subsystems and no documentation. It powered 20M+ weekly schedules but needed modernization.
Modernize the system while preserving what worked. Document what had never been documented.
Volunteered for the project. Embedded myself in support calls to understand real pain points. Explored three architectural directions before finding the right approach.
Integrated five subsystems into the Hub — no extra space, smart integration. Reduced schedule creation from 4 clicks to 2. Shipped April 2024.
Scale & Responsibility
Shipped as part of WebFOCUS 9.3 — actively impacting millions of users daily. Mission-critical system that couldn't afford to break.
The Transformation
Narrated walkthrough of the Legacy friction vs. the Modern unified workflow.
Legacy RC Workflow
The old fragmented workflow: multiple disconnected interfaces, 4 clicks to create a schedule, hidden functionality in legacy menus. Note: The legacy workflow video is under NDA and requires password access to view.
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Click to unlock legacy workflow
New Unified Workflow
The new unified workflow: modal-based creation, 2 clicks to create a schedule (+ menu → create schedule), all functionality accessible from one place. (Note: This is a Figma prototype and may not reflect all final shipped changes.)
Key Differences
- •Five disconnected subsystems
- •4 clicks to create schedule/lists
- •2 clicks to access Explorer
- •Hidden functionality in legacy menus
- •Unified modal-based workflow
- •2 clicks to create schedule/lists
- •1 click to access Explorer
- •All functionality accessible from Hub
D.E.S.I.G.N. Framework Applied
Discover Deeply
Volunteered for a deferred project with no documentation. Spent weeks mapping the full architecture before designing.
Empathize with the Ecosystem
No direct user access, so I embedded in support calls. Found customers creating workarounds for problems the system never solved.
Simplify the Chaos
Integrated five fragmented subsystems into the Hub. No extra space — smart integration that lives inside existing patterns.
Iterate with Inclusion
I explored three architectural directions before finding the right approach. The modal-based design emerged from platform constraints.
Grow Through Constraints
I handed off to two designers and remained the knowledge hub even after moving to other projects.
Navigate Forward
Shipped April 2024. Live in production. Featured in public YouTube demos.
Discover Deeply: How I Landed the Project
Volunteered for a deferred project with no documentation. Built structure from scratch using only sandbox access and tribal knowledge.
Empathize with the Ecosystem: Understanding Users and Constraints
Built relationships with support lead and team. Gained access to private internal tickets and historical insights. Anchored redesign on pain customers actually voiced.
Simplify the Chaos: Mapping and Integrating the Architecture
Mapped and unified five fragmented subsystems into one coherent mental model. Prioritized patterns, clarified undocumented rules, and made complexity digestible for everyone.
The Raw Sketchbook
Before pixels, there was paper. I believe thinking happens away from the screen. Here is a glimpse into the 100+ pages of notes, logic maps, and questions that built this system.
Full Access
View Original PDF
Making notes on legacy system
Mapping user journeys
Identifying friction points
Brainstorming architecture
Simplifying complexity
Unifying workflows
+8
more pages in the full archive
Iterate with Inclusion: Three Architectural Approaches
Three directions before finding the right one. Each rejection taught me something about platform constraints.
Design Principles Applied
Grow Through Constraints: Aligning the Team Within the Ecosystem
Owned three major projects simultaneously. Onboarded 2 designers and remained the knowledge hub.
Onboarding 9 Stakeholder Groups
Most had never seen RC end-to-end. The documentation I created helped the team understand the full picture.
Cross-Functional Reach
Onboarding Activities
Discovery
- →Dozens of demos (old vs new)
- →Legacy quirks walkthroughs
- →Failure logic explanations
Alignment
- →IA & structural decisions
- →Interactive prototypes
- →Workflow documentation
Execution
- →Mediate engineer conflicts
- →Edge case documentation
- →Team handoff
Engineers who initially intimidated me became collaborators I respected — and who respected me.The documentation work gave me context to contribute meaningfully in cross-functional discussions.
Navigate Forward: Shipping Impact and Reflection
Requested: visual refresh. Delivered: foundational system architecture.
- •5 subsystems → 1 unified mental model
- •4 → 2 clicks for schedule/list creation
- •2 → 1 click for Explorer access
- •Live in production, featured in public demos
- •Push harder for direct user research earlier — even in enterprise, there are ways
- •Document architectural decisions in real-time, not retrospectively
- •Build design system components as I go, not after
Side-by-Side Comparison
Protected Content
Detailed artifacts and sensitive diagrams are available for authorized reviewers.
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