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ALCOVE
No-code design sprints that raised $2.5 million seed fund
Alcove
Industry
SaaS, logistics, product procurement
Funding
~ $2.5m
Services we provided
— Idea validation
— Design strategy
— Product design
— Website design
— Design system
— CMS integration
The client
Alcove is a seed stage Startup from one of the largest VC funds Menlo Ventures. Alcove empowers designers with communication and procurement management tools to better manage products as they move through the wholesale logistics network. It’s a tool for interior designers that helps them save time and make the procurement process smoother and more accessible.
Overview
We collaborated with Alcove and with design quick sprint help to validate the idea, build the MVP version and raise fundraise.
The Challenge
The procurement process is complex and tools aren’t fit
for purpose. Interior designers experience many pain points when handling the large volume of communication necessary in the procurement process.
This diagram illustrates the most common threads of communication that can happen per item selected in a single project. If we scale the diagram to account for the average number of items in one project and multiply that by the number of projects a designer has the result is flooded inboxes with long email chains that include multiple points of contact. This leads to non-billable time spent tracking products, dealing with unexpected logistical issues, and managing client expectations.
With designers’ current systems, the tracking and logistical information are manually updated on spreadsheets. A considerable amount of non-billable time is spent tracking products with multiple vendors and points of contact as they move through the wholesale logistical network. Designers will manage logistical considerations such as purchase orders, coordinating receiving, inspections, accounting, and unforeseen events. In addition to gathering relevant information, designers are spending time updating spreadsheets and communicating updates to clients.
The Goal
The goal of this project was to understand interior designers’ problems on a deeper level, make solutions that fit target audience’s needs, and validate the idea to be sure that the solutions fit the market. Also, we had a goal to create an MVP version of the product based on data we received from user research.
Our purpose was to create a tool that should help interior designers spend less time managing orders by making the whole order management process in one centralized tool so they can concentrate more time on designing.
Results
We designed the product based on deep research and user interviews. UCD methodology allowed us to identify core problems and as a result, we provided the relevant solutions.
We created an MVP version of the product that overviews all company’s active projects and gives designers at-a-glance views of key performance indicators such as order status, schedules, and communication. The MVP included a messaging system that connects designers with all trade stakeholders. It works as an email integration that automatically associates all emails with their respective trade records, so designers never have to comb through a mountain of messages to send the next round of follow-ups. Designers now can handle all the behind-the-scenes dialogue with a streamlined interface that organizes inbox clutter and auto associates important dates to the corresponding project calendars.
Having an MVP version of the product that fit market and tested, we helped to create investor pitches and raise $2.5 million in funds in the seed stage.
“Greensighter team was crucial to the ideation and designs for the early stage of our startup. They were incredibly responsive and worked quickly, producing high-quality designs and intelligent information architecture. It was a pleasure to work with them and they are true professionals. Would highly recommend them."
CEO at ALCOVE