Managed — Retail Inventory & Team Communication
Managed is a mobile-first inventory and staff communication app designed for local shoe stores. The project focused on giving owners and floor staff a clear, shared view of stock while keeping everyday actions—counting, receiving, and coordinating—fast and easy to complete.
Small retail teams often rely on spreadsheets, POS reports, and informal messages to manage inventory. Counts fall out of sync between the sales floor and back room, incoming shipments are difficult to verify, and staff lack a reliable place to communicate updates—leading to confusion, missed sales, and unnecessary rework.
The goal was to create a simple, real-time inventory experience that anyone on the team could understand at a glance. The app needed to support core workflows—Orders, Current stock, and Incoming shipments—while remaining approachable for non-technical users through clear language, readable type, and large tap targets. Staff communication was designed to live alongside inventory, not outside of it.
Research included interviews with store owners and sales associates, along with observation of receiving, cycle counts, and end-of-day reconciliation. Early wireframes established a clear Inventory Summary with predictable tabs and quick search. Prototypes were built around common actions like checking availability, adjusting counts, receiving stock, and posting team updates. Iteration focused on reducing jargon, simplifying filters, and reinforcing a single “source of truth” for inventory numbers.
As the system came together, the interface began to feel calm and dependable—prioritizing clarity over density and speed over complexity.
Outcome
A focused, mobile-friendly inventory system that keeps counts aligned across teams, reduces floor-level friction, and supports quick decision-making in fast-moving retail environments.
