Ashish Upadhyay

Case Study

Thesis

The challenge was to develop a concept that could help and support SMEs.

About
BRM

A platform that not only makes business owners aware of their operations but also helps them grow, sustain their business, and gain the guidance they need for a successful future.

Overview

Research

How I started

My first step was to explore the current landscape of business management and productivity tools to identify strengths and gaps. I analyzed platforms focused on task management, financial planning, and team collaboration to understand their features, usability, and limitations.

My Role

Reduced friction, solved key usability challenges, and redesigned critical interfaces.

My Team

Team: Ashish (Designer), Prof. Thomas & Prof. Peter (Mentors)

Problem Identification

"I struggle to keep track of tasks and priorities."

"It’s hard to clearly manage and monitor finances."

"Ensuring team accountability is challenging."

"We have data, but making decisions from it is difficult."

Validated through quantitative and qualitative research

Pain Points

Difficulty Sustaining Businesses Long-Term - Many business owners struggle to maintain stability and growth, especially during the early stages of their venture.
High Startup Failure Rate - A large number of startups fail within their first year due to lack of proper strategy, planning, and support.
Gap Between Business Knowledge and Practical Tools - Entrepreneurs often lack accessible, practical solutions that translate business knowledge into actionable guidance.

Difficulty Sustaining Businesses Long-Term - Many business owners struggle to maintain stability and growth, especially during the early stages of their venture.
High Startup Failure Rate - A large number of startups fail within their first year due to lack of proper strategy, planning, and support.
Gap Between Business Knowledge and Practical Tools - Entrepreneurs often lack accessible, practical solutions that translate business knowledge into actionable guidance.

Research Overview

Screen

Designed over 40 screens addressing real-world challenges faced by small business enterprises.

Interview

Conducted 8 interviews during the research phase and 10 interviews during the concept testing phase.

Usability Study

I conducted usability testing with 20 participants in total to refine and improve the screens.

Mentor Call

Had the opportunity to conduct more than 10 calls with my mentor throughout the process.

Project goal

Project Goal

To address SME challenges, I developed BRM, an integrated platform designed to empower business owners. It provides clear visibility into financial health, streamlines inventory and asset management, strengthens client and vendor relationships, and improves employee engagement. Additionally, BRM offers forecasting tools to guide strategic decisions and support sustainable business growth.

Usibility Study

Testing Phase

I conducted 20 usability studies in total, but two key studies are highlighted here. Insights from these studies guided design refinements, improved usability, and ensured BRM effectively meets the real needs of SMEs.

Before

After

Testing 1

The first image shows the original navigation bar; the second shows a new layout. Usability feedback suggested adding more white space for additional information, which improved content visibility and dashboard usability.

Before

After

Testing 2

During usability testing, I realized users had to return to the main resource page to access other pages, causing frustration. I redesigned the flow to allow seamless navigation between resources.

Screen Prototypes

Prototype

Shown below are selected screens from the BRM platform. Out of 42 screens developed, only a few are included due to university guidelines, highlighting key features and the platform’s core user experience.

Takeaway

Key Learnings

“The BRM thesis received positive feedback for both concept and design. One of the most challenging aspects was creating an engaging and visually appealing platform from a feature set primarily focused on dashboards. Beyond the design work, this project provided an invaluable learning experience. Conducting research, reading business management books, reviewing papers, and interviewing business owners broadened my perspective on how business strategy and design can integrate. This experience not only strengthened my skills but also deepened my understanding of creating solutions that deliver real-world impact.”

“The BRM thesis received positive feedback for both concept and design. One of the most challenging aspects was creating an engaging and visually appealing platform from a feature set primarily focused on dashboards. Beyond the design work, this project provided an invaluable learning experience. Conducting research, reading business management books, reviewing papers, and interviewing business owners broadened my perspective on how business strategy and design can integrate. This experience not only strengthened my skills but also deepened my understanding of creating solutions that deliver real-world impact.”