Client: Cisco Systems

Project Type: User Research, Product Design, UX

Role: UX Designer.

Industry: Communications and information technology.

Project Overview

This project focused on redesigning Cisco’s Refresh Central to Remarketing platform, supporting their global device lifecycle and sustainability initiatives. Cisco Refresh offers certified remanufactured products, and the goal was to streamline internal workflows for managing device returns, refurbishments, and resale processes. The redesigned experience aimed to improve usability, enable better filtering and tracking of inventory, and support regional remarketing teams. The project spanned over ten weeks and involved close collaboration between the UX designer (myself), product managers, business analysts, and the engineering team to ensure alignment with Cisco’s operational goals and environmental commitments.

Empathize

Given the internal scope of the Cisco Refresh Central project and the goal of efficiently utilizing time and resources, proto-personas were created based on stakeholder input and existing knowledge of internal users. These personas represent assumed characteristics, needs, and behaviors of key employee groups. Rather than conducting an extensive research study at this stage, these proto-personas serve as informed starting points that will be refined and validated through future user interactions and feedback loops. Below are the crafted personas tailored for each identified Cisco user segment.

Pain Points

Outdated Interface & Workflow Complexity: The legacy platform had a dated UI and fragmented user flows, making it difficult for internal users to manage product refresh and remarketing tasks efficiently.

Inconsistent Information Architecture: Key actions like inventory search, product tracking, and reporting were buried under unclear navigation paths, leading to inefficiencies and user frustration.

Lack of Personalization & Role Clarity: The platform did not account for different user roles (regional remarketing teams, inventory managers, logistics coordinators), resulting in a one-size-fits-all experience.

Limited Support for Global Operations: Operating across multiple regions, the system lacked localization flexibility and did not cater well to regional differences in processes, inventory categories, and user expectations.

Design Strategy & Solutions

The redesign focused on three core principles: Clarity, Credibility, and Conversion Optimization.

✅ Advanced Filtering System:
Users can now fine-tune searches using detailed filters like Refresh Part Number, Mfg/Alternate PID, Product Family, BOM Status, Lifecycle Stages, and more—all accessible in a clearly structured left-hand panel.

✅ Dynamic Attribute Selection:
A modular, checkbox-based interface allows users to select from over 30 product attributes (e.g., MFG PID, Refresh PID Description, Lifecycle, Orderability, and more). This flexibility supports highly customized report generation with immediate feedback.

✅ Template Management:
Users can save and reuse report configurations using the "Save Template" function, minimizing repetitive setup effort and improving efficiency.

✅ Country & Workflow Context Integration:
Filters for GTM, Approval Workflow, and Refresh Site ensure the report is relevant to specific geographic regions like Sri Lanka or the UK, aligning with country-specific processes and teams.

✅ Improved Usability & Accessibility:
Clear CTAs like Apply, Reset, and Download, along with an in-context tooltip message area, make the experience intuitive for power users and new users alike.

✅ Enterprise-Grade, Clean Aesthetic:
Redesigned with a sleek, professional UI optimized for Cisco’s enterprise SaaS environment. The layout follows Cisco’s brand guidelines and maintains visual consistency, inspired by industry leaders like Workday and Acumatica.

✅ Conversion-Oriented Header & CTA Focus:
Users can select region (e.g., Japan), toggle currency (USD/JPY), and immediately access core actions like “Download Inventory Report” or Create Case, reducing friction for high-frequency tasks.

✅ Trusted Estimations & Data Transparency:
Competitive pricing estimation clearly presents key metrics like Total Blended Net Price, Effective GPL Discount, and Target Discount, helping users make informed, confident decisions. A guidance message ensures users understand pricing conditions.

✅ Streamlined Data Input & Upload Options:
Users can enter part numbers manually or upload a BOM file to automate analysis. This accommodates both exploratory users and power users with bulk inventory needs.

✅ Dynamic Summary & Detailed Analysis:

The Summary Analysis table highlights savings per part and total in real time, with auto-calculated blended prices and discounts.
The Detailed Analysis panel allows selection of key attributes (e.g., Reserved Qty, In Stock Inventory, Backlog Ordered) using a clean dropdown UI.
Users can export detailed data as a pre-quote report, enhancing workflow efficiency.

✅ Improved Lead & Support Accessibility:
Top-level links to Live Chat, FAQs, and Contact Us ensure quick support access, while the simplified layout encourages task completion without distraction.

Final Design (Wireframes & Mockups)

The redesign resulted in:A more intuitive workflow for uploading and managing data.Reduced errors and improved clarity through visual cues and consolidated categories.A clean, consistent experience across roles and tasks, improving usability and overall satisfaction for Cisco internal teams.

Uploader

Key Takeaways & Lessons Learned

User Research Drove Meaningful Improvements – In-depth understanding of internal stakeholder workflows and user pain points informed refinements in screen layout, feature hierarchy, and attribute selection, enhancing usability across the tool.
Navigation & Accessibility Were Prioritized – Organizing modules and filters by logical categories such as inventory status, region, and product type improved task efficiency and reduced cognitive load for users.
Trust & Clarity Enhanced User Confidence – Clear pricing breakdowns, calculated discounts, and inline explanations added transparency and built credibility with users making complex purchasing decisions.
Performance Optimization Was Key – Streamlined backend interactions, faster data rendering, and responsive design significantly improved load times and usability across global regions and device types.