Building a Scalable CMS for the Future of Automated Retail
Led the end-to-end redesign of Invenda’s CMS, creating a modern, scalable, and intuitive system that empowered operators, business owners, and field technicians to manage smart vending machines more efficiently across desktop and mobile.
Project Overview
Invenda powers an ecosystem of smart, connected vending machines. I was responsible for redesigning the internal Content Management System (CMS) that allowed operators to manage devices, monitor performance, and adjust settings. The existing CMS was outdated, cluttered, and hard to use. I rebuilt the system from the ground up using Material Design 3, introducing a modern, responsive interface that served multiple user types — from office-based operators to field technicians on the go.
Status
Shipped
Role
Design Manager
Year
Q3 2023 - Q4 2024
Product & Audience
B2B IoT & Smart Retail
Skills
Product Design
Web & Mobile Apps
Design Systems
Final Solution
We successfully modernised Invenda’s CMS with a flexible, intuitive, and mobile-friendly interface that improved usability, operational efficiency, and maintainability.
Highlights
A full redesign of Invenda’s CMS, optimised for performance and usability across multiple user roles — from business owners to technicians.
Understanding the Problem
The existing CMS for managing Invenda’s smart vending machines was difficult to navigate, visually outdated, and lacked flexibility — particularly for mobile use. Operators struggled with bulk actions, field technicians found it unusable on-site, and stakeholders had limited visibility into performance data.
Key Challenges
Research & Insights
Competitor Analysis
I reviewed CMS platforms from companies such as Mother, Boost Inc (Aeguana), and Televend. These systems offered better device monitoring, reporting tools, and cleaner interfaces — highlighting the gaps in Invenda’s offering.
Product Assessment
I conducted an audit of the existing CMS through:
These insights helped shape the foundation for the redesign.
Defining the Users
I defined three core personas to represent our users:
Wireframes & Prioritisation
We focused first on two high-impact features:
These were wireframed in low fidelity, tested with internal users, and refined before expanding to the wider CMS.
User Testing & Iteration
I developed low-fidelity prototypes and ran qualitative tests with regular CMS users to validate early design directions.
Key feedback themes:
This feedback informed further iterations and helped shape the high-fidelity designs.
Core Design Decisions
Design System Upgrade
We transitioned the CMS from Material Design 2 to Material Design 3, which improved:
Mobile-First Approach
Knowing that Field Technicians often work in the field, we:
Key Screens
Dashboard
The redesigned dashboard serves as the command centre for operators and stakeholders, delivering clear insights into machine performance, customer activity, and overall sales — all in one place.
Terminals Management
This section allows operators to view, manage, and update their vending machines efficiently — from individual status monitoring to powerful bulk editing tools. I focused on simplifying high-frequency tasks while supporting operations at scale across hundreds of terminals.
Terminal Details
This section offers a deep dive into the status and performance of individual vending terminals. Operators can access technical diagnostics, refill activity, inventory levels, and overall usage — all structured within a single, intuitive layout.
Terminal Settings
This section provides powerful tools to customise and fine-tune each vending terminal’s hardware, stock layout, and customer interface. Operators gain complete control over setup and configuration, ensuring every terminal fits its physical and operational context.
Mobile Experience
I redesigned the mobile interface to empower field technicians with a lightweight yet powerful tool for managing terminals on-site. The mobile view surfaces only what matters most — real-time terminal health, stock levels, and refill actions — all optimised for quick interaction and visibility on smaller screens.
