Source IQ (formerly TalkDEI)

Overview

Source iQ is a B2B SaaS platform powered by AI that creates a bridge between enterprises and suppliers in sourcing and procurement, providing a unified marketplace for both Stakeholders.

For the suppliers, the product provides a place where they can gain access to contract opportunities, collaborate and connect directly with enterprises.

Source iQ provides enterprises with necessary tools to manage their suppliers, find new ones, manage their spend on sourcing and procurement

What did I do at TalkDEI?

As the sole & founding designer, I led the product design efforts and collaborated closely with a team that included the founder, a frontend engineer, and 2 backend engineers. My design efforts:

1. Designing the initial website.
2. Collecting and implementing detailed feedback to redesign the website before the product launch, resulting in increased user engagement and retention.
3. Designing the product from scratch, incorporating essential features tailored to the specific needs of large enterprises.
4. Participating in meetings with major corporations, such as Microsoft, to gain insights into their requirements and pain points in supplier management.
5. Designed the pitch deck

What exactly is the problem?

The lack of automated workflows in supplier diversity sourcing, managing and contract management poses several challenges. The established processes lead to inefficiencies, opportunities missed, data inconsistencies and compliance risks for both enterprises and suppliers.

For Enterprises:

1. Time-Consuming processes: Manual sourcing processes are resource-intensive, making it hard for enterprises to efficiently find and engage with suppliers.
2. Lack of proper Monitoring and Tracking tools: Without proper tools, tracking progress toward diversity goals in the supply chain is challenging.
3. Accessibility: Limited access to diverse suppliers through traditional networks restricts options for diversifying the supply chain.

For Suppliers:

1. Impact Measurement: Suppliers struggle to showcase their contributions to socio-economic growth due to a lack of monitoring tools.
2. Complex Processes: The administrative burden of complex applications makes it difficult for small businesses to participate in procurement opportunities.
3. Limited Access: Underrepresented businesses often find it challenging to access and navigate corporate procurement, reducing their chances of securing contracts, jobs and offers

Understanding the needs and asking the necessary questions

To effectively provide a solution that catered to both stakeholders, we conducted interviews with multiple organisations including fortune 500 companies.

Now, the important questions:

1. How do the enterprises track their spend on diverse suppliers relative to their budgets?
2. The administrative burden of complex applications makes it difficult for businesses to participate in procurement opportunities. How can we simplify that process?
3. How can we we help suppliers find more opportunities?



These questions came as a result of the insight gotten from these interviews. Providing the answers would further help define how we approach building out the solution.

Takeaways:

1. The enterprises desired a simple solution, not complex, to manage their supplier base, monitor and manage their spending relative to their budgets
2. They wanted to simplify and streamline the process of finding new suppliers for their projects
3. An effective process to authenticate that suppliers are actually certified.
4. Suppliers needed a single platform to show their services, find new jobs and offers and connect with enterprises

Design

The design process wasn’t all too linear as is common with enterprise solutions. Despite it not being as straight, the process ticked off the necessary boxes.

I led the design process, drafting initial sketches and wireframe designs which I used to gather feedback from the stakeholders.

I then went on to create the hi fidelity designs including prototypes and micro-interactions for all the screens

The designs were created in an agile environment in collaboration with engineering and was constantly iterated upon.

Information architecture

Results & Impact

• Demoed and tested product to 50+ enterprises
• Onboarded multiple suppliers to the platform