1
Strong dependence on existing tools
Handwritten notes and LINE messages are deeply embedded in daily workflow.
My Chia — from concept to MVP, raising NT$2M+ in funding.
I led end-to-end research and design, helping a startup take a B2B SaaS product from concept to MVP - securing NT$2M+ in funding and onboarding 40+ vendors across 3 industries.
NT$0M+
Raised in funding
0+
Vendors onboarded
0
Industries expanded
Key contributions
- Sole designer end-to-end, from product scoping to developer handoff.
- Conducted field research across 3 cities, translating vendor workflows into system architecture.
- Designed both customer and vendor apps end-to-end — from ordering and AI-assisted intake to fulfillment and notifications.
- Conducted usability testing and iterated the MVP, supporting a NT$2M+ seed raise and onboarding of 40+ vendors.
- Expanded into medical supply wholesale, validating the system across a second industry.
Field research
Conducted field research across traditional markets in Keelung, Taichung, and Taipei — interviewing egg, tofu, and fruit vendors to observe their actual daily workflows in context.
Field StudyUser InterviewsContextual ObservationKeelung · Taichung · Taipei
Key findings — 4 insights from the field
2
Low tech adoption
Tech anxiety and resistance to change — new tools must feel familiar, not foreign.
3
Predictable order patterns
Orders repeat with regularity — creating clear automation opportunities.
4
Trust-based pricing dynamics
Complex negotiation and relationship dynamics affect how orders are placed and priced.
Jobs to be done — a vendor's day
Mapped a vendor's full working day to see where the order-management pain points cluster — from opening routine through closing bookkeeping.
The cycle repeats every business day
Before Business Hours
During Business Hours
Closing time
Organize orders
Organize orders for the next day and arrange deliveries.
Preparing stock
Review inventory and place orders as needed.
Deliver goods
Deliver goods to customers.
Handle walk-in customers
Manage transactions with walk-in customers or those picking up items on-site.
Bookkeeping
Daily income is usually recorded by hand; more digitised vendors write it down, then re-enter it into Excel.
Tedious to consolidate orders from multiple sources — increasing the risk of errors.
Walk-in customers are hard to record — often noted by hand, or not recorded at all.
Very time-consuming and tedious, with a high potential for errors.
Ideation
From messy reality to system design
Field research translated into a clean two-sided architecture — customers place orders through Chia, vendors receive them automatically, and notifications close the loop on both sides.
Customers
Place orders through Chia
Notify when order is ready
Chia
Customer app
Auto-sync between platforms
Vendors
Create orders through Chia
Notify when new order arrives
Chia
Vendor app
Design challenge
How might we —
Help traditional vendors consolidate and manage orders from multiple sources to streamline daily operations — with minimal disruption to existing habits?
Design principles
Principle 01
High usability
Accessible for low-tech and older users.
Principle 02
Mobile & tablet first
Optimised for vendors and sales reps on the go.
Principle 03
Low learning curve
Minimise training by aligning with existing habits.
Solutions
Highlight #01Lowering the learning curve
Using LINE as a familiar entry point to reduce friction — leveraging users' existing habits and making Chia easier to navigate and adopt. No training needed to start placing orders.
GenAI-enhanced order creation
Vendors create orders by typing, speaking, or photographing a handwritten note — the AI parses all three formats into structured order data.
Centralised multi-source orders
A single view of all incoming orders — regardless of how they were placed. Real-time tracking eliminates the confusion and manual reconciliation of juggling LINE, paper, and phone channels.
Validation — usability testing
Designed 6 key tasks to evaluate core user flows. Used the System Usability Scale (SUS) to assess usability, and the Expectation Rating Scale to measure satisfaction. 7 target users participated in the study.
6 TasksSUS Score7 Participants
0
SUS score — high usability
0%
Reported reduced processing time
0%
Found it easier than expected
Next steps
Improve onboarding flow
Structured onboarding to reduce dropout rates and help users integrate effectively.
Create user manual
Resource for B2B customers — reducing reliance on support staff.
Expand to new industries
Chia's centralised model is transferable — validated by expansion into medical supply wholesale.
Expansion — into new industries
Chia's order management model wasn't specific to traditional markets — the same fragmented workflow existed in other industries. Partnered with the sales team to identify and onboard new verticals.
| Old workflow | Using Chia | Benefit | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales | Reps visit hospitals, take orders via LINE group chats — all reps see the same messages. | Each sales rep places orders directly in Chia — sees only their own records. | Clear data separation |
| Admin | Admin manually compiles orders into Excel — high error rate, no real-time visibility. | HQ automatically receives and consolidates orders with real-time performance monitoring. | Real-time visibility |
What I learned
In a startup environment, flexibility is both a constraint and an opportunity. With a small team and limited resources, every design decision had to ship quickly and prove value fast.
The traditional market context taught me that the best design isn't always the most sophisticated — it's the one that fits seamlessly into how people already work. Meeting vendors on LINE, rather than asking them to change, was the insight that made everything else possible.