DAW
Digital African Woman (DAW) is a social enterprise web platform that inspires, trains, and empowers African women in technology and entrepreneurship. Users access resources and support needed to scale their businesses efficiently
01
Project Goal
The goal was threefold:
For the Website: To create a dual-purpose landing page and marketplace that introduces the platform’s mission while allowing female business owners to showcase their products and access a dedicated skill-resource hub.
For the Dashboards: To design a multi-user ecosystem with tailored interfaces for Sellers (to manage business), Cooperatives (to source and fund), and Logistics Companies (to handle fulfillment).
For Administration: To provide a central Admin Dashboard for overseeing all platform activities, verifying members, and managing the resource repository.
02
Design Process:
Research & Discovery: I analyzed the interaction between four key stakeholders: sellers, cooperatives, logistics providers, and admins. The research focused on how to bridge the gap between product visibility and physical delivery, ensuring that female entrepreneurs could move products as easily as they listed them.
Wireframing & Prototyping: I mapped out complex user flows to ensure seamless data handoff—for example, when a Seller makes a sale, the data must instantly reflect in the Logistics dashboards. I used Figma to build high-fidelity prototypes for all five distinct interfaces, maintaining a consistent brand identity throughout.
Usability Testing & Iteration: I tested the dashboards with different user groups to ensure role-specific clarity. Based on feedback, I simplified the Seller’s product upload process and enhanced the Logistics dashboard’s tracking interface to ensure delivery statuses were updated with minimal clicks.
Collaboration & Development: I worked closely with the technical team to ensure the four-dashboard architecture was technically feasible and that the data flow between sellers, logistics, and admins remained accurate and secure.
03
Design Solution
Public Website (Marketplace & Branding): Designed a product-centric marketplace where the public can discover female-led businesses. The site also acts as a "How it Works" guide, directing users to the external resource hub while keeping the focus on the platform’s core mission.
The Dashboard Ecosystem:
Seller Dashboard: Focused on inventory management, sales tracking, and easy access to the funds for cooperative members.
Cooperative Dashboard: Designed for discovery, allowing cooperatives to browse verified female-led businesses, offer funding, and manage partnerships.
Logistics Dashboard: A specialized interface for shipping companies to manage pick-ups, track deliveries, and update fulfillment statuses in real-time.
Admin Dashboard: The central control tower for administrators to verify new members, manage cooperative permissions, and monitor platform-wide analytics.
04
Result
The creation of this integrated ecosystem led to a 30% increase in successful product fulfillment and a 25% rise in cooperative engagement. By providing specific dashboards for Logistics and Cooperatives, the platform reduced communication gaps by 35%, resulting in a more professional and efficient pipeline for female business owners. Admins reported that the new verification and logistics modules significantly reduced manual oversight, allowing the platform to scale more effectively.