Role: Product owner, UX Designer, Researcher, Workshop Facilitator, Observer.
Client: Nova Redovisningsbyrå AB
Tools: Figma, Balsamiq.
Project overview
In this participatory design project, we collaborated with Nova Redovisningsbyrå AB, a small accounting firm, to improve communication and document handling between accountants and clients. Using participatory methods, we involved employees throughout the process to co-create a tool that supports everyday tasks and reduces friction in their workflows.
The Challenge
Nova’s staff and clients faced two major issues:
Communication was fragmented across emails, calls, and texts.
Documents were often submitted in inconsistent or incomplete formats.
Despite using digital tools, there was no shared platform that connected both sides in a structured way.
We facilitated a future workshop with Nova employees to identify core issues and imagine improvements:
In the Critique Phase, participants mapped challenges such as inefficiency and unclear client input.
In the Imagination Phase, ideas like client training, process automation, and standardized documents emerged.
In the Implementation Phase, priorities were chosen through dot voting, leading us to focus on synchronizing information and improving client education.
Based on insights from the future workshop, we developed four initial design concepts. These paired user-identified problems with potential solutions:
Communication standards for clients
Training in financial terms
Saved customer profiles
A shared document submission workflow
These concepts were presented to participants as a foundation for hands-on prototyping.
During a follow-up session, participants created storyboards and paper wireframes to visualize user flows. We supported the process technically but ensured the design remained participant-led. The ideas were then translated into digital wireframes using Balsamiq. Three concepts were chosen for further development based on participant input. The process revealed a need for:
Separate interfaces for internal and client use
Compatibility across desktop and mobile platforms
We conducted two rounds of user testing to improve our prototypes, using think-aloud and scenario-based walkthroughs. Participants favored the customer application, which allowed users to scan receipts, view invoices, book appointments, and contact the company. This addressed key inefficiencies in the current process.
The internal system centralized tools but lacked mobile flexibility.
The client-facing app allowed scanning receipts, booking meetings, and messaging the firm.
Final Prototype
The final prototype was a customer-facing application designed to streamline communication and document handling between Nova and their clients.
Features
A receipt scanner for submitting expense documentation
A message center for direct contact with the accounting team
A calendar tool for booking meetings
A dashboard for viewing and managing invoices
The interface was built as a responsive prototype using Figma, designed with ease of use in mind for clients with limited accounting knowledge. The goal was to reduce back-and-forth communication and standardize how clients interact with the firm.
Take Away
This project gave me hands-on experience with participatory design methods and showed how involving users throughout the process leads to more grounded and relevant outcomes. Working closely with both clients and accountants helped me better understand how small process changes can significantly improve workflows. I also learned how to structure and facilitate workshops, translate feedback into design choices, and communicate ideas visually through wireframes.
