Simplifying complex workflows for multi-role production management
Overview
Secoset is a CO₂ tracking tool for cinema production houses. I owned login, invitation, and billing flows as freelance designer, 6 months.
Challenge
The onboarding needed to accommodate 5 distinct professional roles (line producers, accountants, location scouts, etc.) — each with different permissions and mental models. Build too rigid → some roles feel excluded. Build too flexible → everyone is confused.
Objective: Reduce cognitive load so each role sees only what they need, without feeling like they're using a different product.
Approach
Mapped role hierarchies — Ran a workshop to clarify permissions: producers and accountants approve differently and care about different data. Decision: progressive reveal instead of one admin panel — each role sees a tailored view.
Tested mental models — Asked 2 users per role what they'd expect to see first. Producers wanted project status; accountants wanted budget alerts. This validated the tailored approach.
Progressive onboarding — Taught each role step-by-step (invite team → set permissions → review metrics) instead of dumping all features at once.
Listened to edge cases — A producer asked "Can I switch between films?" Added it. Retest: 4/4 users loved it.
Results
5 roles mapped with distinct journeys
+22% task completion rate in usability testing
2 weeks from brief to tested prototype
What I learned: Design for one role perfectly OR design for five roles well. Half-measures serve no one. By being bold about differentiation (tailored views), each role felt understood.
