From confusion to confidence.
Oltiva AI helps Avanade's global sales team extract insights from complex documents—proposals, SOWs, RFPs, and contracts.
The initial MVP looked like AI, but didn't solve the underlying workflow problems. Users couldn't figure out where to start, and task completion languished at 70%. I led the redesign to transform a confusing demo into a guided, predictable experience that aligns with how sales reps actually work.
Design Principles
- Predictable – Users should never wonder "what's next?" The path should be obvious.
- Guided – Lead users through the workflow, don't abandon them on a blank canvas.
- Searchable – Everything should be findable later. Nothing disappears.
- Sales-oriented – Speak the user's language, solve their actual problems, not technical possibilities.
An MVP That Looked Like AI, But Didn't Work Like One
Avanade's sales team relies on dense, complex documents to close deals. Oltiva AI was built to help them surface insights instantly—but the initial demo created more confusion than clarity.
When I tested the original demo with 5 sales reps, four critical issues emerged:
- ⚠️ No clear next step – Users landed on the screen and didn't know where to click first
- ⚠️ Guiding questions didn't match reality – The AI's prompts reflected how developers thought, not how sales reps work
- ⚠️ Accessibility issues – Low contrast and small targets made the demo difficult for some users
- ⚠️ No way to use real files – Users couldn't upload their own documents, so they couldn't validate if the tool actually helped
"I don't know where to start."
The surface problem was confusion. The root problem was deeper: the flow didn't match the user's mental model.
Final Design: A Guided AI Experience
The final design feels less like "using a tool" and more like working with a knowledgeable assistant. Every decision ties back to the four issues uncovered in testing.
Feature 1 — One-Click File Access
Solving: "No upload option meant users couldn't try it with real files"
Users can upload from desktop or choose from the enterprise document hub—no digging required. The entry point
is immediate and obvious.
Feature 2 — Smart AI Suggestions
Solving: "Guiding questions didn't reflect how sales reps actually work"
The AI pulls out what matters to sales reps: timelines, budgets, dependencies, and decision-critical details.
It also suggests relevant follow-up questions.
Feature 3 — Organized for Reuse
Solving: "Users had no clear next step in the flow"
Every file and conversation is automatically stored in a searchable history. Deals become easier to retrace
later—and users always know what to do next because the path is preserved.
From Confusion to Confidence
The redesign transformed both user behavior and stakeholder confidence.
Business Impact
- The redesigned concept secured unanimous approval from sales leadership (the "Clinicians" review board)
- Project received greenlight to advance to the next phase
- Foundation established for rollout to 2,600+ sales representatives
"Finally—I know exactly what to do."
