A leading restaurant operator in the MENA &amp; Kazakhstan region, managing iconic global brands such as KFC, Pizza Hut, etc. With operations spanning over 50 years &amp; multiple countries, the company was seeking to modernize its in-store payment operations &amp; management to reduce costs, increase efficiency, &amp; improve staff productivity.

The design process is never strictly linear—it adapts to the product type, client needs, &amp; timeline, where certain stages may be prioritised over others.

A problem landed my desk that first sounded more like a solution but not a crucial problem:&nbsp;

But instead of jumping into design, I asked&nbsp;<b>“WHY?”. What’s the actual friction?</b>&nbsp;Through discussions, we identified the true problem:

Here are three key constraints that significantly influenced the design process. They may not seem complex at first glance, but each had a real impact on product quality, timelines, and collaboration.

Here are selected low-fidelity wireframes and the rationale behind the designs, created to explore and address the problem.<br>

The impact metrics shared here are&nbsp;hypothetical and based on initial projections. They are not actual measured results and should not be interpreted as final business outcomes.

Each tool below played a strategic role at different stages of the design process from early ideation to final execution.

Designing for high-volume restaurant operations

When the project came to me, it wasn't looked like a problem but more like a solution.

My first step was to understand the reasoning. Why were hardware costs a problem now? Had something changed operationally? Was cost really the wound, or just the symptom everyone was comfortable naming? I needed answers.

No access to research, analytics & with only a week to ship, there was no time to gather it the traditional way. I prepared a questionnaire & ran it through the stakeholders, operations managers & their staff. The goal wasn't to cover everything. It was to find the frequency, issues, & urgency as fast as possible.

 came out from the conversations and together, they told a completely different story from the one the business had originally brought to us. Here is what we found & what each one actually means for the people running those restaurants every day.

The payment system was failing the business at the exact moment it needed to perform most: 

Maximum footfall, maximum revenue on the line

. Hardware cost was real. But hardware cost was never the bleeding wound. The 

 Two versions of the problem the one we arrived with, & the one the research gave us.

The client's original predefined flow included features that I flagged as problematic not because they were unimportant in general, but because they were wrong for this product at this stage.

These aren't just design changes each one came from a specific problem. Every decision has a reason. Here's how I thought through each one.

Every project teaches you something. This one taught me 3 things that I will carry with me.

Payment Fails, Slows Operations, Lost Revenue - Designing a Soft PoS Solution.

Engineer by Education.
Designer by Choice.

Started as an intern curious, observant, quietly figuring things out. That journey led me to UI/UX design, & it's now taking me towards Product Design.

3.5 years across multiple domains, building products for B2C, B2B, & internal business tools from design systems to & data-heavy CRMs.

I don't chase design trends. I design what fits the business & its users.

Apart from my professional journey, I am…........you thought I'd summarize myself in a paragraph. That would be too easy for you.

Observe. Connect. Figure it out.

1. Designed end-to-end user flows, wireframes, and high-fidelity interfaces for adaptive experiences.

2. Conducted usability testing and multiple design iterations, improving feature discoverability by 30%.

3. Explored & validated ideas using AI-powered tools for research &UX copywriting.

4. Delivered design solutions while ensuring technical feasibility & smooth developer handoff.

1. Led end-to-end design processes for diverse domains, including POS systems, FinTech, social media, government projects, and aviation.

2. Collaborated with product owners, developers, BAs, QAs, and stakeholders to align requirements, functionality, and design strategies.

3. Built comprehensive design systems to ensure consistency across platforms.

4. Improved product UX through research, user feedback, and iterative design processes.

5. Created design iterations to address user pain points and optimize functionality.

6. Designed products from scratch by transforming client PRDs into wireframes and high-fidelity designs, facilitated through client meetings and collaborative feedbacks.

7. Designed products for renowned brands like Americana, Exchange, LogiNext, and Crewconnex.

1. Assisted in designing and refining digital platforms to align with user needs and business goals.

2. Collaborated with senior designers, developers, and stakeholders to contribute to impactful design strategies.

3. Prepared and delivered design assets, ensuring alignment with development timelines.

4. Strengthened problem-solving, UI Designs, UX Research, design systems skills by addressing design challenges under mentor guidance and maintaining clarity.

5. Gained hands-on experience through contributions to diverse projects, including social media platforms and government initiatives.

The design process is never strictly linear—it adapts to the product type, client needs, and timeline, where certain stages may be prioritised over others.

 driven real estate startup aiming to transform how people 

 with ease, & access valuable insights to make informed investment decisions all within a user-friendly digital experience. With a mission to make 

property investment accessible, transparent, & liquid

, the company bridges the gap between everyday investors and high-value real estate through the power of technology.

The design process is never strictly linear it adapts to the product type, client needs, & timeline, where certain stages may be prioritised over others.

Payment Fails, Slows Operations, Lost Revenue - Designing a Soft PoS Solution.

Sonali Kushwaha