Overview

High Point Market—the largest home furnishings trade show in the world—required a custom-built registration system to replace outdated third-party tools that no longer met its complex operational needs.
As Lead Product Designer, I was responsible for designing a multi-role platform that could handle company qualification, badge creation, mailing integration, real-time reporting, and on-site check-in. The system needed to support four very different user types while remaining fast, secure, and scalable.

The Problem

The existing registration process was fragmented across multiple third-party tools that weren’t built for High Point’s unique requirements. Advisors struggled to approve companies efficiently, Admins couldn’t get the data they needed without developer support, and on-site staff were forced to navigate overbuilt UIs during peak check-in times.
There was no single platform that supported company qualification, badge fulfillment, internal communication, and real-time oversight—all while keeping the experience simple enough for seasonal or low-tech users.

The Goal

Design and launch a fully integrated registration platform that:
• Enables internal teams to manage companies, rosters, and documents efficiently
• Automates badge mailing and real-time status updates.
• Supports seamless on-site check-in with a simplified interface.
• Ensures every user—from power Admins to event-day Registrars—has access to the tools they need without being overwhelmed by the ones they don’t.

This wasn’t just about improving the UI—it was about rebuilding the entire operational experience from the ground up.

The Outcome

The platform replaced all third-party tools and now runs every aspect of High Point Market registration. We launched successfully across three Market cycles, introducing role-based access, real-time reports, and on-site tools that increased speed and reduced friction. Key results include: Advisor review time decreased by 38%, Mailing error rate dropped by 80%, On-site check-in sped up by ~40 seconds per person, Admins now generate reports without dev involvement, and System adopted for year-round use, beyond the event itself.

Challenge #1

Third-Party Systems Overly Generic

They were built for generic event workflows—not for HPMKT’s qualification-based entry,badge mailing, or multi-user company accounts.

Challenge #2

Internal Team Disconnectedness

Internal teams juggled multiple disconnected systems, leading to delays, data inaccuracy, and a steep learning curve for onboarding new staﬀ.

Challenge #3

Heavy Usability & Experience Impact

There was no unified experience for attendees, advisors, admins, and onsite registrars.

“We needed to replace these tools with a custom, web-based registration ecosystem capable ofsupporting unique High Point workflows and evolving into an enterprise-grade internal product.”

Key Requirements

I began by conducting stakeholder interviews to understand the scope of the project and the 'Must-Have' features of the system to drive registration and admin workflows.

Company Qualification Process Flow

Attendees must apply through companies that are vetted by internal Advisors. Certain pass types, like “Buyer,” have stricter approval logic. The system required a dynamic qualification engine to manage complex workflows.

Single-Point Company Registration

Only one person—called the Main Contact—can manage a company’s attendee roster. This user needed a secure, centralized dashboard to add, edit, and manage all registrants.

Badge Printing & Mailing Integration

HPMKT maintains a long-standing tradition of mailing badges in advance. We needed to design a scheduling logic + fulfillment API connection to support domestic and international mail-out workflows.

On-Site Staff Desk Registration Mode

The platform had to transform into a front-desk-ready interface for real-time company creation, approval, and badge printing—under pressure. A Simplified Ui to support the non-tech-savvy.

Thorough research was essential in pinpointing the specific areas of the system that required attention.

I began by conducting a series of stakeholder interviews across departments: Admins, Advisors, Registration Team, and External Vendors. The goal was to identify: pain points with current tools, workflow overlaps, manual bottlenecks, and opportunities for automation or simplification.

I later performed a contextual usability test Study, with each user group, utilizing each phase of the new design to pinpoint continuous pain points and struggles within the experience.

We introduced adaptive IA for a seamless, Role-Specific UX.

To manage complexity without overwhelming users, we built a modular Information Architecture paired with a permissions-based access system.
Using role-based controls, the interface dynamically adjusts to show only what each user type needs, hiding advanced tools from general users while surfacing admin-level features only when appropriate. This kept the experience streamlined and secure.
This adaptive system created clarity across the platform, maintaining power for advanced users, while protecting the experience for everyone else.

Utilizing the designed architecture, I conducted multiple rounds of iterative UX/UI design.

During the development process, I utilized co-design strategies to create the interface layout and enhance the user experience, incorporating real-time feedback from users. This approach allowed us to craft layouts and designs that truly aligned with user needs, as they played an active role in the design and production.

Feature #1

Reports Hub

To manage complexity without overwhelming users, we designed a flexible Reports Hub that gives Admins and Advisors instant access to real-time data without relying on IT. Reports are filterable, exportable (CSV/PDF), and structured around the most commonly requested queries—like badge history, mailing status, and registration counts by type.By surfacing only the most relevant reports for each role, we made it easy to spot trends, troubleshoot issues, and run daily operations—all within the same interface.

Feature #2

Email Builder

We built a lightweight Email Builder into the system using a direct integration with SendGrid. This tool lets Admins manage templates for every touchpoint—from "Registration Complete" to "Your Badge Has Shipped."Beyond content editing, the system supports logic-based triggers, so emails automatically fire based on user status. This replaced dozens of manual messages and ensured attendees stayed informed throughout the registration process.

Feature #3

Company Details Page

At the heart of the system is the Company Details Page—a centralized dashboard where Advisors and Admins can view and manage everything related to a company.From attendee rosters and badge status to document uploads and payment history, every panel is logically grouped and only shown when relevant. Role-based visibility ensures each user sees only what they need—keeping the UI focused and secure.

Feature #4

Audit Log System

To support transparency and accountability, we introduced a comprehensive Audit Log that captures every action taken on a company record.Whether it's a badge print, contact edit, payment update, or email sent, every change is timestamped and logged by user. This gave teams a powerful way to resolve support issues and maintain trust in a high-volume, multi-user environment.

Feature #5

On-Site Mode

Through usability testing, we realized that on-site staff had entirely different needs than Admins. So we created a dedicated On-Site Mode—a streamlined interface designed for high-speed, high-pressure environments.
This version of the system prioritized speed: big buttons, fewer screens, and only core features like search, company lookup, and badge printing. It helped frontline teams move fast during peak check-in periods while maintaining accuracy and reducing errors.

Outcome #1

Replaced Third-Party Software

We successfully sunset all legacy platforms previously used for registration, badge printing, and company qualification—replacing them with a single custom-built tool that now powers every registration cycle at High Point Market.

Outcome #2

Increased Advisor Efficiency by 38%

Thanks to cleaner UI, better search tools, and streamlined workflows, internal Advisors were able to process new companies 38% faster—dramatically reducing backlog and support escalations.

Outcome #3

Reduced Fulfillment Errors by 80%

By integrating with a badge mailing API and automating fulfillment logic, we eliminated manual list preparation and significantly reduced the number of incorrect or undelivered badges.

Outcome #4

Faster On-Site Check-In

The new On-Site Mode interface helped staff check in attendees ~40 seconds faster per person—cutting wait times, increasing throughput, and improving the guest experience during peak hours.

Outcome #5

Self-Serve Reporting for Admins

Admins can now access and export real-time registration data without needing technical support—thanks to a flexible reporting system built directly into the platform’s core.