The Mai Supplies Digital Ecosystem
Full scope 0-1 design and delivery of a suite of B2B and DTC e-commerce products for an evolving industrial and data supplies business
Role:
UX Design, Research, Site Implementaiton, and Project Owner
UX Design, Research, Site Implementaiton, and Project Owner
Tools:
Pencil, Paper, Figma, Shopify, Webflow/CMS, Photoshop, CSS/HTML, Design Systems, Web Templates, Pencil, Paper, Playlist
Pencil, Paper, Figma, Shopify, Webflow/CMS, Photoshop, CSS/HTML, Design Systems, Web Templates, Pencil, Paper, Playlist
Methods:
● Client, Market, and Competitor Evaluation and Analysis. To align strategy with industry standards and opportunities.
● Mixed Research Methodologies and Approaches. Including user and stakeholder interviews, market research, data & analytics reviews, research insights synthesis.
● Agile/Lean UX Approach. Rapid iteration and delivery, prioritization, alignment, scalable strategic approaches, staged delivery, and phased rollouts.
● Technical Strategy and Execution. Selecting CMS platforms (Webflow, Shopify), managing domains, migrations, and aligning tools with client needs and budget constraints.
● Design Systems and Branding Strategy. Scaling a cohesive visual identity, scalable UI components, Information architecture, and digital engagement strategy.
● Client, Market, and Competitor Evaluation and Analysis. To align strategy with industry standards and opportunities.
● Mixed Research Methodologies and Approaches. Including user and stakeholder interviews, market research, data & analytics reviews, research insights synthesis.
● Agile/Lean UX Approach. Rapid iteration and delivery, prioritization, alignment, scalable strategic approaches, staged delivery, and phased rollouts.
● Technical Strategy and Execution. Selecting CMS platforms (Webflow, Shopify), managing domains, migrations, and aligning tools with client needs and budget constraints.
● Design Systems and Branding Strategy. Scaling a cohesive visual identity, scalable UI components, Information architecture, and digital engagement strategy.
The Story
What began as a digital transformation initiative for a data IT supply business quickly evolved into a comprehensive and strategic overhaul for its parent company, Mai Industrial Supplies.
The project expanded to include a full redesign and replatforming of multiple digital touch points and the launch of three websites to support the clients goals, scale operations, reach new customers, and position the business for longterm growth.
This was a full-scope, 0-1 UX engagement, grounded in user research, market and competitor analysis, strategic ideation, and design consistency. It was delivered in close collaboration with the client and his vendors.
"I hired David to improve my existing websites and create a new website for my Data & IT supply business. I have never worked with anyone like David before, he genuinely cares about his clients and went out of his way to make sure that I was included and informed throughout the entire development process. With his strong insights and creativity David was able to translate and clearly define our business goals into a modern and professional website experience while somehow managing to keep within our budgetary and time constraints. I would highly recommend David to anyone who needs an improved website experience and would consider him a valuable asset to any team."
- Tony Mai
CEO and Founder
- Tony Mai
CEO and Founder
Mai IT Supplies B2B Website
Project Insights
Understanding what a VAR (Value Added Reseller) is, and immersing myself in this world of buyers and sellers was a strategic game changer. Giving users visibility of what is offered, earning their trust, and getting users to establish a direct contact with sales were all primary objectives. This digital transformation also focused on bringing new sister brand and feel to the Mai Supplies family, it was fun and exciting to collaborate on this new brand identity.
Understanding what a VAR (Value Added Reseller) is, and immersing myself in this world of buyers and sellers was a strategic game changer. Giving users visibility of what is offered, earning their trust, and getting users to establish a direct contact with sales were all primary objectives. This digital transformation also focused on bringing new sister brand and feel to the Mai Supplies family, it was fun and exciting to collaborate on this new brand identity.
Mai Supplies B2B Website
Project Insights
The original Word Press site had major legacy issues and could not meet several key strategic and growth objectives. The client could not update the site without a developer, there was no way of bringing in a secure check out without a high cost, and the legacy WP site did not have a good CMS.
By migrating this site to a B2b Webflow site and guiding direct sales to a DTC Shopify site the client could now scale and make updates easily, provide secure checkouts, and manage customer accounts with ease. This increased band width allowed for more love in the design realm to update brand content strategy, reshape tone, and differentiate our two main audiences.
The original Word Press site had major legacy issues and could not meet several key strategic and growth objectives. The client could not update the site without a developer, there was no way of bringing in a secure check out without a high cost, and the legacy WP site did not have a good CMS.
By migrating this site to a B2b Webflow site and guiding direct sales to a DTC Shopify site the client could now scale and make updates easily, provide secure checkouts, and manage customer accounts with ease. This increased band width allowed for more love in the design realm to update brand content strategy, reshape tone, and differentiate our two main audiences.
Mai Supplies DTC E-Commerce Website
Project Insights
Beyond creating a more intuitive and user friendly architecture and categorization, research confirmed that security and trust was a decisive factor in gaining customers and sales.
Speaking to trust and integrity with a clean and professional UI as well as having a trustworthy and familiar check out experience would help drive business goals and outcomes.
Beyond creating a more intuitive and user friendly architecture and categorization, research confirmed that security and trust was a decisive factor in gaining customers and sales.
Speaking to trust and integrity with a clean and professional UI as well as having a trustworthy and familiar check out experience would help drive business goals and outcomes.
Retrospective: No Code, Vibe Coding, AI, and Designers Who Ship Product
"Designers who ship products, is that what they're calling UX now?"
This is what one of my peers and mentors said to me when I told him about the project in 2022. At the time it did feel a bit awkward, this wasn't the typical UX gig where you run the standard UX scope and hand off to developers. This was solving a much larger problem; How do we do this on super tight budget with no developers?
Fast forward to late 2025, the layoffs are real, and the role of the designer in the age of AI has increasingly shifted towards "Designers who ship products". Whether it be Lovable, Claude, Figma Make, or Framer, tools are tools. How we strategize and use them is still very much a designer's and strategist's affair.
This is what one of my peers and mentors said to me when I told him about the project in 2022. At the time it did feel a bit awkward, this wasn't the typical UX gig where you run the standard UX scope and hand off to developers. This was solving a much larger problem; How do we do this on super tight budget with no developers?
Fast forward to late 2025, the layoffs are real, and the role of the designer in the age of AI has increasingly shifted towards "Designers who ship products". Whether it be Lovable, Claude, Figma Make, or Framer, tools are tools. How we strategize and use them is still very much a designer's and strategist's affair.