Workforce Management Mobile App
VCS HR
VCS HR is a workforce management platform that provides integrated payroll, time tracking, scheduling, and HR solutions to help organizations streamline operations, improve employee engagement, and reduce costs.
Target clients: Public service agencies (police departments, township municipalities, fire departments, hospitals, universities, and more), and large companies.
VCS HR's Workforce Management Mobile Application is a mobile application within the VCS HR ecosystem that enables employees and supervisors to manage schedules, time tracking, requests, and payroll in real time.
Target user: Administrators, Supervisors, Employees
Function: This product extends core functionality from VisualTIME and VisualPAY into a unified mobile experience, allowing critical workforce actions to happen in the field rather than at a desktop.
Timeline
June 2024 - June 2025
UX/UI Design
Julie DiMemmo
Project Manager
David L.
Developers
Savannah Y.
Hunter B.
My Role
I owned the end-to-end design of the VCS HR Mobile Application, translating complex scheduling, time tracking, and payroll workflows into a mobile-first experience. The project was primarily 0 → 1, with approximately 90% of screens designed from the ground up and the remaining 10% thoughtfully redesigned from existing systems.
My work included defining mobile-specific workflows, restructuring information architecture for high-frequency, in-the-field use, and creating streamlined interactions that balance speed with accuracy. I also adapted the Maverick Design System for mobile, ensuring consistency across the platform while introducing patterns optimized for real-time actions and constrained interfaces.
Highlights
600+
Enterprise Clients
15
Workflows Redesigned
98
0 → 1 Workflows Designed
148.5%
Increase in Conversion
Problem
01
Critical actions required desktop access, limiting flexibility and slowing work.
02
No real-time access caused delays and administrative bottlenecks.
03
Critical data wasn’t immediately visible, reducing confidence and accuracy.
04
Dense interfaces increased cognitive load and error risk on mobile.
Solution
01
Enable mobile access to schedules, time, and approvals.
02
Enable real-time, in-context actions to remove delays.
03
Surface real-time data clearly, at a glance.
04
Design for clarity, validation, and error prevention.
Design Goals
01
Enable immediate action from anywhere
Prioritize high-frequency tasks (clock in/out, submit time, approvals) so users can complete critical actions in seconds without navigating through multiple screens.
02
Make schedules, time, and pay status instantly visible
Surface real-time, high-value information at the top level so users can quickly verify shifts, hours worked, and payroll details without digging through the system.
03
Reduce friction in high-frequency workflows
Streamline core actions by minimizing steps, removing unnecessary inputs, and designing flows that align with quick, in-the-field interactions.
04
Maintain accuracy and trust in a constrained interface
Design clear, deliberate interactions with strong validation, confirmations, and feedback to prevent errors in high-stakes payroll and scheduling actions.
Scope: This was a full system redesign for mobile, not a feature port.
The project was primarily 0 → 1, with approximately 90% of screens designed from the ground up and the remaining 10% thoughtfully redesigned from existing systems.
The application needed to support:
Real-time schedule access
Clock-in/out and time entry
Leave and adjustment requests
Timesheet review and payroll visibility
Supervisor approvals and oversight
The complexity came from translating dense, rule-driven desktop workflows into fast, interruptible mobile interactions—without breaking compliance, auditability, or backend constraints.
Workflow Ecosystem Map
Highlight Reel
Information Architecture - Before & After
Login Screen - Before & After
Research
I worked closely with stakeholders and developers to analyze how scheduling and payroll workflows from VisualTIME and VisualPAY were actually used in the field, focusing on where delays and friction occurred in real-world scenarios. I also reviewed support issues and usage patterns to identify breakdowns in speed, access, and clarity.
A key insight: workforce management is highly time-sensitive. Actions like clocking in, submitting time, or approving requests are often done under time pressure, making speed and immediacy more critical than feature depth. Designing for quick, interruptible interactions became a primary focus.
Another key finding was that user confidence is directly tied to visibility. Employees and supervisors needed immediate access to accurate schedules, time status, and payroll information. When this data wasn’t easily accessible, users relied on manual checks or delayed actions, increasing both friction and uncertainty.
Research Findings
01
Critical actions are delayed without immediate access
Clocking in, submitting time, and approving requests are often postponed when users are away from a desktop, creating bottlenecks and slowing down time-sensitive workflows.
02
Key information is frequently checked but not easily accessible
Users regularly look for schedules, hours worked, and balances, but struggle to locate them quickly, leading to frustration and repeated navigation.
03
Core workflows are overly complex for simple tasks
Actions like submitting time or requesting leave require too many steps, making routine interactions inefficient—especially in mobile, time-constrained contexts.
04
Trust in the system depends on data visibility
Users rely on seeing accurate, real-time schedule and payroll data to feel confident in the system; when visibility is limited, they resort to manual verification or delay actions
Insights
Turning the Home Screen into an Action Hub
Problem
Users had to navigate multiple screens to complete simple, high-frequency tasks.
Solution
Designed an action-first dashboard
Surfaced current shift status, schedule, and primary actions (clock in/out, requests)
Prioritized immediate interaction on app open
Outcome
Core tasks can be completed in seconds without navigation overhead.
Example
Home Dashboard (Employee View)
Designing for “Read First, Act Second”
Problem
Users were forced into actions without enough context, increasing errors in time and payroll entries.
Solution
Structured flows to prioritize review before commitment
Provided clear summaries before submission
Reinforced actions with confirmations and status feedback
Outcome
Reduced errors and increased user confidence in high-stakes workflows.
Example
Time Entry Review Screen (Before Submission)
Simplifying Complex Workflows for Mobile
Problem
Desktop workflows were too dense and multi-step for mobile interaction.
Solution
Reduced workflows to essential inputs only
Used progressive disclosure to reveal detail only when needed
Eliminated unnecessary fields and decisions
Outcome
Complex actions (e.g., submitting time, requesting leave) became fast and manageable on mobile.
Example
Request Time-Off Flow
Creating Real-Time Visibility Across the System
Problem
Schedules, time status, and payroll data were not easily accessible, leading to uncertainty and manual follow-up.
Solution
Surfaced key data across all primary views
Designed clear summaries for time, balances, and pay
Ensured consistency between views (schedule, time, payroll)
Outcome
Users can quickly verify their status without navigating deep into the system.
Example
Schedule Screen
Enabling Fast Supervisor Decision-Making
Problem
Approval workflows were delayed due to lack of mobile access and poor visibility into request details.
Solution
Designed approval queues with clear summaries
Enabled quick approve/reject actions
Provided drill-down access to supporting context
Outcome
Supervisors can process requests quickly, reducing bottlenecks.
Example
Approval Queue (Supervisor View)
Collaboration
The project required tight alignment with engineering due to shared backend systems (VisualTIME/VisualPAY).
Key collaboration areas:
Mapping desktop workflows to mobile-compatible interactions
Working within existing data models and business rules
Ensuring real-time performance for actions like clock-in and approvals
Adapting Maverick design system components for mobile use
Design decisions were continuously validated against technical constraints to ensure feasibility without compromising usability.
Key Decisions & Tradeoffs
Tradeoff: Feature completeness vs usability
Not all desktop functionality was included. Prioritized high-frequency, high-value actions over parity.
Constraint: Existing backend architecture
Workflows had to align with established rules and data structures, limiting simplification in some areas.
Decision: Action-first over navigation-first design
Reduced navigation depth in favor of immediate task completion.
Results
Immediate access to critical workflows
Users can check schedules, submit time, and take action from anywhere without delay.
Faster task completion
High-frequency actions (clock-in, approvals) reduced to seconds.
Improved confidence in payroll and scheduling
Real-time visibility into data reduces uncertainty and manual verification.
Reduced administrative friction
More self-service and faster approvals decrease bottlenecks.
Better supervisor efficiency
Approval workflows are streamlined, enabling quicker decision-making.
Learnings
Mobile design requires prioritization, not translation
Replicating desktop systems creates friction. Focusing on essential actions leads to better outcomes.
Visibility is as important as functionality
Users trust systems they can see and verify, even if the underlying logic hasn’t changed.
High-frequency workflows define the experience
Optimizing the most common actions has the greatest impact on usability and adoption.
Constraints drive clarity
Working within backend and mobile limitations forced sharper decisions about what truly matters.
Looking Ahead
The mobile app establishes a foundation for real-time workforce management within the VCS HR ecosystem.
Future opportunities include:
Expanded supervisor tools and analytics
Offline support for field environments
Deeper payroll insights and reporting
Continued refinement of high-frequency workflows
By focusing on speed, clarity, and trust, the system transforms how scheduling and payroll are managed in the field—shifting from delayed, desktop-bound processes to immediate, mobile-first interactions.
