Building a clear and flexible design system for SaaS — centralizing work, tracking progress, and supporting future use
At UnicGate, I helped create a design system that not only unified visual and functional elements but also simplified how teams worked across products. We focused on improving handoffs between design and development.
Overview
About the company
At GreenTrace, I designed a scalable design system for their ERP platform built for cannabis cultivators.
The goal was to make the interface clear and easy to use, especially for users new to ERP tools. I created reusable components and patterns that worked across mobile and desktop, making the platform feel consistent, flexible, and user-friendly. This helped GreenTrace deliver a smoother experience while supporting features like compliance tracking and AI recommendations.
San Francisco–based startup focused on computer vision, yield forecasting, and supply chain optimization for cannabis cultivation.
Their existing tools had fragmented designs, creating a disjointed user experience. Our goal was to bring everything together into a single, unified ERP SaaS platform—with a consistent design system to support clarity, usability, and scalability.
Role
Goal
At GreenTrace, I worked alongside designers Lena Park and Diego to create a scalable design system for their ERP platform built for cannabis cultivators.
The goal was to make the interface clear and easy to use, especially for users new to ERP tools. We developed reusable components and patterns that worked across mobile and desktop, making the platform feel consistent, flexible, and user-friendly. This helped GreenTrace deliver a smoother experience while supporting features like compliance tracking and AI recommendations.
The goal was to create a scalable design system for GreenTrace’s upcoming ERP platform, keeping in mind that many users would be new to ERP tools and often working in fast-paced, high-compliance environments.
The color palette was chosen to be calm, readable, and accessible—keeping contrast high for visibility in outdoor or low-light conditions, especially for users on the field. Icon styles were kept simple and recognizable to support quick scanning and reduce confusion, even for those less familiar with digital tools.
Cannabis Industry
Designing for a Complex Industry
The cannabis industry is growing fast but remains highly complex. Laws vary across states, and regulations around cultivation, tracking, and sales are constantly evolving. While 38 states have legalized some form of cannabis, businesses still face challenges with compliance, supply chain visibility, and fragmented tools.
From seed to sale, staying compliant and competitive requires more than just good farming—it requires reliable systems that can adapt to a shifting legal and operational landscape.
The cannabis industry brings a unique mix of fast growth, strict regulations, and diverse user roles—from field workers and cultivators to compliance officers and finance teams. Designing for this space means accounting for a wide range of needs, work conditions, and tech familiarity.
To bring order and clarity to that complexity, we created a flexible design system tailored for cannabis ERP. We focused on accessibility, consistency, and real-world usability—choosing high-contrast colors for visibility in the field, simplified icons for faster recognition, and scalable components that work seamlessly across devices.
This foundation helps reduce user confusion, speeds up development, and ensures every part of the platform feels connected—no matter who’s using it or where they’re working from.
The color palette was chosen to be calm, readable, and accessible—keeping contrast high for visibility in outdoor or low-light conditions, especially for users on the field. Icon styles were kept simple and recognizable to support quick scanning and reduce confusion, even for those less familiar with digital tools.
Recreational and Medical Marijuana
Medical Marijuana
CBD Oil
Illegal in any form
What Operators Are Facing
Our Users
Things are moving fast—sales are up, but so are the headaches. If I miss a report or label something wrong, I’m not just losing time—I could get fined or shut down. There’s just no room for error in this business.
GreenTrace supports a wide range of users across the cannabis supply chain. Each group has specific goals, responsibilities, and daily tasks that shaped how we approached the interface and design system.
Cultivators – Monitor crop health and progress through each growth stage
Manufacturers – Track processing, packaging, and inventory movement
Retailers – Manage incoming orders and sales from dispensaries or outlets
Compliance Officers – Verify yields, trace history, and ensure regulatory accuracy
Investors – Get a high-level view of business performance and operational health
Cater
What do users actually need to manage every day? From cultivators tracking plant health to managers reviewing compliance logs or invoices, we realized that everything had to connect—clearly and seamlessly.
Through research, interviews, and workflow mapping, we identified 11 core capabilities that needed to be built into the system. These weren’t just features—they were the daily tools people rely on to keep operations moving and stay compliant.
We prioritized what mattered most:
Seed-to-sale tracking had to feel natural, not overwhelming.
Inventory, POS, and supply chain tools needed to be smart, yet simple to manage.
Security and access control had to reflect real team hierarchies.
And things like reporting, CRM, and compliance logs needed to be easy to read.
Competitive Analysis
In the competitive landscape of cannabis ERP solutions, Flourish Software, Canix, and Distru stand out as leading players, each addressing the industry's unique challenges.
Understanding these challenges, we set out to redefine the user experience by creating a comprehensive Design System tailored for the cannabis ERP industry
Approach
We built a dashboard to track component progress, ensuring organization, transparency, and seamless collaboration between designers and the product team.
Color System
Each color in GreenTrace palette is thoughtfully chosen with purpose, impact, and accessibility in mind, ensuring a seamless and inclusive user experience.
Typography
We chose a type system that feels modern, clean, and easy to read—no matter the device or user. By combining Roboto and SF Pro, we created a balance between familiarity and function.
Roboto gives structure and clarity on web, while SF Pro brings a native feel to mobile. Together, they support clear hierarchy, improve scan-ability, and maintain consistency across the platform—whether you're filling out forms in the field or reviewing reports in the office.
Grid & Layout
We used an eight-point grid system to keep spacing and sizing uniform across screens. It brings structure, improves readability, and makes the interface feel balanced—no matter the device.
We used an eight-point grid system to keep spacing and sizing uniform across screens. It brings structure, improves readability, and makes the interface feel balanced—no matter the device.
Data Grid
Anatomy
Padding
Columns
Pagination
Dropdown menus in the pagination
Text
Hovering over a truncated column
Sorting
Sorting with a progress indicator
Dropdown Menu
In conclusion
What I learned and where it takes me
Simplifying Complexity
Designing for ERP systems taught me how to break down intricate workflows and create intuitive, structured solutions.
Scalability Matters
A well-built design system isn’t just about the present; it needs to evolve with the product and scale effortlessly.
User-Centered Thinking
Every component and interaction should serve a purpose, making the user’s job easier, not harder.
Collaboration is Key
Working closely with developers and stakeholders helped bridge the gap between design vision and technical execution.
Consistency Drives Efficiency
A unified system reduces redundancy, speeds up development, and enhances the overall user experience.