Capital Hill Tool Library | Inventory Management
Streamlining Tool Lending For Volunteers
Role
UX Designer
Timeline
In-Progress
Tools
Figma, Lovable
Team
Luke Jin, Vy Nguyen, Ji Min Sung, Yoobin Lee · Nathan Do
Overview
The Capitol Hill Tool Library (CHTL) is a nonprofit that lends tools to the community. Volunteers manage inventory and check tools in and out using an existing system.
This project focused on redesigning the volunteer shift dashboard to improve how volunteers complete core tasks like check-in, check-out, and inventory search.
Capital Hill Tool Library | Inventory Management
Streamlining Tool Lending For Volunteers
Role
UX Designer
Timeline
In-Progress
Tools
Figma, Lovable
Team
Luke Jin, Vy Nguyen, Ji Min Sung, Yoobin Lee · Nathan Do
Overview
The Capitol Hill Tool Library (CHTL) is a nonprofit that lends tools to the community. Volunteers manage inventory and check tools in and out using an existing system.
This project focused on redesigning the volunteer shift dashboard to improve how volunteers complete core tasks like check-in, check-out, and inventory search.
Capital Hill Tool Library | Inventory Management
Streamlining Tool Lending For Volunteers
Role
UX Designer
Timeline
In-Progress
Tools
Figma, Lovable
Team
Luke Jin, Vy Nguyen, Ji Min Sung, Yoobin Lee · Nathan Do
Overview
The Capitol Hill Tool Library (CHTL) is a nonprofit that lends tools to the community. Volunteers manage inventory and check tools in and out using an existing system.
This project focused on redesigning the volunteer shift dashboard to improve how volunteers complete core tasks like check-in, check-out, and inventory search.
The Problem
Through interviews, surveys, and contextual inquiry with volunteers, we uncovered consistent breakdowns in how tasks were completed during shifts:
High Cognitive Load
Too many options, cluttered layouts, and unclear feedback make it difficult to know what to do next.
High Cognitive Load
Too many options, cluttered layouts, and unclear feedback make it difficult to know what to do next.
Inefficient Workflows
Check-in and check-out require unnecessary steps and lack a clear, intuitive flow.
Inefficient Workflows
Check-in and check-out require unnecessary steps and lack a clear, intuitive flow.
Poor Findability
Search and filters fail to reliably surface the correct items, slowing down tasks.
Poor Findability
Search and filters fail to reliably surface the correct items, slowing down tasks.
Weak Onboarding
The system assumes prior knowledge and does not support first-time or infrequent volunteers.
Weak Onboarding
The system assumes prior knowledge and does not support first-time or infrequent volunteers.
Mobile Constraints
Designed for desktop, the experience does not adapt well to fast, mobile-first environments.
Mobile Constraints
Designed for desktop, the experience does not adapt well to fast, mobile-first environments.
Therefore we asked,
Therefore we asked,
How might we enable volunteers (new and experienced) to complete check-in, check-out, and inventory tasks quickly and accurately with minimal staff support?
How might we enable volunteers (new and experienced) to complete check-in, check-out, and inventory tasks quickly and accurately with minimal staff support?
Design Goals
The Problem
Redesign the inventory management experience to help volunteers:
Complete tasks faster
Reduce errors
Navigate workflows with confidence
Operate effectively without extensive training
Our Process
Impact & Outcomes
As a team, we:
As a team, we:
Audited the existing system (MyTurn)
Identified usability gaps and workflow breakdowns
Defined a focused MVP scope
Prioritized high-impact tasks (check-in/out + inventory)
Iterated on solutions through collaborative design
I focused on translating research into a clear, usable interface:
Led the UX redesign of core workflows
Defined a task-based interaction model
Improved content hierarchy and labeling
Designed a mobile-first interface
Proposed scalable system structure for future development
Led the UX redesign of core workflows
Defined a task-based interaction model
Improved content hierarchy and labeling
Designed a mobile-first interface
Proposed scalable system structure for future development
Takeaways
From this project, I learned:
Takeaways
From this project, I learned:
Takeaways
From this project, I learned:
Designing for infrequent users requires extreme clarity
Infrequent volunteers can’t rely on familiarity, so the interface must be immediately understandable with clear actions, labels, and flows.
Designing for infrequent users requires extreme clarity
Infrequent volunteers can’t rely on familiarity, so the interface must be immediately understandable with clear actions, labels, and flows.
Systems should guide users, not rely on memory
Users shouldn’t have to remember steps or rules, well-designed systems provide structure and direction to prevent mistakes.
Systems should guide users, not rely on memory
Users shouldn’t have to remember steps or rules, well-designed systems provide structure and direction to prevent mistakes.
Prioritizing simplicity improves usability
Focusing on clarity and removing unnecessary complexity makes tasks easier to understand, faster to complete, and less prone to error.
Prioritizing simplicity improves usability
Focusing on clarity and removing unnecessary complexity makes tasks easier to understand, faster to complete, and less prone to error.
Next Steps
What's Next?
Expanded Usability Testing
Conduct task-based testing with both new and experienced volunteers to validate efficiency, clarity, and independence in real workflows.
Refinement
Incorporate feedback to improve hierarchy, guidance, mobile responsiveness, and address edge cases uncovered during testing.
Developer Handoff
Deliver annotated high-fidelity designs, user flows, and component documentation to support smooth and scalable implementation.
Post-Implementation Validation
Evaluate performance in real shift environments by measuring task time, error rates, and staff intervention, then iterate based on findings.
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