Clover Designer

Clover Designer is an automated, web-based Software as a Service (SaaS) Data Center Fabric Design tool.

Flowchart with steps and dependencies in HelloBot

*According to company policy, any product that have patented or are in the pathfinding stage

cannot be included in the portfolio. Therefore, I can only display single images to showcase those design.

What is my role in this project

Ideation & Concepts

Define user journeys to visualize different interactions.

Mockups & Prototyping

Develop interactive prototypes to simulate user flows and gather feedback early.

Handoff & Collaboration

Provide detailed design specifications and documentation for development teams.

Presentation

Present the design workflow to stakeholders for feedback and alignment.

Pathfinding Satge

Clover Designer Assistance

It's a smart chatbot built to support Clover Designer users with quick answers, design guidance, and workflow assistance.I designed the entire interface, including the assistant's logo.

Patented

Fabric Comparison

lets users easily compare fabric details side by side, helping them make informed design choices.

I designed the interface and provided valuable recommendations, such as incorporating a chart to enhance the clarity and intuitiveness of the comparison.

Patented

Complete interface design, including key features

I designed features that streamline workflows and organization. These include Starting a Digital Twin for virtual asset management, a Device Catalog for easy browsing, Fabric Organization for structured fabric groups, Terraform Export for seamless infrastructure-as-code generation, and a Bill of Materials for clear resource planning. Each feature enhances efficiency and usability within Clover.

Design Example

Design for Credit System

Users can emulate the Clover topology in the Digital Twin. Launching a Scala Digital Twin requires permissions and a specific number of credits. If they lack sufficient credits, they must request additional credits from the admin user.

What the biggest challenges did I met

The requirements lack clarity

The requirements we received from the PM were limited to a proposal Jira ticket and a brief logical description from the meeting. Unclear requirements make it difficult to define the design scope, leading to misalignment and inefficiencies.

Diverging Design Perspectives

Everyone approaches solution design differently, with their own preferences and priorities—whether they are a designer, lead engineer, or PM. The biggest challenge is aligning these diverse perspectives and ensuring progress continues.

How I resolved the problem

Clarify Requirements Early

Request dedicated requirements meeting with the PM and key stakeholders to gather more details.

Use structured documentation to ensure all necessary details are captured.

Communicate Proactively

Share progress updates regularly to align expectations.

If new insights emerge, iterate quickly while ensuring the team remains aligned.

Facilitate Collaborative Discussions

Design Review Sessions: Conduct structured meetings where each role can share concerns and priorities.

Use structured documentation to ensure all necessary details are captured.

Define Decision-Making Guidelines

Role-Based Responsibilities: Clarify who has the final say on design, tech, and business decisions.

Decision Log: Keep track of key decisions to avoid revisiting the same debates.

Final Design

Prototype

Contact Me

+1 (415)866-9067

sunmengjiao89@gmail.com

Useful Links

Home

Social

Resume

Download