ARCO BRANDED PLANOGRAM MODULE
PRINT DISTRIBUTON MANAGER WEB APPLICATION
In 2017, Global Data Consultants (GDC) embarked on the development of a conceptual web application aimed at streamlining the distribution of print materials for large-scale retail clients. This prototype was specifically designed to pitch to ARCO, with the intention of enhancing visibility into in-store promotional print distribution, automating approval workflows, and reducing administrative overhead for both printers and corporate marketing teams. The concept was an extension of an existing print management system developed by GDC, reimagined for enterprise scalability and customization. It effectively demonstrated how a structured digital approval and distribution process could revolutionize the management of signage and promotional materials across numerous retail locations.
The primary objectives of the project included automating print distribution workflows for ARCO retail stations nationwide, reducing artwork revision cycles and confusion associated with email-based approvals, centralizing approvals, invoicing, and planogram compliance into a single digital dashboard, enabling printers to maintain version control and track change requests for billing accuracy, and providing ARCO's corporate marketing teams with enhanced visibility into distribution readiness and station configurations.
As the Senior Manager of Marketing and UX, I led the UX/UI design, wireframing, and front-end conceptualization of the ARCO Print Distribution Manager. My responsibilities encompassed designing user flows for the Distribution, Reporting, and Baseline Configuration modules, creating high-fidelity interface mockups that aligned with ARCO’s corporate branding and planogram guidelines, coordinating between the GDC development team and project stakeholders to define technical feasibility, and presenting the prototype to GDC’s client key decision-maker for ARCO’s internal review.
The application’s visual language was meticulously tailored to reflect ARCO’s brand identity, utilizing its corporate color palette, typography, and logos. The design aimed to create a clean, data-light interface that would allow ARCO’s marketing team to manage distribution tasks quickly and confidently. Key UX principles guiding the design included simplicity, which aimed to reduce clutter by surfacing only essential information per screen; efficiency, which sought to minimize the steps required to approve artwork, assign stations, and finalize print orders; clarity, which provided structured modules for each operational function—Distribution Manager, Reporting Manager, and Baseline Station Configurations; and accountability, which embedded approval tracking and version history to eliminate email confusion and facilitate cost recovery on change requests.
The conceptual build featured three integrated modules. The Distribution Manager allowed users to create new in-store promotions with defined distribution names and in-store dates, assign stations, apply pre-built planogram templates, manage pricing, invoices, packing lists, and metric/kitting data, and upload and review artwork directly within the system. The Reporting Manager enabled the generation of distribution status reports for internal review and approval while monitoring completion and approval metrics in real-time. The Baseline Station Configurations module facilitated the building and maintenance of detailed records for each station, including address, baseline quantities, and blackout dates, while also allowing for the temporary exclusion of stations from active distributions during renovations or closures. These modules operated within GDC’s proprietary .NET and SQL-based web architecture, integrated with a central data hub for scalability and multi-client support.
The prototype was formally presented to ARCO’s key stakeholders and regional distributors as part of the printer’s subscription pitch. Although the concept was well-received for its functionality, ARCO ultimately decided to continue using its existing printer workflow rather than adopting this new system. No direct feedback was provided to GDC following the presentation; however, the project successfully demonstrated the feasibility and business value of digitizing print distribution workflows, paving the way for similar UX and system enhancements in future client projects.
While the ARCO Branded Planogram Modules were not deployed, the project served as a proof of concept, showcasing how thoughtful UX design and streamlined automation could significantly reduce operational friction in print distribution management. This exercise reinforced the importance of aligning user workflows with both corporate brand systems and vendor production realities, ensuring that creative flexibility, compliance, and cost-efficiency coexist within a unified digital platform.