A Bold Solution: Introducing Item Management to Improve Perk Fulfillment

As Director of Product Design at Indiegogo, I led the development of a game-changing feature that allowed campaigners to easily itemize perks, simplifying the often chaotic process of post-campaign order fulfillment. Taking a lifecycle-centric approach, I designed a system where campaigners could create items independently, which could then be bundled into perks. I also revamped the campaign editor’s navigation to accommodate this feature and ensure scalability. After refining the design through several rounds of usability testing, the final solution provided a clearer, more intuitive experience that empowered campaigners to manage their campaigns from start to finish.

The Struggle: Navigating a Confusing Perk Fulfillment Process

Before itemization, campaigners faced a significant roadblock when it came to fulfilling their promises to backers. Perks—often described using unstructured text—could include anything from single products to multiple items, making it difficult to track exactly what was promised. Campaigners were forced to manually manage perks, often relying on third-party tools for itemization, which added complexity and left gaps in the fulfillment process. This confusion not only made campaign management cumbersome but also created barriers in meeting backer expectations once the campaign was over.

The Ripple Effect: Transforming the Campaign Lifecycle

The itemization feature revolutionized the campaign management experience, streamlining the way campaigners handled fulfillment. By enabling the creation of independent items that could be easily bundled into perks, the solution eliminated the need for external tools and reduced confusion. As a result, we saw an increase in campaign launch rates and a smoother transition from funding to fulfillment. The new feature also played a key role in shifting Indiegogo’s focus from a "campaign-centric" to a "lifecycle-centric" platform, providing users with a more intuitive, effective way to manage their entire campaign journey—from idea conception to order delivery.