KefanShi

Rental System Enhancement

Non-profit WtC for business

An end-to-end B2B service redesign that streamlined event rental workflows and aligned internal operations.

Role

Solo Product Designer

Team

1 Web Designer, 3 Stakeholders, Marketing Team (WtC),

Timeline

10/2025 - 12/2025

Context

Welcome to Chinatown (WtC)’s event rental system evolved organically. As demand increased, coordination relied heavily on manual communication and individual memory. This created operational friction across three areas:

• Scattered communication

• No standardized intake

• Time loss + error risk

As demand increased, operational friction became visible.

Goals

Internal

Reduce operational friction for internal teams managing rental requests.

Business

Build a scalable rental service that supports long-term operations and community events.

Problem Framing

Clarifying the stakeholders’ goals

To ground the challenge, I run a 30-minute light talks with stakeholders to understand their current business goals and constraints. Stakeholders’ talks revealed that:

This wasn’t a UI issue. It was a systems issue.

Research

Deep Talk with the Stakeholder

Then, I met with Jeff, WtC’s Event Manager, who handles all rental communication.

In a 1.5-hour conversation, we walked through his end-to-end workflow to understand what works well and where friction occurs (Comparative Approach).

Client Interview Insights

Clients’ experience can help us understand important pain points. Three deep talks with previous collaborators with WtC.

Systemic Breakdowns

Why the current rental system repeatedly creates friction

While individual issues surfaced at different stages, the breakdowns stem from a few systemic patterns across the entire rental journey.

Research

System Map

The design goal was structural clarity

After deep interviews with stakeholders, instead of redesigning isolated touchpoints, I reframed the challenge as a service system reconstruction. The goal was structural clarity:

•Designing a unified intake layer

•Creating a visual inventory framework

•Standardizing handoff protocols

•Integrating post-event feedback loops

Design Changes

Challenge 1: Unified Intake Layer

Replaced scattered email threads with a structured intake form connected to Airtable.

Impact:

•Reduced repetitive clarification

•Improved request visibility

Challenge 2: Visual Reference

Adjusted based on feedback, pricing, usage rules, and space references were tucked behind collapsible sections.

Impact:

•Faster decision making

•Improved spatial understanding

•Brought more inspiration from previous events

Challenge 3: Structured Event Handoff

Defined a structured transition between booking and event execution — standardized walkthrough + run-of-show documentation.

Impact:

•Clear ownership

•Reduced last-minute confusion

•Locked event requirements prior to setup

Solutions

A 5-Step Rental System Redesign

I proposed a 5-step rental system that front-loads clarity, reduces staff follow-ups, and creates a simple post-event learning loop.

Final Interface

Outcomes

Through stakeholder feedback and implementation testing, the redesigned system:

•Reduced back-and-forth clarification loops

•Increased operational transparency

•Improved internal confidence in event coordination

•Created a scalable foundation for future growth

Team Impact

This project reinforced the value of early stakeholder alignment. Talking with the team and listening closely helped surface real operational constraints, so the system addressed real needs and led to more grounded solutions.

I’m Kefan! Glad we could meet here.

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