NextGen SCC Subcontracting
Research Workshop
Findings from a multi-stakeholder validation workshop examining the subcontracting lifecycle from both buyer and supplier perspectives — identifying key pain points, infrastructure gaps, and a prioritized path forward.
Workshop Background
The NextGen SCC Subcontracting Research Workshop was a collaborative, multi-stakeholder session designed to capture comprehensive insights from both buyer and supplier perspectives. The session used a structured approach to identify, categorize, and prioritize issues affecting the current subcontracting process.
Role: As Lead Designer, I worked closely with UX Researchers and Product Managers to design the workshop structure, facilitate cross-persona discussions, synthesize findings, and create a prioritized action framework. Insights from 20+ participants were synthesized in real-time using collaborative tools (Figma/Miro).
What's Working Well
Before addressing gaps, the workshop identified foundational strengths the new design should preserve and build on.
Key Gaps Identified
Four critical gaps consistently surfaced across buyer, supplier, and shared perspectives during the workshop.
| # | Gap | Impact | Affects |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No real-time visibility into subcontractor performance and deliverables | High | Both |
| 2 | Manual data entry and duplicate documentation requirements | High | Both |
| 3 | Limited system integration between buyer and supplier tools | High | Both |
| 4 | Inconsistent onboarding processes across different subcontractors | Moderate | Buyers |
Cross-Persona Analysis
The workshop revealed that buyer and supplier pain points differ in nature, but converge on a shared root cause: lack of a centralized collaboration platform.
- Need better visibility into supplier capacity and capabilities
- Struggle managing multiple supplier relationships simultaneously
- Require more efficient approval workflows
- Want automated compliance monitoring
- Unclear expectations and requirements from buyers
- Excessive documentation and reporting burden
- Delayed payment processing
- Limited communication on project status
- No centralized platform for collaboration
- Version control issues with shared documents
- Inefficient change request processes
- Limited access to historical data
Issue Inventory by Severity
Issues were classified into four severity tiers based on business impact, compliance risk, and user frustration level.
| Issue | Impact | Affects |
|---|---|---|
| No real-time project status updates | High | Both |
| Manual contract tracking and renewals | High | Buyers |
| Payment processing delays | High | Suppliers |
| Issue | Impact | Affects |
|---|---|---|
| Compliance documentation scattered across systems | High | Both |
| Audit trail gaps in approval workflows | High | Buyers |
| Issue | Impact | Affects |
|---|---|---|
| Inconsistent data formats between systems | Moderate | Both |
| Limited search and filtering capabilities | Moderate | Buyers |
| Issue | Impact | Affects |
|---|---|---|
| Repetitive form filling | Low | Suppliers |
| Unclear navigation in current tools | Low | Both |
Impact vs. Effort Prioritization
Issues were plotted on a 2×2 matrix to determine sequencing. High-impact, low-effort items are candidates for immediate action; high-impact, high-effort items require planned investment.
- Automated email notifications
- Status tracking dashboard
- Template library for common documents
- Integrated platform development
- AI-powered compliance monitoring
- End-to-end workflow automation
- UI improvements
- Help documentation
- Training videos
- Legacy system migration
- Custom reporting for edge cases
Ownership & Next Actions
Each high-priority item was assigned a team owner and timeline during the workshop. Status reflects the state at time of report generation.
| Action Item | Owner | Timeline | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Develop unified platform requirements | Product Team | Q2 2026 | In Progress |
| Implement automated notifications | Engineering | Q2 2026 | Planned |
| Create supplier onboarding templates | Operations | Q2 2026 | Planned |
| Design compliance dashboard | Product Team | Q3 2026 | Not Started |
| Conduct solution validation sessions | UX Research | Q3 2026 | Not Started |
Path Forward
The primary recommendation is a unified platform that addresses visibility gaps, automates manual processes, and provides real-time collaboration for both buyers and suppliers.
- Deploy quick wins: notifications, status dashboard, templates
- Begin unified platform requirements gathering
- Establish clear team ownership for each work stream
- Launch core platform features with iterative testing
- Address all high-impact regulated issues
- Validate solutions with real buyer and supplier users
- Full platform integration across all systems
- Advanced automation and AI-powered compliance
- Continuous improvement loop from user feedback
After Next Steps: Schedule follow-up sessions with individual stakeholder groups to validate proposed solutions and refine requirements before platform development begins. Agreement was made and ownership assigned for each issue. PO, OC, and ASN team PM, Designer, and Engineer are all aligned on the timeline and have set priorities to begin iteration.