BetterHR Cloud-based HR Management Platform
Project Overview
BetterHR is a cloud-based HR management platform designed for small and medium-sized businesses across Southeast Asia. The platform helps companies manage attendance, leave, payroll, and employee data through a single, centralized system.
I joined BetterHR as a founding member of the product team, working in a hybrid role that combined product design, frontend development, and direct collaboration with clients and internal stakeholders. At this early stage, the team was small, which meant my responsibilities extended beyond UI execution into product discovery, validation, and delivery.
This project became the foundation of my product mindset and hands-on experience.
The Context
Before BetterHR, many SMEs relied on spreadsheets, paper forms, and disconnected tools to manage HR operations. These workflows were time-consuming, error-prone, and difficult to scale as companies grew.
The challenge was not only to design a usable interface, but to translate complex HR workflows into a system that non-technical users could adopt easily, while still supporting real operational needs.
Problem Statements
From early discovery and client discussions, several key problems emerged:
- HR data was scattered across multiple tools, causing duplication and errors
- Manual attendance and leave tracking led to payroll mistakes
- Approval flows lacked visibility and clear status tracking
- Existing HR tools were too complex for small teams
- Different companies followed different HR policies, but tools were inflexible
Discovery & Stakeholder Collaboration
As a founding team member, I was involved from early discovery through delivery. A key part of my work was joining client meetings and interviews to understand real HR practices.
I regularly worked with HR teams to learn:
- How attendance and leave were tracked in practice
- Common payroll errors and pain points
- Approval flows and reporting needs
- Differences between company policies
These insights ensured the product reflected real-world workflows, not assumptions.
Design Strategy & Solution
Based on discovery insights, I focused on designing a system that emphasized clarity, consistency, and error prevention.
Key design principles:
- Guide users step-by-step through complex HR tasks
- Reduce manual inputs and repeated data entry
- Make approval states and system feedback visible
- Keep workflows flexible for different company rules
Insights were translated into:
- Clear and predictable user flows
- Simplified data structures
- Interfaces that reduced confusion and manual effort
Key Modules & Flows
I designed both low- and high-fidelity prototypes across core modules, including:
- Attendance & overtime tracking
- Leave management and approvals
- Payroll preparation workflows
- Employee profiles and HR records
Each flow was designed to handle edge cases, such as corrections, approvals, and policy variations.
Design–Development Collaboration
Alongside design, I also contributed to frontend development. Working closely with engineers allowed me to:
- Clarify edge cases during implementation
- Adjust designs based on technical constraints
- Ensure design intent matched final product behavior
- Maintain consistency across different parts of the system
This collaboration helped bridge the gap between design and delivery.
Outcome
BetterHR evolved into a stable HR platform used by companies across multiple countries in Southeast Asia. The system helped HR teams move away from manual processes and manage core operations digitally in one place.
The modular design also allowed the product to scale by adding new features without redesigning the core experience.
Reflection
Being part of BetterHR from an early stage taught me the importance of deep user understanding, early validation, and cross-functional collaboration. The project strengthened my experience in:
- Designing systems with complex business rules
- Working directly with real clients and stakeholders
- Bridging product design and frontend development
- Contributing to product decisions beyond UI
This experience reinforced my interest in product ownership and building systems that solve real operational problems—not just surface-level usability issues.
Live project: BetterHR Cloud-based HR Management Platform
