Overview Context Problem Statement Design Process User Research User Flow Design & Layout User Interface Results Learnings

Streamlining contract creation workflow for training centers

Case study of platform-based application design at Filiz

Overview

Filiz is a SaaS platform designed for apprenticeship training centers and schools to streamline contract creation and simplify administrative workflows.

I joined the startup early on as an apprentice to design the first MVP, from core product experience to the design system, in collaboration with the co-founders.

Launched in fall 2022, the product was quickly adopted by 10+ schools within a year, generating $100K+ in revenue.

My Role

UX/UI Designer

Timeline & Status

8 Months (2022), Shipped

Team

2 Co-founders
1 Developer
1 Designer (me)

Context

The growth of apprenticeships on the job market.

High growth potential for apprenticeship hitting new records.

Chart: Growth in the number of apprenticeship contracts in the private sector

Sources: Vie publique & Communiqué de presse du Ministère du travail de la santé et des solidarités

Our observations on apprenticeship contracts

Apprenticeship contracts involve three different stakeholders, making the process particularly complex.

The contract process is outdated and relies on a paper-based public-sector form.

Limited visibility and dependency on OPCO approval create uncertainty around training funding.

Poor readability and usability of apprenticeship contracts leads to negative ROI for schools and companies.

Paper form of apprenticeships contracts.

Problem statement

Design Process

Designing for speed and validation

The startup’s goal was to design an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) to quickly achieve product-market fit. Therefore, the design process was simple and part of a broader lean approach.

Step 1

Research

Step 2

Define

Step 3

Design

User Research

Understanding the apprenticeship contract ecosystem.

Highly flexible process

From co-founders learning, we knew that apprenticeship process remains highly flexible and differs from one school to another trying to rationalize it.

Key insights from user interview

Corporate relations officers experience high mental load due to the complexity, volume, and coordination of contract-related tasks.

Many contract-related tasks are repetitive and time-consuming, increasing operational overhead.

Limited visibility into contract status creates uncertainty due to fragmented roles and responsibilities.

Primary product-user archetypes

Insights from the interview helped us define our first product archetypes, used as a reference to align design decisions throughout the project.

Sylvie D.

38, Corporate Relations Officer

With nearly six years of experience, Sylvie has developed strong expertise across the full range of administrative processes.

Motivations

Free up time for high-value tasks where her expertise truly benefits the school
Increase efficiency when handling repetitive administrative work

Frustrations

Having to follow up with students or companies to track contract progress
Handling errors in contracts late in the process

Gilles L.

42, CEO of a thermal insulation company

After completing his studies, Gilles founded a thermal insulation company for buildings. Today, he operates nationwide.

Motivations

Save time when filling out apprenticeship contracts

Frustrations

Having to register to multiples tools to manage apprenticeship contracts

User flow

Rationalizing a complex process.

Redesigning the contract process

Starting from an unstructured process with fragmented responsibilities that varied across schools, we set out to rationalize the contract workflow by using the paper form.

From inventory to user flows

Using the paper contract as a starting point, we conducted an inventory of all required fields to reorganize the information into clear, structured user flows.

Shared responsibilities across stakeholders

These flows rely on a shared set of core features, ensuring consistency across the product.

They also redistribute responsibilities by involving both the company and the student, reducing the operational burden placed on schools.

School as the orchestrator

The school remains an oversight role within the process, supported by tools that provide fine-grained monitoring and control of contracts at scale.

The backbone of the process

The app is structured around six core features that form the functional foundation of the redesigned process, refined through successive iterations.

A step-by-step process

The process is broken down into successive, asynchronous steps following the principle of progressive disclosure.

This approach reduces error rates by segmenting tasks and distributing cognitive effort over time.

Design & Layout

Building the application’s skeleton.

Layout – leveraging familiar SaaS patterns

By relying on familiar patterns, the interface leverages existing mental models, reducing onboarding effort and helping users navigate the product with confidence.

Data tables – providing overview and control

Data tables were chosen to display contract entries and key metadata. They give schools a clear overview of their operations and enable efficient monitoring and control at scale.

Forms – balancing usability and technical constraints

As forms sit at the core of the product experience, multiple layouts were explored to balance usability and development constraints.

A grid-based layout was selected for its flexibility, functional clarity, and low implementation cost.

Isolated

Visual Focused

Visual appeal through illustration, strengthening brand identity.

Left-aligned layout can affect comfort.

integrated

Functional Focused

Grid-based layout supports flexible composition.

Full-width content improves focus.

Forms – improving glanceability & scannability

Forms include a stepper for status and progress with fields grouped by theme. The layout improves readability and scannability from completion to review.

User Interface

Brand-consistent interface.

Building a robust design system

To reduce design effort and UI debt, we relied on a component-based design system. Through design tokens, we updated hundreds of components quickly while ensuring consistency and long-term scalability.

Leveraging Material Design look & feel

By leveraging MUI, the interface benefits from familiar Material Design patterns, improving usability and learnability. Accessibility best practices are embedded by default, ensuring accessible interactions.

Precise and consistent interface

The interface was designed using an 8-point grid system to standardize spacing, alignment, and sizing. This approach ensures visual consistency across screens and enables precise, pixel-accurate and responsive interfaces

Error-tolerant by design

To prevent errors and user mistakes, we introduced input formatting and submission validation to reduce overall errors and incorrect data in the form.

Illustrations – abstract administrative concepts

We used an isometric illustration library to create abstract administrative composition into clear, relatable analogies.

Set d'illustrations de concepts administratifs.

Results

A new way for contract creation.

420

training centers used Filiz in 2025

120 000+

apprenticeships contracts created

80%

time savings across the business process

Learnings

What building a product from scratch taught me.

Key learnings

Designing from 0 to 1

Building a product from scratch taught me to work across the full lifecycle from problem framing to launch while balancing user needs, technical feasibility, and delivery constraints.

Designing under uncertainty

Working in an early-stage startup required designing without complete information, using iteration and validation to move forward.

Thinking in systems rather than screens

Beyond interface, I learned to design components, workflows, and patterns that support consistency, scalability, and product evolution.

Joe thanks you for reaching this far!

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