User Permissions
0→1 design of Tacto’s user permissions system—introducing roles, access controls, and admin workflows from scratch. This foundational feature enables secure, scalable team management across the platform.
Overview
Tacto is a B2B procurement platform that helps mid-sized manufacturers manage their supplier relationships, RFQs, and purchasing workflows in one place. As the platform matured into a multi-user tool, it became clear we needed fine-grained access control. I led the design of our first role-based permissions system...
The Problem
Without permissions, every user had the same level of access — a major blocker for security-conscious customers. We heard consistent pain from admins who:
- Couldn’t control access to sensitive supplier or financial data
- Had to route all user management through customer support
- Found it difficult to onboard larger teams confidently
This gap limited both adoption and scalability, especially for enterprise prospects.
My Role
As Senior Product Designer, I:
- Owned the end-to-end design process
- Collaborated closely with PMs and engineers
- Led research and prototyped UI flows
- Shaped the system to be intuitive for small teams — and robust enough for enterprise IT
Solution Highlights
Centralized User Management
We introduced a new Permissions area within the Settings menu, giving admins full control over users and roles.
My Design Principles
- Clarity over complexity: Enterprise features shouldn’t feel “heavy”
- Progressive disclosure: Advanced settings surface only when needed
- Guardrails: Prevent misconfigurations without blocking power users
Expected Impact
Although the feature hasn't shipped yet, we anticipate:
- ↓ fewer support tickets for user/role changes
- ↑ Faster onboarding for teams mirroring internal hierarchies
- ↑ Increased appeal to enterprise buyers with compliance needs
- ↑ Security and auditability with clear permission boundaries
Reflection
Designing a permissions system touches nearly every layer of a product — from data models and backend logic to UI patterns and onboarding. It challenged me to think in systems, to anticipate edge cases, and to balance enterprise control with user clarity.
What I took away:
- How to model complex access logic in a way that remains usable at scale
- The importance of proactive guardrails in preventing admin errors
- How permission structures can unlock — or block — product adoption
If I had taken this further, I would have:
- Conducted moderated testing with admin users across different company sizes
- Explored audit logging and permission change history as a follow-up feature
- Partnered with sales to understand how role controls influence enterprise deals
This was a deeply architectural piece of work — and one that clarified how foundational design can be to product trust and growth.
Overview
Tacto is a B2B procurement platform that helps mid-sized manufacturers manage their supplier relationships, RFQs, and purchasing workflows in one place. As the platform matured into a multi-user tool, it became clear we needed fine-grained access control. I led the design of our first role-based permissions system...
The Problem
Without permissions, every user had the same level of access — a major blocker for security-conscious customers. We heard consistent pain from admins who:
- Couldn’t control access to sensitive supplier or financial data
- Had to route all user management through customer support
- Found it difficult to onboard larger teams confidently
This gap limited both adoption and scalability, especially for enterprise prospects.
My Role
As Senior Product Designer, I:
- Owned the end-to-end design process
- Collaborated closely with PMs and engineers
- Led research and prototyped UI flows
- Shaped the system to be intuitive for small teams — and robust enough for enterprise IT
Solution Highlights
Centralized User Management
We introduced a new Permissions area within the Settings menu, giving admins full control over users and roles.
My Design Principles
- Clarity over complexity: Enterprise features shouldn’t feel “heavy”
- Progressive disclosure: Advanced settings surface only when needed
- Guardrails: Prevent misconfigurations without blocking power users
Reflection
Designing a permissions system touches nearly every layer of a product — from data models and backend logic to UI patterns and onboarding. It challenged me to think in systems, to anticipate edge cases, and to balance enterprise control with user clarity.
What I took away:
- How to model complex access logic in a way that remains usable at scale
- The importance of proactive guardrails in preventing admin errors
- How permission structures can unlock — or block — product adoption
If I had taken this further, I would have:
- Conducted moderated testing with admin users across different company sizes
- Explored audit logging and permission change history as a follow-up feature
- Partnered with sales to understand how role controls influence enterprise deals
This was a deeply architectural piece of work — and one that clarified how foundational design can be to product trust and growth.
Overview
Tacto is a B2B procurement platform that helps mid-sized manufacturers manage their supplier relationships, RFQs, and purchasing workflows in one place. As the platform matured into a multi-user tool, it became clear we needed fine-grained access control. I led the design of our first role-based permissions system...
The Problem
Without permissions, every user had the same level of access — a major blocker for security-conscious customers. We heard consistent pain from admins who:
- Couldn’t control access to sensitive supplier or financial data
- Had to route all user management through customer support
- Found it difficult to onboard larger teams confidently
This gap limited both adoption and scalability, especially for enterprise prospects.
My Role
As Senior Product Designer, I:
- Owned the end-to-end design process
- Collaborated closely with PMs and engineers
- Led research and prototyped UI flows
- Shaped the system to be intuitive for small teams — and robust enough for enterprise IT
Solution Highlights
Centralized User Management
We introduced a new Permissions area within the Settings menu, giving admins full control over users and roles.
My Design Principles
- Clarity over complexity: Enterprise features shouldn’t feel “heavy”
- Progressive disclosure: Advanced settings surface only when needed
- Guardrails: Prevent misconfigurations without blocking power users
Expected Impact
Although the feature hasn't shipped yet, we anticipate:
- ↓ fewer support tickets for user/role changes
- ↑ Faster onboarding for teams mirroring internal hierarchies
- ↑ Increased appeal to enterprise buyers with compliance needs
- ↑ Security and auditability with clear permission boundaries
Reflection
Designing a permissions system touches nearly every layer of a product — from data models and backend logic to UI patterns and onboarding. It challenged me to think in systems, to anticipate edge cases, and to balance enterprise control with user clarity.
What I took away:
- How to model complex access logic in a way that remains usable at scale
- The importance of proactive guardrails in preventing admin errors
- How permission structures can unlock — or block — product adoption
If I had taken this further, I would have:
- Conducted moderated testing with admin users across different company sizes
- Explored audit logging and permission change history as a follow-up feature
- Partnered with sales to understand how role controls influence enterprise deals
This was a deeply architectural piece of work — and one that clarified how foundational design can be to product trust and growth.
Overview
Tacto is a B2B procurement platform that helps mid-sized manufacturers manage their supplier relationships, RFQs, and purchasing workflows in one place. As the platform matured into a multi-user tool, it became clear we needed fine-grained access control. I led the design of our first role-based permissions system...
The Problem
Without permissions, every user had the same level of access — a major blocker for security-conscious customers. We heard consistent pain from admins who:
- Couldn’t control access to sensitive supplier or financial data
- Had to route all user management through customer support
- Found it difficult to onboard larger teams confidently
This gap limited both adoption and scalability, especially for enterprise prospects.
My Role
As Senior Product Designer, I:
- Owned the end-to-end design process
- Collaborated closely with PMs and engineers
- Led research and prototyped UI flows
- Shaped the system to be intuitive for small teams — and robust enough for enterprise IT
Solution Highlights
Centralized User Management
We introduced a new Permissions area within the Settings menu, giving admins full control over users and roles.
Frictionless User Onboarding
Inviting new teammates is streamlined. Admins can assign an existing role or create a new one inline — no need to leave the flow.
Modular Role System
Admins can define reusable custom roles with precise permissions tailored to their org structure — from buyers to finance to viewers.
🎛️ Granular Control, Safe by Design
Each role can be configured with fine-grained permissions across key product modules. Tooltips explain each permission, and built-in restrictions prevent admins from locking themselves out.
My Design Principles
- Clarity over complexity: Enterprise features shouldn’t feel “heavy”
- Progressive disclosure: Advanced settings surface only when needed
- Guardrails: Prevent misconfigurations without blocking power users
Expected Impact
Although the feature hasn't shipped yet, we anticipate:
- ↓ fewer support tickets for user/role changes
- ↑ Faster onboarding for teams mirroring internal hierarchies
- ↑ Increased appeal to enterprise buyers with compliance needs
- ↑ Security and auditability with clear permission boundaries
Reflection
Designing a permissions system touches nearly every layer of a product — from data models and backend logic to UI patterns and onboarding. It challenged me to think in systems, to anticipate edge cases, and to balance enterprise control with user clarity.
What I took away:
- How to model complex access logic in a way that remains usable at scale
- The importance of proactive guardrails in preventing admin errors
- How permission structures can unlock — or block — product adoption
If I had taken this further, I would have:
- Conducted moderated testing with admin users across different company sizes
- Explored audit logging and permission change history as a follow-up feature
- Partnered with sales to understand how role controls influence enterprise deals
This was a deeply architectural piece of work — and one that clarified how foundational design can be to product trust and growth.
Overview
Tacto is a B2B procurement platform that helps mid-sized manufacturers manage their supplier relationships, RFQs, and purchasing workflows in one place. As the platform matured into a multi-user tool, it became clear we needed fine-grained access control. I led the design of our first role-based permissions system...
The Problem
Without permissions, every user had the same level of access — a major blocker for security-conscious customers. We heard consistent pain from admins who:
- Couldn’t control access to sensitive supplier or financial data
- Had to route all user management through customer support
- Found it difficult to onboard larger teams confidently
This gap limited both adoption and scalability, especially for enterprise prospects.
My Role
As Senior Product Designer, I:
- Owned the end-to-end design process
- Collaborated closely with PMs and engineers
- Led research and prototyped UI flows
- Shaped the system to be intuitive for small teams — and robust enough for enterprise IT
Solution Highlights
Centralized User Management
We introduced a new Permissions area within the Settings menu, giving admins full control over users and roles.
Frictionless User Onboarding
Inviting new teammates is streamlined. Admins can assign an existing role or create a new one inline — no need to leave the flow.
Modular Role System
Admins can define reusable custom roles with precise permissions tailored to their org structure — from buyers to finance to viewers.
🎛️ Granular Control, Safe by Design
Each role can be configured with fine-grained permissions across key product modules. Tooltips explain each permission, and built-in restrictions prevent admins from locking themselves out.
My Design Principles
- Clarity over complexity: Enterprise features shouldn’t feel “heavy”
- Progressive disclosure: Advanced settings surface only when needed
- Guardrails: Prevent misconfigurations without blocking power users
Expected Impact
Although the feature hasn't shipped yet, we anticipate:
- ↓ fewer support tickets for user/role changes
- ↑ Faster onboarding for teams mirroring internal hierarchies
- ↑ Increased appeal to enterprise buyers with compliance needs
- ↑ Security and auditability with clear permission boundaries
Reflection
Designing a permissions system touches nearly every layer of a product — from data models and backend logic to UI patterns and onboarding. It challenged me to think in systems, to anticipate edge cases, and to balance enterprise control with user clarity.
What I took away:
- How to model complex access logic in a way that remains usable at scale
- The importance of proactive guardrails in preventing admin errors
- How permission structures can unlock — or block — product adoption
If I had taken this further, I would have:
- Conducted moderated testing with admin users across different company sizes
- Explored audit logging and permission change history as a follow-up feature
- Partnered with sales to understand how role controls influence enterprise deals
This was a deeply architectural piece of work — and one that clarified how foundational design can be to product trust and growth.