Problem
Filtering and sorting in Oqton Manufacturing OS were limited, inconsistent, and tailored only to a few curated properties. Every company and (role within the company), however, has different requirements, and in Oqton MOS users often face lists of thousands of nearly identical items. Without flexible filters or sorting, they struggled to quickly find the right item or switch between different criteria in their workflow.
The growth into multiple industries and the introduction of custom fields only amplified the problem. Because items are often processed based on shared properties rather than unique identifiers, a generic, open, and standardized filtering and sorting system was needed—one that works consistently across contexts and adapts to diverse user needs.
Approach
This was one of my first projects as a design lead, working closely with a co-designer. My first priority was to clarify the “why” behind the project and translate it into a clear briefing: what problem we were solving, what success would look like, and how we would get there. Because it was one of the first projects with two designers, I also defined the steps, responsibilities, and collaboration structure to make sure our work was aligned.
We began by researching how other platforms solve similar data-navigation problems. My co-designer led this research, and together we evaluated what we liked and what could work us. She then created the first design iterations, which we reviewed in close feedback loops. I guided her toward more effective solutions while also stepping in to refine the visual design myself—simplifying the hierarchy by improving spacing and designing new icons for clarity.
I decided to add a new step that wasn’t part of our usual process: user testing. Normally, time constraints meant skipping this, but because filtering and sorting is such a critical UX feature, I felt it was essential to get real feedback early. This decision paid off later, when user insights confirmed and challenged our assumptions. Especially feedback such as which properties users filtered on most in their industry proved super valuable. These insights shaped the final solution into something both practical and adaptable. User testing was conducted by my co-designer by creating Figma prototypes.
In the end, I supported my teammate in presenting the work to stakeholders and worked with engineers to ensure the design was implemented pixel-perfect in the system and the live product. Both easy as all documentation has been done throughly by my co-designer throughout the project.
Result
The new filtering and sorting system is now a unified, flexible feature that works across the platform: from full list pages where data navigation is critical, to lightweight inline interactions. Each data type has its own tailored pop-up, and users can filter and sort by multiple properties at once. The impact has been clear—users report saving time, working more efficiently, and onboarding new colleagues faster thanks to the consistency of the experience.
For me, this project was a valuable milestone as a design lead. Working across time zones with another designer taught me how to balance guidance with hands-on contribution—empowering others to shape the solution while still stepping in when high-impact details mattered. Because filtering and sorting touches so many parts of the platform, I felt strongly motivated to get it right, and seeing it implemented across the live product was a rewarding moment!
