Design the enterprise platform from the ground up as a modular system harnessing the power of Machine Learning and other advanced technologies to eliminate silos and ensure a seamless user experience.
Founded in 2018 within the ING Bank APAC Innovation Lab incubator, Stemly is a pioneering data science platform. Its array of cutting-edge products enables companies to refine strategies and optimize both costs and resources through the application of Machine Learning and other sophisticated technologies. Stemly has garnered notable accolades, including recognition as one of Tech in Asia’s “50 rising startups in Singapore” in July 2021 and inclusion in Forbes Asia’s “100 To Watch 2023” in August 2023.
The initial stages of our development focused on mastering complex demand planning and forecasting methodologies, thorough research, and competitive analysis. At that time, the market was dominated by a few major players reliant on outdated Windows-based and traditional web applications, characterized by cumbersome onboarding processes that required significant customer success efforts. Our ambition was to revolutionize this scenario by introducing a next-generation user experience reminiscent of consumer apps.
Our foremost objective was to validate our product with a select cohort of enterprise clients, continually refining the user experience. The team’s unyielding commitment aimed at establishing Stemly as an independent entity, separate from ING Bank’s APAC innovation labs. This commitment to enhancing both our brand and our offerings was crucial. Our efforts culminated successfully with a significant funding round in June 2021, raising $2.5 million USD from prestigious investors including EDB New Ventures, ING Ventures, Elev8.VC, HH VC Investments, and FutureLabs.
Enterprise-level supply chain platforms are significantly outdated, lacking the modern features and flexibility required to meet today’s rapidly changing business environments and technological advancements.
Decision-making platforms, historically dominated by established entities such as SAP, Oracle, and o9, have long provided demand planning and forecasting services. Despite their pedigree, these platforms frequently present complexities that can stifle innovation.
Stemly seized a clear opportunity: to offer a modern SaaS platform that not only ensures an outstanding user experience but also maintains high predictive accuracy—a specific requirement voiced by customers.
The aim is to develop an advanced enterprise-grade SaaS platform for forecasting and optimization, aiming to establish new benchmarks in user-friendliness and speed, while also achieving unparalleled accuracy in prediction.
Each team member had a different concept of how the platform should be organized, and there was frequent confusion over terminology. To address this misalignment promptly from a design standpoint, the design team created a term dictionary to establish clear definitions for industry-specific terminology, which is crucial in data science platforms.
We then outlined the platform’s structure by benchmarking against top-tier SaaS platforms and adapting those insights to our needs. The framework of organizations, workspaces, and modules proved most effective for us.
Prototyping rapidly ensures the development of optimal user experiences and interfaces.
At Stemly, the pursuit of innovation is driven by the rapid design and validation of interactive prototypes, tested with real users. This approach led us to develop numerous iterations across a varied suite of planning, forecasting, and optimization products.
These prototypes fulfilled a dual purpose: they not only synchronized our product teams around a common vision but also enhanced our sales initiatives by gathering crucial feedback from prospective customers.
Rapid prototyping was instrumental in facilitating prompt modifications, both within our teams and in client interactions. Our overarching goal has been to streamline the user experience for traditionally complex workflows, making them as seamless as possible.
Developing a comprehensive and robust Design System to ensure consistency, efficiency, and scalability across all product offerings
In our commitment to achieving coherence, efficiency, and scalability across our product suite, we integrated a design system guided by the principles of Google’s Material UI 2 and the Vuetify 2 UI framework.
As part of our broader brand revitalization efforts, this comprehensive design system first enhanced the core product before its principles were applied to our newly redesigned marketing website and other interfaces.
This methodical approach encompassed every aspect and function within our product ecosystem, ensuring that each component was flawlessly incorporated into our front-end Vuetify library. By minimizing the use of custom components, we expedited development and upheld rigorous quality standards.
In the development of digital products rich in data visualization, precision emerged as a crucial element. Each prototype required meticulous design, beginning with precise naming to avoid any misinterpretation of its function. Designing mere page templates to be filled with data was deemed insufficient.
As the project evolved, our prototypes underwent a significant transformation, transitioning from conceptual ideals to feasible solutions that could be built and delivered within set timelines. To achieve this critical transition, our entire team engaged in an ongoing educational exploration, delving into various aspects of data science and visualization.
This continuous learning journey not only enhanced our understanding but also empowered us to make informed decisions, ensuring that our design solutions were both innovative and practical.
Augmenting the platform with advanced enterprise features to meet complex business needs
Stemly predominantly caters to enterprises characterized by substantial data volumes and considerable potential for cost savings through enhanced accuracy. In response to their specific requirements, we prioritized the development of key features.
Our initial focus was on multi-tenancy to underscore scalability and security. We designed an organization-workspace structure that ensures robust data isolation, catering to the diverse needs of our enterprise clientele.
Subsequently, we tackled the intricacies of Identity and Access Management (IAM), an area fraught with complexities involving user, group, and role management, particularly concerning data access. Recognizing its pivotal role, we streamlined the IAM design to enhance user experience without compromising security.
Finally, recognizing the importance of ERP Integration for our enterprise clients, we introduced “Connectors” to facilitate customized connections via APIs. This innovation accommodates data volumes ranging from double-digit gigabytes, ensuring seamless integration and performance.
Creating platforms tailored for technical experts requires meticulous attention to detail, ensuring flawless execution in both terminology and functionality. Our engagement with data science products, exemplified by Stemly, highlights the necessity for a deep understanding and continuous education in relevant domains.
In the realm of feature definition and implementation, striking a delicate balance between the founder’s vision and user expectations is paramount to avoid an ever-expanding backlog. The team’s understanding of the effort required for each feature is crucial, guiding the transition from basic functionality to delivering truly exceptional solutions.
For startups in their nascent stages, the adoption of open-source solutions can significantly accelerate product development, particularly for non-core features, thus sidestepping unnecessary reinvention.
The design intricacies of charts, particularly in data analysis, demand meticulous attention, emphasizing the critical role of effective information visualization. We invested substantially in mastering techniques for tabular and chart visualizations to ensure they meet rigorous standards.
In enterprise sales, especially when engaging clients with extended procurement cycles, the development of clickable prototypes that surpass existing product features is indispensable. This strategy is invaluable in captivating and securing such discerning clientele.