Pharmacy Design That Secured 3 Partnerships
I translated a pharmacy requirements brief into working flows that let NKOMOR pitch partnerships to real operators that eventually shipped.
ROLE
UX/UI Designer
2024
4 weeks
OUTCOME
3 partnerships
SCOPE
B2B backend + consumer storefront
Nkomar
Nkomar
What I Walked Into
Nkomor was building a telemedicine pharmacy marketplace.
Pharmacy operators needed to sign up, add medicines, and see orders without friction.
Consumers needed to find and buy medicines
I needed to design something that operators would trust and a consumer experience compelling for pharmacy partners.
I needed to design something that operators would trust and a consumer experience compelling for pharmacy partners.
I needed to design something that operators would trust and a consumer experience compelling for pharmacy partners.
The Design Brief
I focused on onboarding, product and order management
We documented 6 workflows pharmacies needed:
Product Management — Upload medicines with name, description, price, stock
Product Management — Upload medicines with name, description, price, stock
Order Management — View and manage incoming orders
Order Management — View and manage incoming orders
Payment Processing — Secure payments via Paystack
Payment Processing — Secure payments via Paystack
User Communication — Send SMS notifications
User Communication — Send SMS notifications
Analytics — View sales and user engagement metrics
Analytics — View sales and user engagement metrics
Dashboard — Overview of all the above
Dashboard — Overview of all the above
CEO decided to scrap complex stuff (payments, SMS, analytics, dashboard) due to time constraints.
Insights I found for onboarding, product and order management
[01]
Speed
Can I get my products uploaded and go live in 20 minutes?
Linear, finite launch flow. No dashboard exploration.
[02]
Control
Can I set my own prices and manage my inventory?
Simple product list with edit/delete. No locked workflows.
[03]
Visibility
Can I see orders coming in real-time?
Orders list with clear status updates. No complex filters.
[04]
Familiarity
Does this work like tools I already know?
CSV upload option (mirrors Excel). Simple tables, not fancy dashboards.
[01]
Speed
Can I get my products uploaded and go live in 20 minutes?
Linear, finite launch flow. No dashboard exploration.
[02]
Control
Can I set my own prices and manage my inventory?
Simple product list with edit/delete. No locked workflows.
[03]
Visibility
Can I see orders coming in real-time?
Orders list with clear status updates. No complex filters.
[04]
Familiarity
Does this work like tools I already know?
CSV upload option (mirrors Excel). Simple tables, not fancy dashboards.
We needed to get operators to say yes with a focused, reliable MVP. Build the rest post-launch.
We needed to get operators to say yes with a focused, reliable MVP. Build the rest post-launch.
We needed to get operators to say yes with a focused, reliable MVP. Build the rest post-launch.
What I Designed
3 core pharmacy workflows
Launch Your Store
"You need to add 5 medicine products to launch your store."
Why
Operators saw one finite path (not overwhelming)
5 products = real commitment
~20 minutes from sign-in to live
Manage Your Products
Simple table (name, price, stock) + CSV upload option
Why
Meets operators where they are. No behavior change.
Manage Your Orders
Simple list (status, customer, items, total) + 1-click actions
Why
Fast to scan. Real-time visibility. Inventory auto-syncs
Launch Your Store
"You need to add 5 medicine products to launch your store."
Why
Operators saw one finite path (not overwhelming)
5 products = real commitment
~20 minutes from sign-in to live
Manage Your Products
Simple table (name, price, stock) + CSV upload option
Why
Meets operators where they are. No behavior change.
Manage Your Orders
Simple list (status, customer, items, total) + 1-click actions
Why
Fast to scan. Real-time visibility. Inventory auto-syncs
Consumer Side: Homepage
The consumer work evolved as the CEO's priorities shifted. Both versions contributed to the partnership pitch
Iteration 1: Pharmacies List → Checkout Flow
Homepage
List of available pharmacies (simple grid/list view)
Products List
Click a pharmacy → see all their medicines (name, dosage, price, description)
Search bar to find exact item needed
Product Detail
Full product view (name, dosage, price, description)
Mini Cart
Add to cart hover opens a drawer showing items + total
Homepage
List of available pharmacies (simple grid/list view)
Products List
Click a pharmacy → see all their medicines (name, dosage, price, description)
Search bar to find exact item needed
Product Detail
Full product view (name, dosage, price, description)
Mini Cart
Add to cart hover opens a drawer showing items + total
Later, the CEO asked for a richer consumer experience. A homepage that felt like an actual medicine store.
Iteration 2: Medicine Store Homepage Concept
Smart Navigation
Shop by category
Shop by condition
Category Browsing
Large, tappable buttons organized by health concerns
Each button filters to relevant medicines
Partner Visibility
"Our partnered pharmacies" section (partners still see themselves featured)
Top Deals Section
Social proof. Visibility. Trust building.
Visible CTA Future Feature
Order via prescription (future feature hint)
Smart Navigation
Shop by category
Shop by condition
Category Browsing
Large, tappable buttons organized by health concerns
Each button filters to relevant medicines
Partner Visibility
"Our partnered pharmacies" section (partners still see themselves featured)
Top Deals Section
Social proof. Visibility. Trust building.
Visible CTA Future Feature
Order via prescription (future feature hint)
What this showed pharmacy partners: "Your customers won't just see a bare list. They'll have intelligent ways to find what they need, and you'll be visible upfront."
What this showed pharmacy partners: "Your customers won't just see a bare list. They'll have intelligent ways to find what they need, and you'll be visible upfront."
What this showed pharmacy partners: "Your customers won't just see a bare list. They'll have intelligent ways to find what they need, and you'll be visible upfront."
Results + Impact
What I shipped + Outcomes
Pharmacies-first flow = operator-centric (they see themselves immediately)
Pharmacies-first flow = operator-centric (they see themselves immediately)
Category-based flow = consumer-centric (smarter discovery and trust signals)
Category-based flow = consumer-centric (smarter discovery and trust signals)
3 core pharmacy workflows
3 core pharmacy workflows
3 partnerships signed
3 partnerships signed
Consumer flows informed direction
Consumer flows informed direction
CEO used all UI in pitch decks
CEO used all UI in pitch decks
What I Learned
What this taught me
[
LESSON #1
]
B2B workflows are the backbone
The consumer experience matters. But operators won't commit without a clear operational flow. The pharmacy backend was my core focus and 100% of partnership value.
[
LESSON #1
]
B2B workflows are the backbone
The consumer experience matters. But operators won't commit without a clear operational flow. The pharmacy backend was my core focus and 100% of partnership value.
[
LESSON #2
]
Constraints are real, not excuses
I needed to work with what I know. Operator feedback already existed. I didn't need to reinvent it, I needed to translate it into flows.
[
LESSON #2
]
Constraints are real, not excuses
I needed to work with what I know. Operator feedback already existed. I didn't need to reinvent it, I needed to translate it into flows.
[
LESSON #3
]
Show options, not just one direction
By designing two consumer paths, I gave the CEO decision-making power.
[
LESSON #3
]
Show options, not just one direction
By designing two consumer paths, I gave the CEO decision-making power.
If I Redesigned This Today
With research time and a design budget
[01]
Pharmacy side
Add onboarding guidance
Product templates for common medicines
Real analytics dashboard focused on operator questions
[02]
Consumer side
Run research with both operators and patients
Test which discovery method converts better: pharmacies-first vs. category-first
Add trust signals: pharmacy verification, delivery times, ratings
Build the prescription ordering flow (I only hinted at it)
[03]
Integration
SMS tied to order lifecycle (not just a tool)
Multi-location support for larger pharmacy chains
[01]
Pharmacy side
Add onboarding guidance
Product templates for common medicines
Real analytics dashboard focused on operator questions
[03]
Integration
SMS tied to order lifecycle (not just a tool)
Multi-location support for larger pharmacy chains
[02]
Consumer side
Run research with both operators and patients
Test which discovery method converts better: pharmacies-first vs. category-first
Add trust signals: pharmacy verification, delivery times, ratings
Build the prescription ordering flow (I only hinted at it)
[01]
Pharmacy side
Add onboarding guidance
Product templates for common medicines
Real analytics dashboard focused on operator questions
[02]
Consumer side
Run research with both operators and patients
Test which discovery method converts better: pharmacies-first vs. category-first
Add trust signals: pharmacy verification, delivery times, ratings
Build the prescription ordering flow (I only hinted at it)
[03]
Integration
SMS tied to order lifecycle (not just a tool)
Multi-location support for larger pharmacy chains
For this moment, the two-flow approach was right. Show operators what's possible. Let them choose direction.
For this moment, the two-flow approach was right. Show operators what's possible. Let them choose direction.
For this moment, the two-flow approach was right. Show operators what's possible. Let them choose direction.
The Personal Reflection
Why I'm showing you this
This project taught me to separate “ideal UX” from “what the product needs next.”
I’m proudest of the decision‑making: prioritizing what unblocked partnerships while keeping the design flexible for future improvements.
I’m proudest of the decision‑making: prioritizing what unblocked partnerships while keeping the design flexible for future improvements.
I optimized for partner adoption by reducing cognitive load and making the next step obvious for non‑technical users.
I optimized for partner adoption by reducing cognitive load and making the next step obvious for non‑technical users.
Where we had limited inputs, I treated the work as a testable v1 instead of over‑polishing.
Where we had limited inputs, I treated the work as a testable v1 instead of over‑polishing.
[
WORKS
]
