Social Glass

Glass: Revolutionizing Government Procurement

The Challenge

Governments are among the largest decision-makers and purchasers in the world. Yet, procurement processes remain outdated, fragmented, and inefficient, leading to massive operational bottlenecks. As a result, millions—if not billions—of lives are affected by these inefficiencies.

"We estimate that 80% of the world's governments lack effective processes and tools to properly leverage their resources and serve their citizens."
— Paola Santana, Founder & CEO of Glass

My Role: Creative Director & Founding Designer

As the Creative Director and co-launcher of Glass Commerce, I played a pivotal role in shaping the platform from its inception. I was responsible for:

• Full-Scale Product & UX Design: Designed the entire user interface, ensuring an intuitive, seamless experience.
• User Research & Testing: Conducted extensive testing to align the platform with user needs and government compliance.
• Brand Identity & Logo Development: Led the creation of the first iteration of Glass’s branding, ensuring a visual identity that communicated trust, transparency, and innovation.
• Design Systems & Accessibility: Developed scalable, government-compliant design systems tailored to a broad and diverse user base.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Worked closely with engineers, policymakers, and procurement specialists to craft solutions that balanced government constraints with modern UX principles.

The Problem: Challenges in Public Procurement

Outdated Processes Create Bottlenecks

Government procurement often involves manual, repetitive tasks, siloed workflows, and inefficient interfaces. This problem is especially severe in micro-purchases, which amount to $150 billion in the U.S. alone.

Key Issues

• Fragmented Workflows – Agencies operate in silos, leading to inefficiencies in approvals and tracking.
• Lack of Accessibility – Complex interfaces and bureaucratic barriers make procurement difficult for employees.
• Limited Vendor Diversity – Small businesses struggle to navigate complex government contracts, reducing competition.
• Compliance Challenges – Striking a balance between speed, accountability, and legal requirements is difficult.

Key Question:

How can we streamline procurement for government workers while ensuring compliance, transparency, and inclusivity?

The Solution: Glass Commerce

Glass Commerce is a first-of-its-kind global e-commerce platform that simplifies government micro-purchases while ensuring full compliance.

Key Features

• Seamless Integration – Works effortlessly with existing government software for a frictionless procurement experience.
• Budget & Accountability Tools – Advanced tracking features to ensure transparency and financial oversight.
• Intuitive Dashboards – A centralized system for easy procurement management and reporting.
• Flexible Payment Options – Supports P-cards, wire transfers, checks, and more.
• Expansive Product Selection – Over 5.8 million government-approved products available.
• Verified Vendor Directory – Over 210 trusted vendors, ensuring compliance with government regulations.

The Challenges of Designing for Government

Unlike the private sector, government procurement presents unique design challenges.

• Rigid Regulatory Constraints – Every procurement tool must comply with strict legal and procedural requirements.
• Diverse User Base – Millions of government employees, from procurement officers to city administrators, require intuitive and accessible designs.
• Scalability vs. Simplicity – Designs need to support complex workflows while remaining user-friendly.

Balancing Innovation with Compliance

• Government clients prioritize clarity and functionality over cutting-edge aesthetics.
• Accessibility and plain language UX writing are essential for diverse users.
• Security-first design is crucial, given the sensitive nature of government data.

The Glass Brand: Breaking Barriers

Glass embodies transparency, efficiency, and modernization in the government space. The brand draws inspiration from the concept of breaking through barriers—both metaphorical and literal.

"Glass" represents the removal of bureaucratic opacity, offering a clear, seamless path to procurement efficiency.

Logo & Visual Identity

The Glass logo was designed to reflect transparency, clarity, modernization, and innovation with a forward-thinking design that challenges legacy procurement models and trends. Business cards, UI elements, marketing assets, and platform styling were all designed to reinforce Glass’s mission.

Designing the Interface: Balancing Security & Usability

NDA and employment contract limit the public disclosure of specific designs related to the dashboards and p-card tracking processes. However, my work included:

• Creating a streamlined, role-based interface for procurement officers.
• Developing scalable design systems that accommodated multiple government agencies.
• Ensuring full compliance with government accessibility standards (WCAG, Section 508).
• Creating specific webpages for user types -> For Governments, For Procurement Officers, For Suppliers.
• Allowing for P-Cards as payment methods
• Creating dashboards for procurement tracking, budget, and order management.

Results: Transforming Government Procurement

$16.3M+ in Sales – Glass Commerce has already grossed over $16.3 million in government transactions. We have delivered more than 5 million products, and delivered nearly 2 million products - mainly PPE - during the pandemic. Federal, State & Local Agencies and Clients include:

• The State of Florida
• The State of Illinois
• City of Seattle
• Pierce County
• Berkeley Lab
• IEMA, SERT
• Richmond County, Contra Costa County, and more.

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