Projects

About

Contact

Projects

About

Contact

Gilberto

Gilberto

Genua

Genua

Portfolio 2025

Portfolio 2025

Complexity, Redesigned

Complexity, Redesigned

Kokous

Transforming corporate reception from a slow, paper-based process (5-7 minutes) into an autonomous digital experience (30-45 seconds), scaling from a custom solution for Levi's to a platform adopted by 20+ multinational companies.

View Product website

↑

A screenshot of a software interface displaying a table with data entries and a light background.

Client:

Plug-in S.r.l.

My Role:

Sole Product Designer

Year:

2017-2021

Core Team:

1 Project Manager
3 Software Engineers

Legal/GDPR Consultant

End-users & stakeholders

The Business Problem

In October 2016, Levi's Footwear approached Plug-in S.r.l. to digitalize their visitor reception. Large companies with multiple entrances faced significant inefficiencies: 5-7 minute manual check-ins, paper registries with ~5% error rates, overwhelmed receptionists, poor security tracking, and fragile GDPR compliance.

Key Issues

Long wait times: 5-7 minutes per visitor (10-15 min at peak times)

Long wait times: 5-7 minutes per visitor (10-15 min at peak times)

Long wait times: 5-7 minutes per visitor (10-15 min at peak times)

Long wait times: 5-7 minutes per visitor (10-15 min at peak times)

Paper registries: Difficult tracking, frequent errors, no analytics capabilities

Paper registries: Difficult tracking, frequent errors, no analytics capabilities

Paper registries: Difficult tracking, frequent errors, no analytics capabilities

Paper registries: Difficult tracking, frequent errors, no analytics capabilities

Receptionist overload: Time wasted on repetitive manual tasks

Receptionist overload: Time wasted on repetitive manual tasks

Receptionist overload: Time wasted on repetitive manual tasks

Receptionist overload: Time wasted on repetitive manual tasks

Poor visitor experience: Queues, manual forms, no automation

Poor visitor experience: Queues, manual forms, no automation

Poor visitor experience: Queues, manual forms, no automation

Poor visitor experience: Queues, manual forms, no automation

Compliance risks: Fragile GDPR and workplace safety management

Compliance risks: Fragile GDPR and workplace safety management

Compliance risks: Fragile GDPR and workplace safety management

Compliance risks: Fragile GDPR and workplace safety management

The challenge: create a scalable, GDPR-compliant digital reception system that could evolve with market needs.

The challenge: create a scalable, GDPR-compliant digital reception system that could evolve with market needs.

User Research & Insights

Contextual inquiry through direct observation at Levi's offices during typical workdays and peak traffic periods. Gathered qualitative feedback from receptionists, occasional visitors, recurring visitors, and security personnel. Collected operational data from the client on average times, volumes, and error rates.

Key Problems Identified

For Visitors: Frustrating queues (10-15 min at peak), cumbersome manual forms, lack of autonomy, no automatic host notification.

For Receptionists: Unsustainable operational load, chaotic paper logs, frequent errors, inability to monitor real-time presence.

For Receptionists: Unsustainable operational load, chaotic paper logs, frequent errors, inability to monitor real-time presence.

For Receptionists: Unsustainable operational load, chaotic paper logs, frequent errors, inability to monitor real-time presence.

For Receptionists: Unsustainable operational load, chaotic paper logs, frequent errors, inability to monitor real-time presence.

For Company: Zero analytics capability, GDPR compliance at risk, hidden costs from inefficiency.

For Company: Zero analytics capability, GDPR compliance at risk, hidden costs from inefficiency.

For Company: Zero analytics capability, GDPR compliance at risk, hidden costs from inefficiency.

For Company: Zero analytics capability, GDPR compliance at risk, hidden costs from inefficiency.

Critical Insight

"The problem wasn't just speeding up an existing process, it was completely rethinking the model: give autonomy to visitors, free receptionists from low-value tasks, and transform analog data into digital intelligence."

Key Challenge: GDPR & Privacy by Design

After product launch, GDPR regulation (May 2018) required data minimization and transparent consent. Initial designs with profile photos and auto-suggest search created privacy risks.


Solution:

  • Elastic search with full match: Requires complete name+surname to display results, avoiding employee data exposure

  • Removed profile photos: Replaced with color-coded initials for visual identity

  • Digital signatures: Touch signature on totem for privacy policies and documents

The pandemic pivot transformed Kokous from a convenience tool into a mission-critical safety platform.

Before & After

5-7 minutes average check-in time

5-7 minutes average check-in time

5-7 minutes average check-in time

Paper logs, manual entry

Paper logs, manual entry

Paper logs, manual entry

~5% error rate in registration

~5% error rate in registration

~5% error rate in registration

Manual host notification (phone/email)

Manual host notification

Manual host notification

No real-time tracking or analytics

No real-time tracking or analytics

No real-time tracking or analytics

GDPR compliance fragile

GDPR compliance fragile

GDPR compliance fragile

30-45 seconds average check-in time

30-45 seconds average check-in time

30-45 seconds average check-in time

Digital QR code check-in

Digital QR code check-in

Digital QR code check-in

~0% error rate (pre-loaded data)

~0% error rate (pre-loaded data)

~0% error rate (pre-loaded data)

Automatic host notification

Automatic host notification

Automatic host notification

Live dashboard with full analytics

Live dashboard with full analytics

Live dashboard with full analytics

GDPR-compliant by design

GDPR-compliant by design

GDPR-compliant by design

Design Process

Foundation: Naming & Branding

  • Ideated "Kokous" (Finnish: "meeting/gathering") evocative, international, memorable.

  • Designed logo (circular with stylized checkmark) and color palette (yellow/orange for warmth + neutral grays for brand adaptability).

  • Created modular design system with white-labeling capabilities. Born as "quick sketch" that evolved - pragmatic startup approach.

  • Ideated "Kokous" (Finnish: "meeting/gathering") evocative, international, memorable.

  • Designed logo (circular with stylized checkmark) and color palette (yellow/orange for warmth + neutral grays for brand adaptability).

  • Created modular design system with white-labeling capabilities. Born as "quick sketch" that evolved - pragmatic startup approach.

Kokous v1 for Levi's (Oct 2016 – Q1 2017)

  • Core Features: QR code check-in via email, totem app (iPad), management portal with live dashboard, email templates, Apple Wallet integration.

  • Key innovation: badge preview with digital-physical continuity, screen preview matches printed badge exactly, reducing user anxiety.

  • Outlook integration for automatic meeting sync and invitations.

  • Core Features: QR code check-in via email, totem app (iPad), management portal with live dashboard, email templates, Apple Wallet integration.

  • Key innovation: badge preview with digital-physical continuity, screen preview matches printed badge exactly, reducing user anxiety.

  • Outlook integration for automatic meeting sync and invitations.

Multi-Client Scalability (2018)

Transformed custom solution into scalable product: refactored design system for neutral components customizable per brand, extended use cases to corporate events (conferences, trade shows), created simplified onboarding wizard. Adopted by 5+ companies including ABB, Agos, Ermenegildo Zegna.

Transformed custom solution into scalable product: refactored design system for neutral components customizable per brand, extended use cases to corporate events (conferences, trade shows), created simplified onboarding wizard. Adopted by 5+ companies including ABB, Agos, Ermenegildo Zegna.

Transformed custom solution into scalable product: refactored design system for neutral components customizable per brand, extended use cases to corporate events (conferences, trade shows), created simplified onboarding wizard. Adopted by 5+ companies including ABB, Agos, Ermenegildo Zegna.

Kokous Room – Meeting Room Management (Mid 2018)

  • Extended value to internal workspace management: tablet displays on room doors showing real-time availability, instant meeting booking (5-step flow completable in <1 minute), hourly timeline visualization.

  • Design Challenge: Entry-level Android tablets with limited browser capabilities. Solved with strong visual hierarchy (aggressive color use, large typography, high contrast), minimal animations, static but effective design.

  • Priority: usability over aesthetics.

  • Extended value to internal workspace management: tablet displays on room doors showing real-time availability, instant meeting booking (5-step flow completable in <1 minute), hourly timeline visualization.

  • Design Challenge: Entry-level Android tablets with limited browser capabilities. Solved with strong visual hierarchy (aggressive color use, large typography, high contrast), minimal animations, static but effective design.

  • Priority: usability over aesthetics.

Kokous TH – Pandemic Pivot (2020)

  • Rapid pivot (weeks, not months) in response to COVID-19: integrated thermal facial scanners (Android-based) for temperature + mask detection, connected to access gate control, operator alert system (dashboard/mobile).

  • Flow: user approaches → automatic scan (<2 sec) → ✅ green (gate opens) or ❌ red (gate closed + operator alert for manual check).

  • Extended to Green Pass verification via QR scan. This pivot led to Android platform expansion (lower costs for SMBs, greater hardware flexibility).

  • Rapid pivot (weeks, not months) in response to COVID-19: integrated thermal facial scanners (Android-based) for temperature + mask detection, connected to access gate control, operator alert system (dashboard/mobile).

  • Flow: user approaches → automatic scan (<2 sec) → ✅ green (gate opens) or ❌ red (gate closed + operator alert for manual check).

  • Extended to Green Pass verification via QR scan. This pivot led to Android platform expansion (lower costs for SMBs, greater hardware flexibility).

Post-Launch: GDPR Compliance Evolution

After GDPR regulation (May 2018), implemented: elastic search (full name+surname match only to avoid exposing employee data through partial matches), removed profile photos (privacy risk), added digital document signatures (touch signature on totem for privacy policies, NDAs), configurable data retention with automatic deletion after N days.

After GDPR regulation (May 2018), implemented: elastic search (full name+surname match only to avoid exposing employee data through partial matches), removed profile photos (privacy risk), added digital document signatures (touch signature on totem for privacy policies, NDAs), configurable data retention with automatic deletion after N days.

After GDPR regulation (May 2018), implemented: elastic search (full name+surname match only to avoid exposing employee data through partial matches), removed profile photos (privacy risk), added digital document signatures (touch signature on totem for privacy policies, NDAs), configurable data retention with automatic deletion after N days.

Key Interfaces

Badge Preview

(Core Innovation)

Management Portal Dashboard

Room Display: Available

TH Thermal Screening

Final Solution

Kokous evolved from a single check-in app to a comprehensive workplace management ecosystem, addressing visitor access, meeting room management, and health safety through a unified platform.

Kokous evolved from a single check-in app to a comprehensive workplace management ecosystem, addressing visitor access, meeting room management, and health safety through a unified platform.

Autonomous Check-in

Autonomous Check-in

QR code via email → totem interface → badge preview → print.
Digital-physical continuity through identical screen/paper badge reduces cognitive load.
85-90% time reduction.

QR code via email → totem interface → badge preview → print.
Digital-physical continuity through identical screen/paper badge reduces cognitive load.
85-90% time reduction.

QR code via email → totem interface → badge preview → print.
Digital-physical continuity through identical screen/paper badge reduces cognitive load.
85-90% time reduction.

Multi-Device Ecosystem

Multi-Device Ecosystem

Unified platform across totem kiosks, web portal, room tablets, thermal scanners.
Same user data, consistent UX patterns, centralized monitoring dashboard.

Unified platform across totem kiosks, web portal, room tablets, thermal scanners.
Same user data, consistent UX patterns, centralized monitoring dashboard.

Unified platform across totem kiosks, web portal, room tablets, thermal scanners.
Same user data, consistent UX patterns, centralized monitoring dashboard.

Modular Verticals

Modular Verticals

Visitor + Room + TH modules share architecture but serve different needs. Clients activate only what they need: from reception-only to full workplace suite.

Visitor + Room + TH modules share architecture but serve different needs. Clients activate only what they need: from reception-only to full workplace suite.

Visitor + Room + TH modules share architecture but serve different needs. Clients activate only what they need: from reception-only to full workplace suite.

Kokous TH: Pandemic Pivot in Action

In early 2020, COVID-19 demanded rapid adaptation. Kokous TH was deployed in weeks, integrating thermal scanners (±0.2°C accuracy), mask detection (>99.97% accuracy), and access gate control.


Result: From 30 - 60 sec manual checks to <2 sec automatic screening. Zero operator exposure. Cross-industry deployment (healthcare, retail, transportation, hospitality).

In early 2020, COVID-19 demanded rapid adaptation. Kokous TH was deployed in weeks, integrating thermal scanners (±0.2°C accuracy), mask detection (>99.97% accuracy), and access gate control.


Result: From 30 - 60 sec manual checks to <2 sec automatic screening. Zero operator exposure. Cross-industry deployment (healthcare, retail, transportation, hospitality).

< 2 sec

Contactless screening

8+

Industry verticals

The pandemic pivot transformed Kokous from a convenience tool into a mission-critical safety platform.

The pandemic pivot transformed Kokous from a convenience tool into a mission-critical safety platform.

Core Features Across Ecosystem

Kokous Visitor

  • QR code email invitations + Apple Wallet

  • Badge preview with digital-physical continuity

  • GDPR-compliant elastic search

  • Live dashboard with presence monitoring

  • Outlook calendar integration

Kokous Room

  • Tablet displays on doors (real-time status)

  • Instant meeting booking (<1 min, 5-step flow)

  • Hourly timeline visualization

  • Extend/end meeting controls

  • Designed for limited hardware (Android tablets)

Kokous TH (Thermal Health)

  • Thermal scanner (±0.2°C, infrared sensor)

  • Face recognition (>99.97% accuracy, <100ms)

  • Automatic mask detection

  • Access gate integration

  • Green Pass verification (2020-2021)

Management Portal

  • Centralized dashboard (all devices, all locations)

  • Meeting creation + attendee management

  • White-labeling (logo, colors, branding)

  • Analytics + compliance reporting

  • Multi-site, multi-device monitoring

Impact & Results

20+

Companies adopted platform across industries

85-90%

Check-in time reduction
(5 - 7 min → 30- 45 sec)

~10 hrs

Weekly time saved per receptionist

~0%

Registration error rate (reduced from ~5%)

User Experience Impact

20+ companies across fashion, fintech, and public sector (Levi's Footwear, ABB, Agos, Ermenegildo Zegna)

20+ companies across fashion, fintech, and public sector (Levi's Footwear, ABB, Agos, Ermenegildo Zegna)

20+ companies across fashion, fintech, and public sector (Levi's Footwear, ABB, Agos, Ermenegildo Zegna)

20+ companies across fashion, fintech, and public sector (Levi's Footwear, ABB, Agos, Ermenegildo Zegna)

Check-in time: reduced from 5-7 minutes to 30-45 seconds

Check-in time: reduced from 5-7 minutes to 30-45 seconds

Check-in time: reduced from 5-7 minutes to 30-45 seconds

Check-in time: reduced from 5-7 minutes to 30-45 seconds

Visitor autonomy: zero training needed, self-service flow

Visitor autonomy: zero training needed, self-service flow

Visitor autonomy: zero training needed, self-service flow

Visitor autonomy: zero training needed, self-service flow

Positive feedback from visitors (speed, ease) and receptionists (reduced workload)

Positive feedback from visitors (speed, ease) and receptionists (reduced workload)

Positive feedback from visitors (speed, ease) and receptionists (reduced workload)

Positive feedback from visitors (speed, ease) and receptionists (reduced workload)

Business Impact

From custom to product: evolved into multi-tenant scalable platform

From custom to product: evolved into multi-tenant scalable platform

From custom to product: evolved into multi-tenant scalable platform

From custom to product: evolved into multi-tenant scalable platform

Successful verticals: Room management, TH pandemic pivot

Successful verticals: Room management, TH pandemic pivot

Successful verticals: Room management, TH pandemic pivot

Successful verticals: Room management, TH pandemic pivot

Hardware expansion: iPad + Android → accessible to SMBs

Hardware expansion: iPad + Android → accessible to SMBs

Hardware expansion: iPad + Android → accessible to SMBs

Hardware expansion: iPad + Android → accessible to SMBs

Design system reused: components replicated across other Plug-in products

Design system reused: components replicated across other Plug-in products

Design system reused: components replicated across other Plug-in products

Design system reused: components replicated across other Plug-in products

Mission-critical: Kokous TH became essential for COVID-safe office reopening

Mission-critical: Kokous TH became essential for COVID-safe office reopening

Mission-critical: Kokous TH became essential for COVID-safe office reopening

Mission-critical: Kokous TH became essential for COVID-safe office reopening

"Standardized components enabled even junior developers to work more efficiently, improving code quality and reducing technical debt while accelerating the overall development process."

"Standardized components enabled even junior developers to work more efficiently, improving code quality and reducing technical debt while accelerating the overall development process."

Development Team Feedback

Key Learnings

Universal Simplicity is the Superpower

Kokous succeeded because anyone, without training, can use it. In B2B enterprise contexts, learning curve is the silent adoption killer. Design for the least tech-savvy user—everyone else benefits.

Privacy & Compliance are Opportunities

Working with legal on GDPR forced design choices (elastic search, no profile photos) that made Kokous more secure and competitive. Enterprise clients chose Kokous partly for this. Privacy-first design is a differentiator.

Rapid Pivots Require Solid Foundation

Kokous TH (pandemic pivot) was possible in weeks because: robust existing portal, reusable design system, team used to fast iteration. Speed isn't chaos—it's the result of well-architected systems.

End-to-End Ownership Amplifies Impact

Having ownership over naming, branding, UX, UI, and front-end allowed me to guarantee total coherence, iterate quickly without bottlenecks, and understand technical constraints. Designers who understand development create better products, faster.

What Kokous Taught Me

Kokous was the project that taught me to think as a product designer, not just a UI designer: understand business problems before designing solutions, balance user needs with technical constraints and business goals, iterate quickly and validate with data, scale with method.


From a custom solution for Levi's to a platform used by 20+ multinational companies, Kokous transformed corporate reception from an analog process into a seamless, secure, scalable digital experience.


The real success? Seeing receptionists finally freed from repetitive tasks, visitors smiling at check-in speed, and companies having data to optimize operations. Design that works, at scale.

Kokous was the project that taught me to think as a product designer, not just a UI designer: understand business problems before designing solutions, balance user needs with technical constraints and business goals, iterate quickly and validate with data, scale with method.


From a custom solution for Levi's to a platform used by 20+ multinational companies, Kokous transformed corporate reception from an analog process into a seamless, secure, scalable digital experience.


The real success? Seeing receptionists finally freed from repetitive tasks, visitors smiling at check-in speed, and companies having data to optimize operations. Design that works, at scale.

Working on a complex SaaS platform?

Working on a complex SaaS platform?

Let's discuss how strategy-led design can scale your product from navigation architecture to design systems.

I bring end-to-end thinking to enterprise challenges.

Let's discuss how strategy-led design can scale your product from navigation architecture to design systems.

I bring end-to-end thinking to enterprise challenges.

Let's discuss how strategy-led design can scale your product from navigation architecture to design systems.

I bring end-to-end thinking to enterprise challenges.

Let’s Discuss This Project

Let’s Discuss This Project

Let’s Discuss This Project

Let’s Discuss This Project

Let’s Discuss This Project

Let’s Discuss This Project

Let’s Discuss This Project

Let’s Discuss This Project

Let’s Discuss This Project

Let’s Discuss This Project

Let’s Discuss This Project

Let’s Discuss This Project

Let’s Discuss This Project

Let’s Discuss This Project

Let’s Discuss This Project

Let’s Discuss This Project

Next Project

RapidoECS

Installations

+100

Ticket Support

-25%

Redesigning a cloud-native Enterprise Content Management platform from a single-client solution to a scalable system adopted by 100+ companies

Platform Redesign

RapidoECS

Installations

+100

Ticket Support

-25%

Redesigning a cloud-native Enterprise Content Management platform from a single-client solution to a scalable system adopted by 100+ companies

Platform Redesign

RapidoECS

Installations

+100

Ticket Support

-25%

Redesigning a cloud-native Enterprise Content Management platform from a single-client solution to a scalable system adopted by 100+ companies

Platform Redesign

RapidoECS

Installations

+100

Ticket Support

-25%

Redesigning a cloud-native Enterprise Content Management platform from a single-client solution to a scalable system adopted by 100+ companies

Platform Redesign