Kantz -
startup project
startup project
How I led the design of Kantz, a mobile-first desk reservation application.
Beyond simple booking, the platform serves as a transparency tool that helps employees coordinate office days with their teams, restoring a sense of belonging and ensuring 100% seat utilization efficiency.
Hooloovoo experienced a 3x growth in headcount that outpaced its physical office capacity.
This created a high-friction environment where employees were uncertain if they would have a place to sit, while HR lacked the data to understand office utilization and employee engagement post-pandemic.
We bypassed assumptions by conducting 30-minute qualitative interviews to identify the psychological barriers to returning to the office.
Employees - Hybrids (They come from time to time to the office)
HR Friends - On-site employees, require their own space
Marketing Regulars (People who regularly come to the office)
Based on research insights I identified must have, should have, could have features. To define that I used Maslow Pyramide as a guideline.
The app was build in Google Material (React) and my role was to define the visuals, design system, mobile and desktop solution.
This realization shifted our strategy from building a simple booking tool to creating a social transparency platform that restores psychological certainty and intentional collaboration.
Most employees had "unofficial" desks; the fear of losing that personal space was a primary pain point.
60% of users stated that who they sit next to is more important than where they sit.
HR and employees were operating in a "black box"—there was no way to know who was in the office without physically being there.
When I classified the needs, I used Maslow pyramide to prioritise them.
Question: "Where do you usually sit?" → Maslow Level: Basic/Safety (Certainty of location).
Question: "Why do you come to the office?" → Maslow Level: Belonging (Team connection).
Foundational Utility
Guaranteed availability. "If I commute, I must have a desk"
Operational Efficiency
Coordination. "I want to be where my team is."
Cultural Optimization
Accountability. Encouraging a culture where reservations are respected as a commitment to peers.
Structured the app around "Quick Reservations" for daily commuters and "Advanced Planning" for hybrid teams.
Developed a visual-first booking system (solving the 80% user request for spatial awareness) to reduce cognitive load during the booking process.
Worked in a cross-functional squad (Product, Engineering, Stakeholders) to ensure the technical feasibility of real-time seat tracking.
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Solved the 3:1 employee-to-desk ratio crisis by implementing a rotating reservation system, effectively "expanding" the office capacity without increasing real estate costs.
Provided the HR department with the first reliable dataset on office occupancy trends, enabling evidence-based decisions for future office expansions.
By highlighting "who is in today," the app increased intentional collaboration, making the office a destination for teamwork rather than just a place to sit.
I learned that solving a logistical problem (booking a desk) is secondary to solving a cultural one (certainty and belonging).
By focusing on the 'Proximity Driver'—who users sit next to—we moved the platform from being a chore to being a social destination.