From Pilot to Product: Designing B2B SaaS Platform to Simplify Biodiversity Compliance for Enterprises

From Pilot to Product: Designing B2B SaaS Platform to Simplify Biodiversity Compliance for Enterprises

BNGAI is a satellite analytics SaaS product, offering a robust set of features designed to streamline habitat assessment, field surveys, BNG planning, and submission for approvals to authorities

BNGAI is a satellite analytics SaaS product, offering a robust set of features designed to streamline habitat assessment, field surveys, BNG planning, and submission for approvals to authorities

How it works

The product leverages advanced artificial intelligence algorithms, satellite images, and ground observations to provide predictive insights into biodiversity hotspots and ecological trends.

The product leverages advanced artificial intelligence algorithms, satellite images, and ground observations to provide predictive insights into biodiversity hotspots and ecological trends.

How it solves the problem

BNGAI was created to streamline biodiversity management for developers, ecologists, and planners. By replacing time-consuming manual processes with a faster, easier, and more accurate solution, it empowers users to make data-driven decisions efficiently.

BNGAI was created to streamline biodiversity management for developers, ecologists, and planners. By replacing time-consuming manual processes with a faster, easier, and more accurate solution, it empowers users to make data-driven decisions efficiently.

My Role

" Being a great designer means being more than just a designer "

" Being a great designer means being more than just a designer "

" Being a great designer means being more than just a designer"

Designing for a highly complex product in the biodiversity and compliance space was both challenging and rewarding. Most of time I found myself Researching and understanding the nuances of biodiversity, translating those insights into intuitive features, and ensuring the design balanced user needs with business goals and compliance requirements.



It was an exciting journey into an uncharted domain, where I not only solved real-world problems but also collaborated closely with cross-functional teams, including product managers, developers, and compliance experts.
It was a journey of exposure, learning and growth.

Designing for a highly complex product in the biodiversity and compliance space was both challenging and rewarding. Most of time I found myself Researching and understanding the nuances of biodiversity, translating those insights into intuitive features, and ensuring the design balanced user needs with business goals and compliance requirements.



It was an exciting journey into an uncharted domain, where I not only solved real-world problems but also collaborated closely with cross-functional teams, including product managers, developers, and compliance experts.
It was a journey of exposure, learning and growth.

Hats Worn:

  • Product Designer

  • UX Designer

  • Researcher

  • Product Guy

Team:

2 Designers
2 Product Managers
20+ Developers

Tenure:

March 23 -Present

Hats Worn:

  • Product Designer

  • UX Designer

  • Researcher

  • Product Guy

Hats Worn:

  • Product Designer

  • UX Designer

  • Researcher

  • Product Guy

Team:

2 Designers
2 Product Managers
20+ Developers

Team:

2 Designers
2 Product Managers
20+ Developers

Tenure:

March 23 -Present

Tenure:

March 23 -Present

Glimpses :)

Before just jumping into the journey and overwhelm ourselves with multiple moving parts, lets have a high level idea about the product and its features.

Before just jumping into the journey and overwhelm ourselves with multiple moving parts, lets have a high level idea about the product and its features.

Baseline Assessment

  • With the help of multispectral satellite imagery and proprietary AI models project sites are surveyed to analyze the spread and type (distinctiveness) of habitats.

  • This provides insights to evaluate the current state of sites and create post development plans.

Baseline Assessment

  • With the help of multispectral satellite imagery and proprietary AI models project sites are surveyed to analyze the spread and type (distinctiveness) of habitats.

  • This provides insights to evaluate the current state of sites and create post development plans.

Field Survey with BNGAI Survey Mobile App

  • The mobile app enables ecologists to capture field data needed to assess the condition of each habitat, take notes and photographs for reporting, and refine habitat shapes and data.

Data-driven BNG Planning

  • BNGAI enables you to import your development plans so that it can be considered while creating BNG plans for sites.

  • You can use the scenario planning capability to create multiple plans, compare results, and choose the one that aligns best with the goals of your site.

Impact & Highlight

$1.04M

Revenue generated post
launch

$1.04M

Revenue generated post
launch

700+

Clients onboarded ( Like Amazon, the UK Ministry of Defence, National Grid, and South West Water )

500+

500+

500+

Screens Designed so far :)

40 +

40 +

40 +

Compliance Features

Designed

Data as of Dec 24

Process

Iterative by
Design

Iterative by
Design

Iterative by
Design

We followed an agile methodology, breaking the project into smaller, manageable bi-weekly sprints. This approach allowed us to continuously gather user feedback, understand new feature requirements, and adapt to evolving regulatory changes. 



We followed an agile methodology, breaking the project into smaller, manageable bi-weekly sprints. This approach allowed us to continuously gather user feedback, understand new feature requirements, and adapt to evolving regulatory changes. 



Through collaborative iterations with multiple stakeholders—including product managers, developers, and compliance teams—we ensured that each release delivered tangible value to users. By maintaining a user-centric focus, we ensured the product evolved to solve real-world challenges.

Through collaborative iterations with multiple stakeholders—including product managers, developers, and compliance teams—we ensured that each release delivered tangible value to users. By maintaining a user-centric focus, we ensured the product evolved to solve real-world challenges.

Why Iterative ?

This iterative process not only enabled continuous progress but also fostered a culture of continuous improvement, reducing risks and keeping the product aligned with both user needs and business goals.

This iterative process not only enabled continuous progress but also fostered a culture of continuous improvement, reducing risks and keeping the product aligned with both user needs and business goals.

“ You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards “

“ You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards “

“ You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards “

Our process blended strategic product evolution with tactical feature development

"To give you a glimpse into my design process, I’ve selected one critical feature from the workflow above. This example highlights how I balance user needs, business goals, and technical constraints."

"To give you a glimpse into my design process, I’ve selected one critical feature from the workflow above. This example highlights how I balance user needs, business goals, and technical constraints."

Feature:
Designated Layers

Section : Preliminary Baseline Assessment + Planning Screen

Section : Preliminary Baseline Assessment + Planning Screen

The Problem

Ecologists and planners conducting biodiversity assessments needed complete, immediate access to critical environmental data about a site and its surroundings (on, above, and below ground). One key gap was the absence of designated sites—public/private datasets identifying ecologically sensitive areas (e.g., protected habitats, conservation zones).

Ecologists and planners conducting biodiversity assessments needed complete, immediate access to critical environmental data about a site and its surroundings (on, above, and below ground). One key gap was the absence of designated sites—public/private datasets identifying ecologically sensitive areas (e.g., protected habitats, conservation zones).

Users had to manually cross-reference external datasets, slowing down baseline assessments and BNG (Biodiversity Net Gain) planning.

Users had to manually cross-reference external datasets, slowing down baseline assessments and BNG (Biodiversity Net Gain) planning.

User Pain Point

“Without designated sites data in the platform, we waste hours switching between tools to identify protected zones around a site.”

“Without designated sites data in the platform, we waste hours switching between tools to identify protected zones around a site.”

The Requirement

“As an ecologist, I need to view mandatory designated sites layers on and around my site within the platform to accurately define the baseline and streamline BNG planning."

“As an ecologist, I need to view mandatory designated sites layers on and around my site within the platform to accurately define the baseline and streamline BNG planning."

Journey Towards Solution

Before jumping into solutions, I started by asking why. Through Secondary research ( read about designated sites ) and by conducting user interviews I discovered the need and how they interact with them.

Before jumping into solutions, I started by asking why. Through Secondary research ( read about designated sites ) and by conducting user interviews I discovered the need and how they interact with them.

In 1:1 interview where i understood their working, i found that ecologists and planners needed this data purely as passive reference layers—not for interaction. They wanted to see protected zones around their site (up to 5 km) to contextualize their assessments, not act on them. This insight shifted our focus: instead of building complex tools, we prioritized minimalist visualization with functionality

In 1:1 interview where i understood their working, i found that ecologists and planners needed this data purely as passive reference layers—not for interaction. They wanted to see protected zones around their site (up to 5 km) to contextualize their assessments, not act on them. This insight shifted our focus: instead of building complex tools, we prioritized minimalist visualization with functionality

As i delve deeper into it ( through research and interview) while designing, new scenarios and constraints were explored.

As i delve deeper into it ( through research and interview) while designing, new scenarios and constraints were explored.

Key Goals, findings and constraints:

Key Goals, findings and constraints:

  1. Integrate designated sites data into the platform’s map interface.

  2. Allow users to toggle layers and adjust vicinity radius.

  3. Allows users to also see below the designated layers.

  4. Display details without overcomplicating the interface.

  5. These designated layers can also overlap each other

  6. Users need to see site below designated layers as well to better analyze

  7. We have to use predefined patterns and colors for the layers

  1. Integrate designated sites data into the platform’s map interface.

  2. Allow users to toggle layers and adjust vicinity radius.

  3. Allows users to also see below the designated layers.

  4. Display details without overcomplicating the interface.

  5. These designated layers can also overlap each other

  6. Users need to see site below designated layers as well to better analyze

  7. We have to use predefined patterns and colors for the layers

After this it was clear in which direction we wanted to go

After this it was clear in which direction we wanted to go

Solution

Solution

Solution

After ideating and validating multiple design iterations with users and stakeholders, I arrived at a solution that mirrored how ecologists actually worked. By prioritizing visibility and adding value through intuitive interactions, the design helped users navigate, analyze, and plan more efficiently. turning fragmented data into actionable insights.

After ideating and validating multiple design iterations with users and stakeholders, I arrived at a solution that mirrored how ecologists actually worked. By prioritizing visibility and adding value through intuitive interactions, the design helped users navigate, analyze, and plan more efficiently. turning fragmented data into actionable insights.

Proximity Controller

Allowing users to Control the proximity of designated sites around their main site. Filter sites by proximity (0.5-5 km or custom) to focus on relevant areas.”

Opacity Controller

With multiple designated sites often overlapping the main site or each other, the opacity controller lets users adjust transparency. This helps them see what’s beneath overlapping layers, providing a clearer and more detailed picture for better analysis.

Boundaries

The boundaries denoting the sites and designated layers have different visualization to easily separate them and also to Mimics ecologists’ workflows for easy interpretation

Colors Of Pattern

Colors and patterns follow DEFRA guidelines, ensuring universal understanding among ecologists

Details-on-Demand Popup

Click a site to see key details. Provides quick insights without disrupting workflow.

Check Box

Ability to uncheck the layers allows ecologists to filter out the irrelevant layers which doesn't help in analyzing and focus on the layers which are more important.

I have a more designs, decisions, processes showcasing complete journey, but this is just the beginning—we’ve only scratched the surface.

 Due to NDA I am not able to show you a complete picture on my website but If you’d like to dive deeper and discuss further feel free to reach out. I’d be happy to connect :)

vishrut2020@gmail.com

vishrut2020@gmail.com

vishrut2020@gmail.com