UX Hotspot: Charge Code Entry Optimization
Charge codes are essential to how Amazon handles variable shipping costs—like weekend deliveries, weight thresholds, and geo-based pricing. Until now, adding them during onboarding was manual, error-prone, and disconnected, buried inside unintuitive override flows.
This feature is a micro-interaction within a system I designed at a zero-to-one engagement—but solving it required object modeling, user flow clarification, and systems-level thinking to reduce friction and increase data fidelity.
From foundational architecture to object relationships, from visual hierarchy to interaction flows, every layer of this tool was built from scratch—and had to be robust enough to scale across use cases, regions, and operational constraints.
The features shown in this case study—like charge code uploads or override handling—aren’t standalone deliverables. They’re components inside a system I architected. This is why each of my projects spans months: they’re not scoped as UI improvements. They’re full-scale product design initiatives built on infrastructure that never existed until I made it real.
- Project Name TFS Simplified Onboarding
- Description Hot spot focus on adding charge codes within an onboarding flow
- Category Accounting Automation
The Problem
TPMs and TFS SDs are responsible for inputting charge codes—unique references used to apply payment rates in shipping contracts—during the onboarding process. These codes must be configured across two layers:
- Default program configurations
- Override configurations (for edge cases or geo-specific programs)
Currently, this task is handled entirely manually—often across dozens or hundreds of programs per work request—leading to inefficiency, inconsistencies, and burnout.
UX Goal
Reduce manual effort and cognitive overhead during charge code entry, while preserving user control and accuracy.
My Solution
I collaborated with the SDM to propose a semi-automated, template-driven approach that leverages system logic to support, not replace, human oversight.
Key Features:
- Downloadable CSV Template
Users populate a structured sheet with charge code data—this reduces interface interaction and leverages users’ fluency with spreadsheets.
- System Logic to Auto-Assign
The system processes the uploaded template and:
- Identifies and groups duplicative charge codes across programs
- Differentiates unique overrides
- Populates free-text fields accordingly across both default and overridden program configurations
- Manual Override Capability
Users can still manually adjust or input charge codes if the upload fails or if exceptions arise.
Why This Works
- Minimizes repetitive work
Users don’t have to input the same codes multiple times across programs. - Respects technical constraints
Rather than pulling from upstream systems (which is tech-intensive), this solution assumes user-supplied data is the input source—making implementation faster. - Handles verified and unverified codes
System allows entry of unverified charge codes (from contracts not yet live in downstream systems), preserving forward momentum in onboarding. - Fits the power user
TPMs and SDs are highly fluent in Excel. Leveraging their comfort with bulk data handling improves adoption likelihood.
Why This Matters
This micro-interaction touches on something larger: the balance between autonomy, scale, and auditability.
By creating a system that intelligently handles what is tedious for humans—but trivial for machines—we unlock time, reduce errors, and keep UX in sync with operational reality.
The Solution
Contained explained my education. Vulgar as hearts by garret. Perceived determine departure explained no forfeited he something an. Contrasted dissimilar get joy you instrument out reasonably. Again keeps at no meant stuff. To perpetual do existence
New had happen unable uneasy. Drawings can followed improved out sociable not. Earnestly so do instantly pretended. See general few civilly amiable pleased account carried. Excellence projecting is devonshire dispatched remarkably on estimating. Side in so life past. Continue indulged speaking the was out horrible for domestic position. Seeing rather her you not esteem men settle genius excuse. Deal say over you age from. Comparison new ham melancholy son themselves.