The Cherwell Redesign initiative emerged from long-standing frustrations with the existing implementation of Cherwell, the company’s primary ticketing and project tracking platform. When OBE first adopted Cherwell, they chose a theme and structure that didn’t align with the platform's intended use, leading to years of usability issues and data inconsistencies.

Among the most critical issues were conflicting time formats across different parts of the system (hours in one module, minutes in another, both labeled identically), and overly complex routing logic that frequently misdirected tickets. The platform had become so convoluted that I authored a “How-To” guide just to help new and existing users navigate it, because the development team wasn’t permitted to make any direct changes.

Over time, Cherwell's use expanded beyond ticketing to include project management and enhancement tracking, but the core issues remained unresolved. The goal of this project was to finally address those problems by decoupling the user interface from the backend and creating a new front-end experience powered by Cherwell's APIs.

As a lead contributor, I collaborated with a junior developer to design and prototype the new frontend system, using architectural patterns we’d proven successful in previous initiatives like Game-On, ComEx, OpEx, and our enterprise dashboards. We focused on rapid development using a familiar internal framework, establishing a solid base with robust security and authentication measures in place from the start.

Our goal was to modernize and simplify the user experience, streamlining workflows while preserving the platform’s ability to support both service desk operations and project tracking. I also served as a bridge between technical implementation and real-world business needs, incorporating feedback from service desk staff and internal users who had long struggled with the limitations of the existing system.

Unfortunately, as we neared the stage of integrating with Cherwell's APIs, a company-wide restructuring led to the dissolution of most of the service desk. This sudden shift in leadership and priorities resulted in the shelving of the redesign project.

While this initiative didn’t reach production, it remains a meaningful example of architectural foresight and resilience. The groundwork we laid informed future platform decisions and helped guide the eventual transition to alternative systems. In complex enterprise environments, the ability to pivot is just as critical as the ability to build, and this project showcased both.

• Legacy Platform Analysis & Usability Diagnostics
Audited and documented critical flaws in a misconfigured enterprise ticketing system, identifying usability gaps and inconsistent data structures that hindered business operations.

• Modern Front-End Architecture
Led the design of a new user interface powered by Cherwell’s APIs, applying proven architectural patterns to create a scalable, modular frontend that mirrored successful internal systems.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration
Worked closely with service desk personnel, junior developers, and internal business stakeholders to define project requirements and validate interface designs based on real-world usage.

• Enterprise System Integration Planning
Developed a forward-looking strategy to decouple the UI from the backend system, enabling future flexibility, API-driven workflows, and improved data consistency across departments.

• Rapid Prototyping & Internal Framework Utilization
Accelerated development by leveraging a shared internal framework previously used on company-critical tools, ensuring rapid delivery and consistent security implementation.

• Strategic Adaptability
Navigated a company-wide restructuring that derailed the project, pivoting efforts toward migrating workloads to alternate platforms, demonstrating resilience and solution-oriented thinking in volatile environments.