UCLA Auctions: Designing a Self-Service Auction Platform for Campus-wide Initiatives

Project Overview

UCLA frequently hosts fundraising auctions, offering items donated by alumni, departments, and community supporters. Proceeds benefit a range of UCLA programs—from scholarships to research grants. However, existing third-party auction platforms proved incompatible with UCLA’s internal systems and data security requirements.

My team was brought in to design and develop a custom in-house auction app that empowers UCLA event managers to create, manage, and run auctions independently—without technical assistance. The result was a fully mobile-responsive, self-service platform that supports both administrators and bidders.

My Role

Product Designer
Responsible for UX/UI design, user flows, mobile-first design, wireframes, and visual interface design
Collaborated with developers, UCLA data systems architects, and campus stakeholders

The Challenge

Existing third-party platforms could not securely or efficiently integrate with UCLA’s internal systems
Event managers needed a simple and intuitive way to create and manage auctions themselves
The app needed to be mobile-friendly across the board—for both staff and bidders
System needed to support multiple auction formats and item types

Design Goals

Self-service admin tools for creating and running auction events
Fully mobile-responsive design for both admin and front-end users
Seamless integration with UCLA’s internal authentication and data systems
Clean, branded visual design in line with UCLA’s digital identity

Process

1. Discovery & Research

We conducted stakeholder interviews with UCLA advancement and events staff, analyzed pain points from previous auction experiences, and mapped technical constraints and data integration needs with UCLA IT.

2. User Flows & Wireframes

We created simplified flows for key tasks like event creation, item listing, bidding, and winner notification. Mobile-first wireframes were prioritized to support staff using phones or tablets.

Key Insight: Admin users were often on-site using tablets or phones, influencing our layout decisions.

3. UI Design & Prototyping

The interface was designed to be clean, intuitive, and on-brand with UCLA’s identity. Accessibility and clarity were prioritized for a broad public audience. Prototypes included:

Creating new auction events
Uploading auction items
Managing live bidding

4. Testing & Iteration

We ran usability tests with event managers using Figma prototypes and iterated based on feedback, improving flows like image uploads and item status tracking.

Outcome

Delivered a responsive web app usable end-to-end on mobile
Enabled UCLA event teams to run auctions independently
Streamlined event setup time by over 40%
Platform now supports multiple annual auctions across departments

Impact

✅ Self-service platform adopted by multiple UCLA departments
📱 100% mobile-compatible design for all users
🔒 Seamless integration with UCLA’s internal systems
💡 Staff report increased confidence in managing auctions independently

Reflection

This project highlighted the importance of designing for operational flexibility and on-the-go use. It was a rewarding challenge to create a tool that empowers UCLA staff to focus more on fundraising and less on technical hurdles. By aligning user needs with institutional requirements, we delivered a product that is as functional as it is empowering.