PLAEX Technologies

PLAEX Technologies is a sustainability-focused IT services company, building intelligent waste-management platforms that reduce residual waste and improve recycling outcomes. Competing alongside global players like Waste Management Inc., Republic Services, and Veolia Environnement, PLAEX operates at the intersection of sustainability, data, and operational efficiency.

As the sole Product (UI/UX) Designer & Design Engineer, I worked closely with engineers and stakeholders across the entire product lifecycle, from discovery and system design to implementation and iteration. I designed and scaled the design system to maintain consistency across complex, data-heavy interfaces, while translating design decisions into responsive, production-ready solutions using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, and ChartJS. I ensured that visual design, technical feasibility, accessibility, and performance worked together, enabling the team to ship confidently and iterate quickly. During this period, I delivered multiple products that advanced PLAEX’s mission, improving both usability, business goals, and market competitiveness.

Designing enterprise grade tools for the waste management industry came with a unique set of challenges. The product needed to be intuitive and accessible for users with varying levels of technical expertise, while also surfacing complex operational data and real-time insights. At the same time, the interface had to convey trust, sustainability, and technical credibility without relying on outdated or overly industrial design patterns.

Additional challenges came from building within MVP timelines while laying the groundwork for scale. Design decisions had to support immediate delivery without creating long term friction for engineering, extensibility, or system coherence. Finding the right balance between usability, aesthetics, and system scalability was key to the product’s success.

I approached the problem with a systems-first, user-centered mindset. I started by deeply understanding PLAEX’s users, their workflows, and operational contexts. Through user research and stakeholder alignment, I identified key usability challenges and designed a navigation model that prioritized clarity, predictability, and ease of use, while still supporting advanced functionality beneath the surface.

I defined a visual language that reflected PLAEX’s sustainability mission, using an earthy, restrained color palette anchored in green to signal environmental responsibility and trust. Typography, spacing, and layout decisions focused on readability, hierarchy, and consistency, ensuring the interface could scale across screens and use cases without visual fragmentation.

From a system and implementation standpoint, I designed reusable components and interaction patterns that integrated seamlessly into the engineering workflow. I collaborated closely with developers to support the integration of an AI-powered digital waste tracking system, enabling real-time monitoring of waste collection and disposal. Smart bins equipped with sensors fed live data into a centralized dashboard, where information was presented through clear visualizations and status indicators. This approach ensured the product remained both technically robust and easy to operate, delivering actionable insights while supporting PLAEX’s broader sustainability goals.