Karen Caldwell
UX CASE STUDY
COMPLIANCE VALIDATION
PROJECT OVERVIEW
As part of DroneUp’s Mobile Commerce initiative, I led UX design for a web-based FAA Compliance Validation Tool. This internal-facing application was developed to help Walmart and future clients identify which products in their inventory were eligible for drone delivery based on FAA Part 107 regulations, hazardous materials restrictions, age limitations, and drone payload constraints.
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The need for this application arose from day-to-day challenges faced by the Hub Operations team. As they packed drone delivery boxes, they encountered products that were mistakenly included in orders despite being non-compliant due to flammability, size, or FAA restrictions. The absence of an automated system to flag these items led to inefficiencies and potential regulatory risks.
The primary goal was to:
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Prevent ineligible products from being delivered via drone
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Automate the identification and flagging of restricted products
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Provide a scalable tool for internal data scientists and, eventually, external clients
RESEARCH & DISCOVERIES
Before this tool was created, Walmart uploaded inventory files nightly into BigQuery. Data scientists would then manually query these large datasets to identify disallowed items. The process was inefficient, prone to oversight, and required technical expertise.
Assess
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FAA Part 107 & Hazmat transport regulations
Research
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Age-restricted product limitations
Understand
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Drone delivery weight and size constraints
DESIGN PROCESS
Design Challenge
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File upload and ingestion of inventory lists
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Automatic flagging of known restricted items based on rule logic
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Designing for future integration of machine learning
Presentation of two key lists
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Automatically removed items (based on past flagged data and machine learning predictions)
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Flagged new or questionable items needing manual review
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A lightweight if/else logic editor for the Data Scientist to update compliance rules
Key Features Designed
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Upload & validation interface
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Results dashboard with filters and status indicators
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Editable rule logic interface for advanced users
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Flagging workflow for Hub Operators
OUTCOME
Phase 1 of the application was prototyped and tested internally. While it did not replace BigQuery entirely, it introduced critical efficiencies by separating known issues from those requiring human review.
Due to DroneUp’s financial constraints, the Mobile Commerce project was shut down before:
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Phase 2 (client-facing version) was implemented
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AI-driven compliance rule engine was integrated
REFLECTION
Although the product was never fully launched, this project deepened my expertise in:
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Designing data-intensive internal tools
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Collaborating across technical and operational teams
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Creating scalable frameworks for future AI integration
This experience emphasized the importance of automating compliance and the challenge of making highly complex regulatory processes digestible through UX. I remain proud of the foundation we created and the clarity we brought to a high-risk, high-volume workflow.
TOOLS & METHODS
Figma
Miro