Background

Union’s Venue Operating System (VOS) streamlines guest-led ordering, tab management, and rewards programs for busy hospitality clients—helping high-volume bars and restaurants serve more guests, boost check sizes, and deliver unforgettable experiences.

When a new venue signs on, they receive an installation package that includes a shipment of physical hardware paired with an online installation guide. However, according to customer feedback, the setup was hard to navigate, and customer service calls were frequent during the installation period. Additionally, the design didn’t match Union’s new modern brand design and bold, irreverant tone of voice.

Union saw an opportunity to address two issues at once: help users with ease of setup, and incorporate the design system and brand voice of the new style guide.

Union

Team

Ashley Austin, Designer & Illustrator
Anneliese Klainbaum, Content Strategy
Layne Cox, Chief Marketing Officer

Deliverables

27-page Digital Installation guide
Print Collateral
Series of 20+ custom hardware illustrations

Tools

Figma Adobe Creative Suite

Previous Installation Guide

(excerpts)

The original installation instructions sometimes led to confusion for new clients in the set-up phase, and had generic branding.

New Brand Guidelines

An outside agency created an excellent design system for Union - however, it hadn’t been rolled out to any of the onboarding or sales collateral.

New Installation Guide

Working within the new design system, I created a step-by-step installation guide for Union’s hardware system.

Client Feedback

After 3 months, 100% of the venues that have used the new guide (approximately 40-50 new users) have reported an easy, seamless install. In a perfect world, I’d have an opportunity to dig a little deeper on the usability, but as a consultant who doesn’t always have access to data, receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback, even when somewhat opaque, is still a big win.

The client also shared this note in a recent LinkedIn post:

Features

New design reflects new design system, with consistent brand voice
Table of Contents & separate Sections bring a layer of organization and clarity
Clear language and simplified technical illustrations lower cognitive load
Color-coded hardware and cords align with set-up instructions
Coordinating sales materials solidify the brand voice, inspiring confidence and trust with new users