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Mitrefinch
Payroll System
A complete redesign of proprietary payroll software — porting a Windows 95-era desktop application to a modern cloud platform. The prototype we built for user testing ended up getting us to the final two in an Amazon pitch.
Role
Creative Design Manager
Timeline
~15 months
The Challenge
Mitrefinch had proprietary payroll software built by a developer who'd been there for years — he knew payroll inside out and the company owned the IP. The problem was the interface looked like Windows 95 and didn't run on cloud.
Payroll is a complex domain. Getting the redesign right meant close collaboration between me, the original developer, and the project sponsor.
Legacy Interface 1
Making Payroll Visual
Traditional payroll systems are table-heavy and dry. I wanted to make data more visual and explorable.
Interactive payslip
- Donut chart breakdown of pay components
- Cash pay, expenses, tax, NI, student loans, pensions
- Monthly/annually toggle
- Hover for exact values
Multiple views
- Basic payslip, interactive payslip, compare payslips
- Let users actually understand their pay rather than just see numbers
Redesign 1
The Amazon Pitch
During early development, a huge RFP came through: Amazon payroll. We only had basic user management built — no real payroll functionality yet. But we had a prototype from user testing. Presented at Amazon's London offices. Started in the real product, then moved into the prototype for payroll features. Seamless enough to keep the conversation flowing. Got down to the final two. Then COVID hit, then the acquisition happened. Never found out what ultimately happened.
Prototype loop
Outcome
Fifteen months from kickoff to MVP. The product continued to evolve after launch, becoming a cornerstone of the Mitrefinch offering. This was also when I first expanded the team — hiring a designer, bringing her up to speed, then handing her full ownership of the Flexipay product. A milestone in learning to scale through others rather than doing everything myself.