Mercado Libre:
Building a last-mile logistics network across LATAM
Designing the tools, workflows, and experiences behind Mercado Libre's crowdsourced delivery operation.
Role: SSr. UX Designer
Company: Mercado Libre
Building a delivery network from scratch
Mercado Libre was launching a crowdsourced last-mile delivery network across LATAM.
The challenge wasn't just designing a mobile app. It was creating a system that could recruit, onboard, activate, and support thousands of independent drivers while integrating with existing logistics operations across multiple countries.
What we set out to do
- Help potential drivers understand a completely new opportunity
- Build trust from the very first interaction
- Support drivers throughout their daily delivery workflow
- Give operational teams visibility into demand and performance
- Create an experience that could adapt across different LATAM markets
Key areas of contribution
- Product Discovery & User Research
- Driver Acquisition & Onboarding
- Mobile Delivery Workflows
- Internal Operations Tools
- Cross-functional Collaboration
Designing for drivers in motion
Drivers interacted with the product while navigating cities, managing packages, and operating under constant time pressure.
Every decision had to optimize for speed, clarity, and confidence in environments where attention was limited and mistakes had real-world consequences.
- Package scanning, routing, and delivery updates
- Accessible language and error recovery
- Designed for drivers on the move, with large touch targets, clear visual hierarchies, and information that could be understood at a glance
Internal Dashboards
Behind every delivery was an operational team coordinating drivers, demand, and routes.
We designed internal tools that provided visibility into the network and helped teams make informed decisions in real time.
- Demand and performance tracking
- Route management and allocation
- Scalable patterns for future expansion
Landing Page
The landing page was the first introduction to a completely new service.
We focused on communicating the opportunity clearly, setting expectations early, and helping potential drivers understand how the platform worked before signing up.
- Simplified complex logistics concepts into plain language
- Built trust through transparent communication
- Localized messaging for different LATAM markets
Impact
- Driver sign-ups exceeded expectations
- 1 in 3 third-party deliveries replaced by internal network
- Successfully deployed in 3 countries
- Reusable content and UX patterns adopted by other teams
What I learned
This project taught me that designing for operational environments requires much more than designing screens.
Drivers didn't care about logistics models or internal processes. They needed clarity, confidence, and the right information at the right moment.
Looking back, this was one of the projects that shaped how I think about product design today: understand the context first, then design around it.
Keywords
Content Design - UX Design - User Research - Usability Testing - Accessibility - Localization - Product Strategy - Mobile Optimization - Cross-team Collaboration
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Who am I? Hi, I'm Lucila, but you can call me Lu.
I'm a Senior Product Designer who helps teams understand users, untangle complexity, and build products that actually make sense. I know how to move fast without losing structure. Argentina taught me the first part, Germany shaped the second.