This case study showcases how I led the development of a Google Location Plugin to solve attendance fraud for construction industry clients in Southeast Asia. By identifying local user pain points and designing a lightweight geolocation MVP using Google Maps, I enabled contract wins and long-term adoption of the feature. The project demonstrates my skills in product localization, user research, MVP strategy, and B2B SaaS growth in emerging markets.
Background
While expanding a workforce management SaaS into Southeast Asia, we encountered a mission-critical blocker:
Potential clients refused to sign contracts without a reliable geolocation check-in feature. This feature was vital for tracking attendance of outsourced workers on construction sites, a process frequently subject to fraud (e.g., pre-recorded videos, falsified photos).
However, our existing solution was tightly integrated with a China-only mapping service, making direct reuse infeasible due to:
- Lack of global support (i.e., no overseas coverage by AMap (Gaode))
- Incompatible data models (i.e., simplified and standardized address structure)
- High technical complexity and data compliance risks in internationalization
My Approach
1. Researched Actual Pain Points
- Conducted 1-on-1 interviews and site visits with managers and field workers
- Identified the core need: not rich map analytics, but simply a non-editable proof of location during check-in
2. Challenged Internal Assumptions
- Existing internal thinking aimed to replicate the full China feature set
- I facilitated cross-team discussions and reframed the requirement:
→ “What’s the lightest, verifiable solution that meets the user’s real-world need?”
3. Proposed a Lightweight MVP
- Designed a plugin-based solution:
- Captures user location via Google Maps API
- Locks the address as part of the check-in record
- Bypasses the need for address database refactoring or map component revamp
Execution
- Time to prototype: 1 week
- Team: 1 product manager, 1 engineers
- Built as a pluggable module, minimizing codebase disruption
- Demoed at Malaysia product launch event → directly addressed buyer objections
Results
- ✅ Unlocked contract closures: 1 → 43 B2B clients within 3 months
- 📈 Adopted by 17.5% of clients in 3 months after the launch
- 📍 Feature became a long-term differentiator still in use a year later
- ⏳ Set a precedent for localization through MVP-first thinking, not feature replication
Key Takeaways
- Localization isn’t just translation — it’s adapting to local workflows and constraints
- Solving the right problem means letting go of legacy assumptions
Skills Highlighted
- User research & fieldwork
- Product localization strategy
- MVP design & stakeholder alignment
- Cross-functional collaboration
- SaaS B2B go-to-market enablement
