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Engagement-Centric Design

Pattern: Model commerce as conversations, not isolated transactions.

The Concept​

Traditional e-commerce thinks in orders — discrete, transactional events that happen at a moment in time.

B2B commerce is more complex. It's a conversation that unfolds over time:

  1. Customer requests a quote
  2. Pricing is calculated
  3. Customer negotiates
  4. Product is configured
  5. Inventory is allocated
  6. Order is confirmed
  7. Fulfillment is scheduled
  8. Delivery is tracked
  9. Invoice is generated

This isn't a transaction — it's an engagement.

What is an Engagement?​

An engagement is a lifecycle container for the entire commerce conversation. It holds:

  • Identity — Customer, tenant, channel
  • State — Current status, workflow progress
  • Content — Line items, configurations, notes
  • Pricing — Calculations, modifiers, history
  • Fulfillment — Allocation, delivery, tracking
  • Events — Complete audit trail

Everything related to the commerce conversation lives in one place.

Why This Matters​

Traditional Order Model​

Quote → (lost context) → Order → (separate system) → Fulfillment

Each step is isolated. Context is lost. Systems are disconnected.

Engagement Model​

Engagement Created → Quote Added → Negotiation → Configuration → 
  Confirmed → Allocated → Fulfilled → Invoiced

One continuous conversation. Complete context. Connected workflow.

Benefits​

1. Complete Context Every worker that touches the engagement has access to the full history and current state.

2. Audit Trail Every action is recorded within the engagement lifecycle.

3. Workflow Flexibility Engagements can follow different paths based on business rules (approval workflows, configuration steps, etc.).

4. Real-Time Updates UI can subscribe to engagement changes and update in real-time as the conversation progresses.

Learn More​

For detailed implementation, see:

Engagement-Centric Design: Commerce is a conversation.