A Data-Driven Redesign of Manufacturing Software
Overview
- Project Type: User Research, UX/UI Design
- Industries: Manufacturing, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
- Date: 2019
- Role: UX Designer, Researcher, and Developer.
- Responsibilities: Led user research and data analysis; conceptualized and designed the new product; participated in development, testing, and release.
Project Summary
Abas ERP’s production application is vital for shop floor workers and inventory managers for scheduling, time tracking, and task management. User feedback, however, revealed an outdated and cumbersome experience.
The Challenge
The old interface had several issues:
Training and Onboarding
The complex interface increased onboarding times and made existing employees hesitant to use all app features, impacting productivity and raising training costs.
Support Costs
The Inefficient interface led to more support requests, increasing the development team’s workload.
Scaling
Technical debt and unstructured design hindered scalability.
Client Trust
Ad-hoc feature additions eroded clients' trust in Abas's expertise.
The Original App
The Solution
Initial Steps
I was inspired to implement Lean UX methodologies based on Laura Klein's UX for Lean Startups in order to:
- Eliminate non-value-adding activities.
- Encourage cross-team collaboration.
- Deliver valuable features faster.
- Focus on user needs.
User Research
Methods Used
- Heuristics: Evaluated the current app using industry standards.
- Contextual Inquiries: Observed shop floor workers to understand their workflows.
- Surveys and User Interviews: Gathered qualitative and quantitative data from a broad user group.
- Usability Testing: Identified key issues by observing users performing routine tasks.
Personas like these were at the forefront of our research.
Interviews with our customers allowed us to paint a picture of their journey.Key Findings
Consistent Data Access Across Roles: Similar data was accessed similarly across roles.
Machine Settings Issues: Hard-to-find, non-savable machine settings.
Interruption Handling: Current app did not accommodate frequent workflow interruptions.
Design Process
Information Architecture
Red Routes: I focused on optimizing frequent, critical tasks to:
- Ensure accessibility of often-used features.
- Minimize steps for completing essential tasks.
- Simplify complex processes, reducing mistakes.
Wireframes & Prototypes
I created iterative, low-fidelity wireframes for regular feedback in design critique sessions. These workshops fostered cross-functional team involvement.
Testing and Iterating
We performed multiple rounds with target users to:
- Identify usability issues.
- Measure effectiveness of redesigned workflows.
- Gather feedback on look and feel.
Iterative Improvements
Each testing phase led to refinements based on user feedback.
Results
The Lean UX approach and user-centered design significantly improved user satisfaction, reduced support costs, and increased productivity across roles.
Reduced Training Time
The simplified and intuitive interface decreased the onboarding time for new employees, enabling them to become productive faster.
Lower Support Costs
Streamlined workflows and clearer UI elements led to a reduction in support requests, allowing the development team to focus more on enhancements rather than troubleshooting.
Increased Productivity
By optimizing critical tasks and reducing the steps needed to complete essential functions, overall task completion times were reduced. This improved daily productivity levels on the shop floor.
Enhanced User Satisfaction
User satisfaction scores improved significantly, with employees appreciating the more modern look and feel along with the ease of use. This was measured through follow-up surveys and interviews.
Improved Machine Settings Management
Introducing the ability to save and easily retrieve machine settings reduced setup times for recurring tasks and minimized errors, leading to more consistent operational efficiency.
Better Handling of Interruptions
The redesigned app included features that allowed users to pause and resume tasks seamlessly, which significantly reduced the disruption impact, thus maintaining workflow continuity.
Scalability Improvements
Addressing technical debt and implementing structured design processes enabled smoother scalability. This helped Abas ERP handle increased user loads and manage feature expansions more effectively.
Decreased Cognitive Load
The new design reduced unnecessary visual clutter and made navigation intuitive, which eased the cognitive load on users and minimized errors.
Updated Screen Examples
Updated Screen Examples
Reflections
Additional Challenges
- Balancing Old and New: Because this was a redesign, I had to be mindful of the need to retain familiar elements while introducing new features. Users had, after all, formed habits around the old design.
- Compatibility Concerns: As a member of the development team, I was always considering whether or not the redesigned app was compatible with existing data and workflows. Any disruption could have severely impacted business operations.
Lessons Learned
Impact of UX
Data-driven design, even when the company was in the infancy of adopting it, yielded significant improvements in user satisfaction and productivity.
Iterative Approach
Using an iterative design process like Lean UX proved beneficial. Constant user feedback ensured that the redesign stayed aligned with user expectations and addressed real pain points effectively.
Benefits of Multiple Roles
Having a designer who is also a developer on the project afforded us with a more holistic approach to problem-solving. It streamlined communication between design and development.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Encouraging collaboration across different teams (accounts managers, product SMEs, development) significantly enhanced the quality and relevance of the final product. This integrated approach helped us in identifying and mitigating issues early on.
Future Opportunities
- Scaling and Integration: Explore wider integration of the app with other systems and technology used on the shop floor to create a more holistic digital ecosystem.
- Customization and Flexibility: Offering users more customization options in the base apps (rather than creating a customized version of the app for each customer) would cater to varying workflows and preferences without adding as significantly to overhead.