The Problem

Role

Lead Product Designer

When I joined the team, our client was using outdated software to manage all of their resources and handle a vast array of daily operations. This legacy application was hindering the company’s growth and and ability to scale.

I led the redesign of our client's most vital feature: Dispatch. Deploying and managing traffic controllers in the field was the backbone of the services our client provided. Dispatchers were in serious need of an updated system that was intuitive, fast and reliable. 

Research and Strategy

Stakeholder Interviews

I kicked off the project by holding a series of stakeholder interviews to discover business needs for the new dispatching solution. The Dispatch module is part of a larger, web-based ERP system that had already been partially designed and built. These interviews allowed me to dive deeper into what the current software was successfully and unsuccessfully doing for dispatchers. I came away with a current high-level workflow and the top 3 business needs:

1. Ability to assign traffic controllers from previous jobs

2. Add Employee Incidents to Dispatch dashboard

3. Ability to assign FAS equipment to dispatch jobs

User Interviews

I held contextual interviews and field studies with 5 users from different branches of the nationwide company. Dispatchers, Office Managers and Project Managers all used the current software in different ways to suit the needs of their work and location. I documented, compiled and prioritized their needs and feature requests. For the MVP, I designed for the following requests:

1. Ability to send batch SMS confirmations

2. Ability to assign Traffic Controllers from previous jobs

3. Reduce unnecessary steps

Understanding the Legacy System

I broke down each end to end workflow based on user group to understand the ins and outs of the current dispatching application, including incoming and outgoing data.

Competitor Research

Through evaluating features of out of the box competitors we ensured our tool was meeting industry standards and exceeding in the areas that were pain points for our users and stakeholders.

User Flow

Consolidating steps, removing unused functionality and designing for batch SMS communication.

Low-Fi Prototype

I created a low-fidelity prototype based on research findings to validate with users and share with developers.

1. Batch SMS feature request - Dispatchers now have the ability to send multiple SMS texts to traffic controllers instead of one at a time

2. Incorporate Employee Incidents - We observed dispatchers and office managers were leaving the Dispatch center often to file Employee Incidents in the legacy system

3. Included a quick access link to each Order in their legacy system to streamline straddling two systems during the transition

4. Displays a modal with Order information for quick reference

5. Signifies which traffic controller is the driver, allowing the legal department and dispatchers know who is responsible for the vehicle

1. Assign TCs from previous jobs - the system now displays a list of TCs who previously worked this multi-day job in chronological order. Clicking on the name populates the Employee field.

2. Ability to assign FAS equipment to jobs - implementing this field allows Dispatchers, Office Managers, and business owners to keep track of expensive equipment

Launch and Iterations

The Dispatch center had a soft launch throughout the Southern California offices before our client adopted the new software country-wide. Continuous feedback cycles using quantitive data, usability testing and product iterations will ensure product success, client satisfaction and happy users.