Warehousing App
During 2023, I was assigned to the Warehousing App redesign project. This native Android app, built by byrd technologies was distributed to the partnering companies to be used by people working in their warehouses.
Project Requirements
As this app was in use in many warehouses already, it was essential to preserve core functionalities. The app needed a holistic UX overhaul and every flow was to be analyzed and improved by having in mind already existing patterns and adjacent processes.
In terms of implementation, the new design concept needs to be able to be delivered sequentially, as modular upgrade packages. While the new Warehouse App was developed In parallel with the redesign process, the intention was to gain feature parity with the existing app but with a new, improved UX. After attaining parity, new features and functionalities were built only for the new App.
Empathy Map... sort of
As with any new design concept, it is vital to understand the true user’s needs and priorities. The obvious way is to ask questions and observe. However, I had one additional concern when it comes to true empathy. With traction, comes familiarity. Conversing with existing users can give me insight into difficulties and improvements but I was worried that the App has a very steep learning curve as well. To put myself into the shoes of the first-time user, I decided to have a “blind run” first.
In my attempt to understand as much as I can the challenge that first-time users might have, I decided to use the app for the first time without looking into instructions documentation. This way it was also easier to spot inadequate UX patterns without usage bias. I used different colored notes for different emotions I experienced while using the app.
User Feedback
Possibly the greatest challenge in this phase was the aggregation and standardization of requested features. While the general phases of processing within the warehouses are the same, each warehousing company has its standards and established processes, and differences can be substantial.
For every individual existing feature flow, gathered user feedback was analyzed, refined, and discussed with the cross-functional team to detect early possible technical blockers.
Custom Components
Choosing a Material Design for the Android App was the obvious choice. However, as this is a highly specialized industrial App, it required additional design of custom components as well. All custom-designed components were documented and stored as a reusable library for internal use.
Design Prototype
Each process flow was designed and developed in stages. This prototype showcases one flow within the Putaway process. For the best viewing experience, you can use the full-screen button in the top-right corner of the preview area.
