An interactive way for drivers and dispatchers to manage active shipments
Platform Science

The Challenge

The challenge at hand was a complex data representation problem, where a massive block of JSON data was being written to define and dispatch assignments to truck drivers. Only a select few individuals had enough experience with our API to navigate this convoluted system, limiting the amount of customers that could take advantage of a key feature.

Research

Adopting Google's design sprint methodology, we held a several-day discovery session. Additionally, the research engaged with the end-users – the customers actively using the job information page. This interaction provided invaluable feedback and allowed the team to understand pain points, usability issues, and user expectations.

Testing

Rapid prototyping of simple wireframes followed, enabling the team to visualize potential solutions swiftly. These prototypes were subjected to rigoroustesting, ensuring the resulting design would cater to real users' needs effectively.

Results

We arrived at a tabbed structure, focusing on optimal organization and ease of navigation. This layout accommodates any amount of job data by dynamically scaling to display relevant information efficiently, ensuring a seamless user experience regardless of data volume.

Timeline

This displays job progress alongside stops and locations, providing an overview for efficient monitoring.

Job Info

Dispatchers can access all higher-level job details, including the vehicle and trailer used, for an overview of their assignment.

Assignment Stops

Here dispatchers can access segmented details for each stop, encompassing the specific tasks involved and real-time driver updates during the job.

Media

The "Media" section offers features to inspect and download photos and consignee signatures captured for various stop tasks.

Code

This tab retains the familiar "Code" view for experienced users to view the custom raw data returned by their own integrated dispatching system.

Messaging

The integration of a robust messaging feature within the tool introduced quick and seamless communication, enhancing collaboration between drivers and dispatchers.

Outcomes

Adoption of the system required culturing teamwork and communication between design and engineering. We held regular syncs between designers and engineers, and brought new innovations to organization meetings to give engineering visibility into where the product experience was headed, allowing us to further advocate for human-centered design in our approaches.

New Customers

Our primary success was helping our product catering to "Buyer" level customers with no coding experience, eliminating strain on their small IT departments.

Smarter Dispatching

Additionally, the new system enables customers to train new dispatchers efficiently, streamlining their workflows and saving valuable time.

Better Communication

The intuitive interface allows dispatchers to convey complex instructions more effectively, enabling drivers to more effectively complete tasks and handle real-time updates smoothly​​​​​​​​​.

Conclusion

In conclusion, research and user-centric design principles (combined with great teamwork) led to a transformative solution that significantly improved the user experience and addressed the initial challenge.

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