Helped Dispatchers to assign trailers to Dock doors with better experience
Yard management tool revamp
My Role
Research, Brainstorming,Interaction, Prototyping, Usability testing
Product
Yard Tool at FourKites
Duration
16 weeks
Team
Me(UX designer), Rohit Menon(Sr. UX designer),Austin Joerger(Product Manager), Dhawal Sharma(Product Manager)
Impact
Improved daily operations for dispatchers and attract new users seeking a more efficient, user-friendly logistics management solution.
FourKites' Dynamic Yard is an advanced yard management tool that helps reduce day-to-day complexities faced by the Gate Personnel, Dock Supervisor, Dispatcher, and all the users in the mid-sized facilities by providing them better visibility of the yard. From performing functions at a Gate to exporting performance Reports, the modules incorporated in the Dynamic Yard are well-aligned with the goal of increasing the speed of all the operations in the yard.
Problem
In January 2024, the Yard Management Tool team faced user issues like trailer assignment difficulties, data identification problems, and redundant workflows. Focusing on smoother operations, we prioritized improving the Docks page, the most used module in the Dynamic Yard Tool, to address these usability challenges.
Solution
To address these, we propose automation of dispatching the task through integrating data from warehouse management system and usage of rule engine logic while also enhancing manual task assignment experience.
Impact
These enhancements will significantly improve daily operational functionality in the yard management tool, benefiting dispatchers who perform tasks regularly. Additionally, they will attract new users seeking a more efficient and user-friendly solution for their logistics management needs.
"Creating tasks on Dynamic yard is really cumbersome, hope FourKites could enhance the workflow and experience"
- Dynamic Yard User
Solution
Design Process of the Docks Page
Worked on revamping the workflow of creating tasks through automation and reworking on the manual task creation.User can now avoid the repetitive action of creating tasks and with two clicks can create all the tasks for the day and can still use manual creation when needed.
Understanding the user
What is actually happening?
User interviews revealed a key preference: the docks page is their go-to for task creation, thanks to its drag-and-drop feature. But here's the catch: to complete other tasks, they're forced to switch to the task page, causing frustration. Additionally, users rely on WMS data for these tasks, often juggling multiple windows to get the job done. This reliance on third-party data adds an extra layer of inconvenience, with every copy-paste action feeling like a chore in the YMS workflow.
'Users forced to switch to the task page, causing frustration'
Problem Analysis
Multiple Workflows creating issues in the task completion
Usage of multiple windows and data source to complete one task
Lots of manual and repetitive tasks
Brainstorming on the potential ideas and prioitizing them
Research
This research is consolidation of different methods used like: Stakeholder interview, Desk research, Pendo analysis tool,Customer interview and heuristic evaluation. And used atomic ux research model to navigate through the facts and insights.
"If we know which trailer is going to which Dock Door we have to manually create the queue for trailers, and having one workflow would be really nice"
- Dynamic Yard User
Now just with two clicks users can create all the tasks
It takes almost 17 clicks currently to create a task , using the new proposed design it will be reduced to 2 clicks
1
Recommended task through automation
Using Warehouse management system data and Rule logic on the system this app will recommend the tasks for the day, user just need to click on view and then accept to create the task.
3
Fourkites AI can also capture any anomaly in the system to be resolved
Currently it is like hunting to see what problems are occurring in the system to actually fix them, using the FourKites AI it will help to capture and fix them.
What Product data has to say about the problem?
Users are navigating different paths to finish one task
After analysing pendo data and talking to stakeholders I came to understand what is the current issue in Docks Module, current user flow does not match with the task flow of the user. The users are following different paths just to achieve one task and also their bias towards their day today applications is hampering their experiece on Dynamic yard.
2
Fourkites AI will analyze any new pattern and will suggest new rule logic
If there is any new logic forming in the yard it will capture it and users will be able to quickly add this to the rule engine logic.
4
Users can now easily narrow down to their Doors with the new filters and easily drag and drop the the trailer cards into the doors
Addition of new filtering technique and with new drag affordance trailer cards, it reduces the chance of error and frustration while creating the task manually
5
Different views for different user needs
After understanding the user, I got to know that the current view is very static for the user and it is difficult for them to use the same view for different purpose. Three identified usage of docks page: First is to drag and drop the trailers to the doors to create the task , 2nd is to read the trailer data and third is to analyse the Doors alone.
20: 80 view for Dispatchers
Trailer cards in 20% and Door cards in 80%. This view will be used for creating tasks to the door.
Trailer cards
Door Cards
Only trailers view-Table UI-Yard users
This view is solely used to navigate the data related to trailers.
Only trailers
Door view-Display and analysis
The Door View only used for analyzing door status after a task is created
Only Door view
Reflection
I'm proud to have contributed to such a large-scale project from the start. I'm grateful to my team for their belief in me and their unwavering support throughout the process. This journey has been a valuable learning experience, allowing me to collaborate closely with engineers and manage the handoff of final deliverables.
I pushed myself to think of numerous iterations, present them to my seniors and managers, and utilize the new atomic research method, which greatly enhanced my issue analysis and brainstorming capabilities.
Looking back, one area for improvement would be to focus more on incorporating user feedback on final designs after testing, which will occur post-internship. If given more time, I would continue gathering user feedback and make continuous improvements for the next version.
6
Users can complete the tasks from anywhere they are without jumping pages
Now any kinds of task can be created from Docks page and from any views based on the context, now user does not have to go to different screen to complete one simple task.
On hover -Contextual action buttons
Based on the status of the tasks user can get the options on hover and avoid them to go to different page for same actions
Contextualbuttons on hover
Impact
Improved daily operations for dispatchers and attract new users seeking a more efficient, user-friendly logistics management solution.
My Role
Research, Brainstorming,Interaction, Prototyping, Usability testing
Product
Yard Tool at FourKites
Duration
16 weeks
Team
Me(UX designer), Rohit Menon(Sr. UX designer),Austin Joerger(Product Manager), Dhawal Sharma(Product Manager)