SHARING EXCESS WAREHOUSE
Overview
The context
Sharing Excess App in an internal web app that helps Sharing Excess facilitates their various operations. One of the most important features of the app is the Warehouse feature, and its main purpose is to assist warehouse workers in recording data during the food collecting and distributing process.
However, prior to this project, workers had not been able to utilize the Warehouse feature efficiently.
My role
As one of the two UX designers on the team, my primary responsibilities include:
- Performing user research to understand the users and the problem space
- Leading the design, development, and ideation of the prototypes
- Conducting usability tests to gather user feedback and identify usability issues
- Maintaining close collaboration with the project manager and the developers to make sure the design aligned with their requirements and objectives
Understanding The Problem
To thoroughly understand the problems with the Warehouse feature, I spearheaded the research process. Our goals were to empathize with the workers and to gather data that can drive our design decisions.
2 days of field study and direct observation
Individual interviews with 5 workers
Heuristic evaluation of the current Warehouse feature
Participatory design workshop with 3 workers
Problems with the warehouse feature
Missing input fields for data tracking, which resulted in inefficiency and high data inaccuracy
For each donated food item, other than the total weight, workers also had to record other information. However, the app didn't account for the extra information, forcing workers to use Google Sheet to keep track of this data.
Inflexibility in food distribution, which resulted in a slow and inefficient process
When distributing food to recipient organizations, the app only allowed workers to complete one form per food item. As such, when various food items were distributed to the same organization, workers had to fill out multiple redundant form.
Lack a reminder for undistributed food, causing food waste due to forgetfulness
It was common for food items to remain undistributed and had to be set aside for later. However, the app didn't have a reminder for such cases, which often resulted in workers forgetting about them.
No one was using the app in real-time
Since it was inefficient to use the Warehouse feature in real-time, workers resorted to Google Sheets to keep track of incoming and outgoing food. However, this temporary solution required workers to spend extra time at the end of each operation to transfer data from Google Sheets to the app.
This dependency on Google Sheets added unnecessary complexity to the workflow, resulting in inefficiency and waste.
Setting Goals
The objective of this project was to improve the Warehouse feature so that it could be used in real-time during operation.
Our business goals were to:
- Increase warehouse efficiency
- Reduce data inaccuracy
- Reduce food waste
Our user goal was to seamlessly incorporate the Warehouse feature into the existing workflow.
Design Process
Extensive research into the problem helped us uncover two primary opportunities to enhance warehouse workflow efficiency:
- Making the flow of the Warehouse feature similar to the existing warehouse workflow, so that the app can be used in real-time
- Implementing the advantageous features of alternative platforms into the Warehouse feature
Our design process was an iterative one that lasted for four weeks with a total of four iterations. At the end of each iteration, I conducted in-person usability tests with a few warehouse workers and updated our design based on the workers' feedback.
Our Solution
Expanding on existing forms for faster data recording process
To streamline the data entry process, I proposed we expand upon the existing entry form by adding individual input entries for each data point.
This approach eliminated the need to use the note section to record data, which sped up the data entry process significantly for the workers.
To solve the inefficiency issue of the distribution process, I suggested we combine multiple forms into one. As such, workers only needed to fill out one form per recipient organization, no matter how many food items the organization was picking up.
This approach shortened the distribution process and made it a lot easier for workers to manage distribution data.
Separating distribution tasks from entry tasks for better data management
My solution to reducing food waste was to create an entirely new page dedicated to distribution tasks.
A list of undistributed food items served as a powerful reminder for workers to dispatch these items in a timely manner.
The Outcome
Our solution solved the existing problems by integrating the app seamlessly into the workers' existing workflow.
As a result, warehouse workers no longer needed to use Google Sheets to record data. The final step of their previous workflow, which was to transfer data from Google Sheets to the app, was completely eliminated.
Warehouse efficiency increased by 33%
Data recording process shorten by 75%
Data inaccuracy reduced by 75%
Food waste reduced by 65%