Fleet - A Story of Transformation and Efficiency

In the fast-evolving world of autonomous tractors, the need for real-time visibility into the fleet was paramount. The existing system relied heavily on manual data entry, with information scattered across the company and locally on employees' workstations. This is where the Fleet project came into play.

Setting the Scene

The company's product, autonomous tractors, was still in the transition phase between proof of concept (POC) and a fully-fledged product. To bridge this gap, reliable and accessible fleet visibility was essential for R&D, management, sales, and support teams.

Taking on Multiple Roles

As the Product Designer, I was also occasionally the acting Product Manager. Collaborating with a junior product manager and a team of developers, we set out to address the visibility challenge.

Discovering the Problem

The project was initiated by the VP of R&D and handed to the development team and me. We conducted interviews with users, led by two dev team leads, to understand the specific needs and challenges.

The Design Process

The most significant challenge was acquiring a deep understanding of the technology. Creating a highly technical tool for developers required extensive study and continuous learning.

Methodologies

We employed iterative design, continuously refining our approach based on user feedback and technological constraints.

Key Stages

Screen Design and Validation: Designed two main screens for the Fleet and repeatedly validated them with end users.
Concept Presentation: Presented the concept to stakeholders.
Development Preparation: Prepared screens for development.
Continuous Iteration: Made changes as development progressed, ensuring the tool met evolving needs.

Innovative Solutions

The new Fleet application was designed to be fully responsive, featuring comprehensive screen layouts, version updates, and robust report calculation and visualization functionalities. Despite the constraints of the legacy code, we designed a tool that met critical user needs.

User Testing and Feedback

Continuous user testing was integral to the process. Feedback was generally positive, focusing on UI improvements and missing flows. The report functionality, however, was revolutionary, introducing much-needed data-driven decision-making.

Overcoming Challenges

The journey was not without its obstacles. We faced the absence of a company glossary, the challenge of aiming for a moving target, and the need to create a deep technology tool from scratch. Through relentless learning and a modest approach, we overcame these challenges.

The Impact

The results were transformative. The company now has the beginnings of a comprehensive glossary. The Fleet application provides real-time visibility to all relevant teams, making support more efficient and improving tractor performance.

Conclusion

The Fleet project was a journey of learning, innovation, and transformation. By addressing a critical need for visibility and efficiency, we created a tool that empowered the company to manage its autonomous tractor fleet more effectively. This experience highlighted my ability to tackle complex technical challenges and deliver impactful design solutions, positioning me for senior roles in product design.