Equipping Extend Commerce with design tools and a UX/UI analysis to elevate design maturity and enhance user experience across their product portfolio.
EsTIMATE SIMILAR PROJECT
Gather Learnings about WMS Users & User Journeys
Uncover WMS Painpoints and Improvements
Workshop
User Research
UI Audit
Google Meet
Pen & Paper
Recording Tools
- Evaluate System Onboarding: Assess ease of onboarding and identify ways to improve the learning curve
- Analyze the Order Picking Process: Map user journeys, identify bottlenecks and pinpoint issues
- Discover New Opportunities: Uncover insights for long-term improvements and innovations in WMS design
To gain a better understanding of the user experience with Extend WMS, we conducted qualitative research. This approach allowed us to observe real-world interactions and hear directly about the challenges users face. We chose qualitative methods because we wanted to deeply understand how the system affects users' daily tasks and identify pain points that might not be captured by quantitative metrics. We did:
- Field Study: Observing employees using the system to pick, scan, and pack orders, using the "Think-Out-Loud" method.
- User Interviews: One-on-one interviews with employees, including both experienced warehouse managers and newer warehouse pickers, to capture diverse insights
We hired Blueprint to conduct an analysis, and their report was both detailed and valuable. Their professional approach and knowledge impressed us, and we look forward to benefiting from the insights in our continued work. Working with them was smooth and gave us concrete tools to improve the user experience of our product.
Anton Bildh
Head of Product, Extend Commerce
By combining interviews and observations, we organized our findings on user behaviors and system challenges. These insights were presented using two key UX methods tools, along with a comprehensive, in-depth report that highlighted specific areas, including our observations and opportunities for improvement.
- UX Methods
- Research Analysis
The research identified three distinct user journeys in the warehouse environment, each based on different task categories:
- Tablet Picking: Preferred for handling large orders using a tablet to picks items and orders, but seen as cumbersome for daily use
- Paper & Desktop Picking: Using a list on a piece of paper to pick items and orders. Involved frequent inefficiencies due to navigating between printed logs and the WMS
- Aggregate Picking: A method where multiple orders are picked together in a single batch, rather than individually. Users experienced difficulties with the interface, particularly during complex or high-volume orders
Each journey revealed unique challenges tied to the WMS, impacting overall workflow efficiency.
Based on the interviewed participants, two key personas were identified:
- Warehouse Manager (Magnus): An experienced manager responsible for ensuring smooth daily operations, Magnus moves quickly through the system but finds many features to be unnecessary noise. His main frustrations include confusing UX copy and inconsistent system behaviour when resolving issues.
- Warehouse Picker (Johan): A newer employee who prioritizes efficiency, Johan prefers minimalistic screens with only essential information. He often feels overwhelmed by the dense labelling and UI clutter, which makes him hesitant to explore the system or seek help.
These personas helped anchor our recommendations, ensuring they addressed the distinct needs of both power users and less experienced staff.
A key issue was losing personalized settings from the test system at launch, requiring rework. Users appreciated the support from Extend employees but were hesitant to troubleshoot independently. There were varying levels of system knowledge, and all users expressed a desire to learn more.
Additionally, the manual lacked troubleshooting resources, and a long gap between training and launch led to forgotten information.
The interface was cluttered with complex tables and fields, making it difficult to navigate and obscuring important information. Essential UI elements, like search fields and product lists, were under-prioritized, and poor use of spacing caused elements to blend together. The UI lacked consistency, leaving users guessing functions and navigating through irrelevant information.
The orders screen was cluttered with irrelevant filter options, overwhelming users. The option to customize filters was often missed due to poor placement, and the key "Show also started" filter had to be manually selected each time.
Barcode scanning for order IDs only inputted the ID into the search bar, requiring an additional step to access the order page.
- Final Steps in Order Picking are Unintuitive: The final stages of the order were repetitive and confusing, leading to frustration and delays.
- Manual Duplication Handling: Users must manually mark duplicate products as zero, causing delays and increasing the risk of errors.
- Impact on Efficiency: This manual process hampers efficiency, raises error risks, and extends inventory audits.
- Limited Visibility on Scanned Products: When processing incoming deliveries, the system shows only the most recently scanned product, limiting users' visibility of all items and hindering effective shipment monitoring.
- Need for Comprehensive Tracking: A complete view of all scanned products is crucial for clarity during large shipments. Without it, users may lose track of items, leading to errors and inefficiencies in inventory management.
Based on the research findings, we created recommendations to enhance the user experience, addressing specific challenges and opportunities for a more seamless, intuitive and satisfying interaction.
- Rethink the UI: Re-energize the user interface by streamlining the layout, decluttering screens, and implementing a cohesive design system. This approach should prioritize key actions while simplifying navigation, ultimately leading to a more intuitive user experience.
- Simplify Order Confirmation: Reassess the order verification process by removing unnecessary steps and offering clearer guidance to reduce confusion and improve workflow efficiency.
- Introduce Onboarding Enhancements: Create training materials and in-system guides for new users to reduce reliance on experienced colleagues and boost their confidence in using the system.
- Add Personalization Features:Introduce customization options for experienced users, like warehouse managers, to tailor the interface and hide irrelevant features, enhancing efficiency and user-friendliness.
These recommendations are designed to create a more effective and enjoyable experience for all users, ultimately driving greater productivity and satisfaction within the system.
