DOMAIN:
B2B SAAS
FOR AEROSPACE
PLATFORM:
BLOCK AERO - WEB
DURATION:
2022 - ONGOING
USERS:
5 RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS
MY ROLE:
UX STRATEGY,
RESEARCH, REQUIREMENTS GATHERING,
STAKEHOLDER ALIGNMENT
TEAM:
2 PRODUCT DESIGNERS,
2 DEVELOPERS,
1 PROJECT MANAGER,
1 QUALITY ASSURANCE
for Aerospace Supply Chain Efficiency
Enhanced Dashboard
for Aerospace Supply Chain Efficiency
a sneak peek to the "final-final" version of the dashboard
Overview
In the aerospace industry, where precision and efficiency are paramount, procurement managers need a streamlined interface to monitor complex supply chain data. Block Aero's dashboard for procurement workflow initially served its purpose but required substantial improvements to keep up with evolving user needs and increased operational demands.
Over a two-year journey, our product design team embarked on a mission to enhance the dashboard's usability, functionality, and visual appeal. This case study provides insights into how we improved the dashboard to empower users with centralized, actionable data.
User Research
When I joined Block Aero, our dashboard had basic functionality but lacked several critical features to support the expanding needs of the procurement managers.
We noticed that customers brought up dashboard effectiveness as issue quite frequently.
To understand the problem further, in-depth user research calls were set up with our biggest client - Procurement Manager in aviation, responsible for sourcing parts and materials, needing fast, accurate insights into supply chain performance, turnaround times, and vendor metrics.
"Although we are using 'Criticality' parameter, its definition is ambiguous."
"I still find it difficult to navigate the dashboard. I wish there was an easier way to sort the information I need."
"It took me quite a while to figure out where to navigate for analytics..."
Screenshot of our conversation with a user as they share their screen to walk us through a part of their experience.
Synthesis of Research
To gather insights from our customer calls, I organized a brainstorming and ideation session with stakeholders. We captured key feedback and quotes from the interviews on post-its, then grouped them by similarity.
This process revealed four main clusters, highlighting the most common challenges users faced with navigating and using the dashboard.
Analytics table location and functionality
Filters feature - lacking UX
Visual hierarchy and feedback issues
Claims widget
is outdated
How will enhanced user experiences in advanced dashboard technology transform aviation business processes?
Research Findings
Analytics table location and functionality
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Decentralized Data:
Users struggled to find key insights as the data was scattered across the platform, making the dashboard ineffective as a centralized information hub.
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Lack of Visibility:
Crucial metrics were buried in dense reports, making it difficult for users to access relevant information quickly.
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Limited flexibility in managing filters:
Users reported difficulty in quickly sorting and filtering information. In addition, there's a need for an option to clear or remove all filters easily, as the current setup requires them to reset each filter manually.
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Filter labels are often cut off:
Due to their length, filter labels get truncated, leaving users unable to see the full label text.
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Lack of clear filter tracking and complex filtering options:
Users frequently forget which filters are applied during the process, leading to confusion, especially in complex workflows.
Filters feature - lacking UX
Visual hierarchy and feedback issues
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Uncertainty around key parameters like "criticality":
Users expressed confusion about required parameters, particularly “criticality,” citing limited understanding of what it represents and how it’s calculated.
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Desire for clearer, clickable status indicators:
Users found the “status” field unclear and requested the ability to click on status bars to access more detailed data, allowing for deeper insight.
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Navigation challenges with certain widgets:
Users reported that some widgets remain unintuitive, impacting their ability to efficiently navigate and retrieve the information they need.
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Increasing complexity with new parameters and metrics:
As the platform grew, new parameters and metrics were added, but the dashboard struggled to accommodate this influx efficiently.
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Need for more detailed metrics in the claims widget:
Users expressed interest in accessing a broader range of metrics within the claims widget to support a more comprehensive analysis.
Claims widget
is outdated
A dashboard in a complex platform like Block Aero should be highly informative without the clutter. It’s there to enable users to take swift action or extract meaningful insights into what’s happening—whether it’s in the process of repairing an airplane part or managing its transfer.
Solution: Relocated Analytics Table
Our next task was to rethink the layout and functionality of the analytics table. After a session with developers, I learned about potential limitations in the current setup and the slowdowns caused by its location. This conversation also introduced us to the latest ag-Grid updates, allowing for enhanced grouping and filtering options—giving users more flexibility to manage dense data.
Solution: Added Superior Filters
Technical conversations with the dev team also introduced us to the latest ag-Grid updates, allowing for enhanced grouping and filtering options—giving users more flexibility to manage dense data.
Objectives
Identify potential improvements in the document type classification during document upload.
Proposed Solutions
Allow users to classify document type seamlessly via a simple dialog during documents upload process.
Explore opportunities to enhance the document viewing experience on the platform.
Create a different document view options: compact, list, card.
Add amplifier function to the preview, so that users don't need to open every document individually.
Find an efficient way to allow users work with documents while handling large-scale operations.
Enhance the bulk upload feature for documents by incorporating advanced options, including machine learning capabilities for a quick document identification and processing.
Testing Solution
After the prototypes were finished, me and my colleagues conducted 5 moderated and 4 unmoderated usability tests with our users to analyze the following new features:
1. Update Document Type While Uploading: This feature allows users to upload and classify documents using the appropriate document type during the upload process.
2. Updating Documents Type in Bulk: Participants were asked to assess the functionality and usability of updating document types in bulk, enabling them to efficiently classify multiple documents after they were uploaded on the platform.
3. Document View Enhancement: The usability of the document view was assessed to identify potential improvements for enhancing the user experience through the introduction of various document view options.
4. In addition to the document view enhancements we were expecting users to discover the Hover on the Thumbnail Function.
After the feature enhancements, users can now classify documents approximately 47.16% faster than before.
7 out of 9 participants appreciated the document view improvements, such as the ability to hover on thumbnails.
78% of participants successfully completed all tasks.
100% of participants expressed satisfaction with the document type classification feature.
How Block Aero Benefitted
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Addressed Critical Pain Points: User interviews revealed technical limitations and bugs causing daily frustration. These insights allowed us to resolve reported issues, significantly improving platform reliability and user satisfaction.
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Enhanced Product Scalability: Research led to improvements in bulk operations, a feature critical for larger companies. Adding this functionality made the product more scalable, accelerating growth by catering to bigger clients.
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Improved Platform Usability and Experience: Usability studies revealed key insights, such as the effectiveness of thumbnail previews and a preference for the compact or card view. These improvements refined the interface and optimized workflows, fostering user retention and trust.
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Increased Efficiency in Routine Tasks: By simplifying the user journey, we reduced the time required to complete routine tasks, resulting in increased productivity and a more intuitive experience. This aligns with our goal of minimizing friction in daily operations.
Actionable Recommendations
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Implement Onboarding and Guided Tours: Introduce an onboarding process to highlight new features for users.
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Introduce Machine Learning: into document classification processes to enable users to work with documents on the Block Aero platform more seamlessly.
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Offer Flexible Table Views: Provide options for users to switch between compact and card views, catering to varied preferences.
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Improve Thumbnail Visibility: Increase the size and clarity of thumbnails to enhance document detail visibility.
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Refine Design with Further Testing: Conduct additional usability tests to gather more feedback and iterate on design improvements
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