Successful Redesign of the Transportation Management System

300+

route display

5X increase in the number of orders processed without interruption per day

5,000+

simultaneous order handling

Tight deadline (8 weeks between POC and production release)

Client

The client is a leader in the online grocery market, operating in this segment for more than 20 years. The business integrates new-generation product delivery service that combines traditional and modern retail technologies. While selling and delivering internet-based goods and homeware products, they achieved considerable results of 63.9 million net sales in the previous year.

Challenge

As the client’s business was growing, so did their needs. The outdated interface and complicated user experience of their internal transportation management system were not addressing their supply chain problems and negatively impacting business in several ways.

Calculating routes took 4 hours, and sometimes, users were not exploiting full platform functionalities. This resulted in poor service quality, which in turn had a negative impact on driver efficiency, customer loyalty, and profit. Apart from the design-related challenges, the deadline for creating a new interface was extremely short, as the product launch was intended to take place before the high holiday season.

DataArt was hired to design a central logistic system for employers to track and monitor driver and vehicle performances.

Solution

We have made major improvements to the TMS interface and added several new features to make the system more efficient and enjoyable.

Our design allows users to easily import data from the platform and choose different paths while clearly viewing the impact of the changes.

Due to the refreshed interface, logistics specialists can effectively choose separate routes/orders, apply additional criteria, and recalculate routes with the help of the system.

What We Did

UI/UX research
Rapid prototyping
User flow optimization
Design project and development support
Information architecture update

Location

Asian region

Industry

CPG & Retail Software Development

Services

UI & UX Design Services

Project Details

Discovery Phase

With the business goal in mind, we ensured that our users reach the route optimization screen without hiccups. So, we sketched a current-state user journey map to identify opportunities for improvement.

Additionally, we broke down the goals - or jobs - our users want to accomplish by using the product. According to the Jobs to Be Done framework, we sorted the jobs into two categories: main jobs and related ones. These were shared with our users as a Likert scale survey.

Based on the research, we identified the following key areas for improvement:

The existing UI was cluttered and confusing, with too many options and menus.
The TMS lacked a clear navigation structure, making it difficult to find the right information.
The TMS required users to perform repetitive tasks, such as entering the same information multiple times.
The TMS did not integrate well with other systems, causing delays and errors.

The New Design

We presented three different Look & Feel variations to the stakeholders, which helped us narrow down the design aesthetic they were looking for.

As a result, we delivered a modern web-based interface with no need to install a software.

A light UI background for the transportation management system assures an easy-to-use and intuitive experience. The light interface allows users to quickly identify and access the features they need to optimize the routes. The color palette also helps reduce eye strain, making it easier for users to work with the system without feeling overwhelmed.

The feature hierarchy was changed based on user research. The new design has a more concise structure that is easier to navigate. It also eliminates unnecessary features and consolidates similar features into more logical groups. This makes it simpler and faster to find the information you need and get your work done.

Moreover, according to the insights, we identified two unnecessary steps and potential drop-off points in the flow.

The applied UI/UX modifications brought considerable improvements to the system, including:

The new UI/UX enhanced the productivity of logistics specialists, enabling them to work with greater speed and efficiency.
The redesigned interface incorporated an extended route detail panel, which included comprehensive information such as the list of orders along the route, vehicle utilization, and delivery timeline.
Users were provided with the ability to make route adjustments and analyze the outcomes, allowing them to assess the overall feasibility of the new route and identify potential risks like delayed delivery or vehicle overload.
The refreshed design was developed to ensure the platform’s scalability, catering to the future needs and requirements of users.
The TMS seamlessly integrated with internal systems such as bookkeeping and inventory accounting, facilitating smooth and efficient workflow across various departments.

Conclusion

The solution allowed the client to easily automate numerous time-intensive processes while increasing logistical awareness and transparency:

Complex UI with a drag-and-drop feature for map and info-panels
A 10% increase in the number of orders delivered
Map optimization for 5,000+ simultaneous orders

Anastasia leads the dynamic DataArt Design Studio team of UI/UX specialists, 3/2D artists and webmasters and coordinating the resources, establishing the processes and working on both internal and external PR of UX services. Anastasia has a vast hand-on experience in design, which helps to be on the same page with designers and clients.