Mobile Logistics Application

Tablet application for a parcel delivery company

Logistic Company Application

Introduction

The customer is one of the most important producers and distributors of kitchen and bathroom equipment in the Czech republic. For distribution of products they do not hire parcel delivery companies company but use their own transport division with more than 100 vans, trucks and other cargo cars.

 
 

Challenge

The current delivery process is too slow, characterized by a lot of manual work and huge paper consumption. The goal of our project was to automate as many processes as possible and to reduce paper printings by 80%. I worked on this project in the capacity of the Autocont software company. Together with my colleagues from the IT delivery department proposed tablet application connected to mobile phone.

Explore and Define

Firstly I monitored current processes and talked to delivery workers. I visualised the processes, and together with our customer found several points which could be optimised.

Ideate

I proposed a new version of the process model where I highlighted the core pains, areas for optimisation and proposed some ideas to make the delivery more efficient.

Prototype and Test

Based on process models I created prototypes. Firstly I started with pencil paper low fidelity sketches followed by a clickable black and white prototype. Then I tested this prototype with colleagues from the Autocont Warehouse department while delivering goods to our customers. The scenarios were quite similar and they provided us with a valuable feedback which was implemented into the wireframes.

Visual Design

Once the prototypes were ready, I created visuals. I was focused mostly on readability, ease in catching the correct buttons and support to the delivery and disclaimer processes.

 
 

My Outcome

Business process models, wireframes, visuals.

Login screen

Simplification of login screen.
Current process: Login into PC in a logistic center by personal ID, password and printing route itinerary manually.
Improvement: All credentials are stored in a cloud application and authentication is provided by touch ID in matter of seconds.

Route confirmation

After login, the user has to confirm his route for the day. Instead of signing a special paper he has it available digitally in his tablet.

Next stop

When confirmed, user/driver goes directly to the first customer. The application is connected to the GPS navigation and can navigate automatically. During interviews with drivers I found that drivers sometimes know the best directions so they can navigate themselves.
The application also provides bluetooth connection with a mobile phone, meaning the driver can automatically send a message when he arrives and in case of trouble call the customer without typing number.

Confirm delivery

During hand over, the customer checks the load and the delivery list.

Sign Delivery List

If the delivery is OK, the customer is asked to sign.

Fault item description

In case of problem (such as when something is broken or missing), the driver can easily mark what happened, make a photo and create a corrective delivery list.

 

Because of NDA, the customer name, structure, texts, processes and content are dummied. Some visual details are also changed. Thanks for your understanding.

 

 

Results

85 %
Paper and toner saved
60 %
Administrative time saved
26 %
Effectivity increased