A yacht equipment ordering system is a technological platform designed to facilitate efficient and convenient communication between yacht owners, ship crews, and equipment suppliers.
The system serves as a centralized hub for managing all aspects of equipment ordering, from initial request to delivery and payment.
What does the system do?
Equipment Ordering:
Users can create orders independently, select desired items, specify quantities, and include special requirements. The system supports recurring orders, favorite catalogs, and order creation based on purchase history.
Inventory Management:
The system includes a comprehensive catalog of marine equipment, ranging from small spare parts to complex systems like engines and navigation systems. Advanced search functionality allows users to find items by SKU, description, tracking number, urgency, date, and request status.
Order Tracking:
Users can monitor the status of their orders at every stage, from approval to shipment.
Additional Features:
The system enables the creation of equipment kits, professional approvals, and a pending approval queue. Overall, the system provides a comprehensive solution for managing all aspects of equipment ordering, improving efficiency and transparency, and delivering an enhanced user experience.
The Challenge
I have been tasked with the challenge of optimizing the user experience of the dedicated marine equipment ordering system, while addressing functional and design challenges. This involves leading a comprehensive process of user experience (UX) improvement and designing a fresh and up-to-date user interface (UI), focusing on enhancing the efficiency of ordering processes, optimizing system accessibility, and improving the overall user experience for a diverse user base, including yacht owners, ship crews, and equipment suppliers. The goal is to streamline the ordering process, reduce system complexity, and ensure an intuitive and pleasant user experience, while incorporating contemporary design elements and emphasizing functionality and usability.
My Goals
The primary goal is to conduct a comprehensive optimization of the user experience and user interface design of the dedicated marine equipment ordering system, especially related to yacht owners, ship crews, and equipment suppliers. It is necessary to create a more intuitive, aesthetic, and efficient user interface that meets the unique needs of each user group, while ensuring an easy, understandable, and convenient ordering process.
The focus will be on:
User Experience (UX) Improvement: In-depth user research to understand user needs. Identification and resolution of pain points in the ordering process. Creation of an intuitive and simplify ordering process.
User Interface (UI) Design: new design is intended to provide an efficient and innovative solution to user needs, while maintaining a modern aesthetic and utilizing current design elements.
The Solution
The sponsor's requirements necessitated the addition of the following new functionalities:
Improve the existing process of the creation of equipment sets, professional approvals, and a queue of pending approvals. Enhance the system to provide a comprehensive solution for managing all aspects of equipment ordering, improving efficiency and transparency, providing a refined user experience, and featuring an innovative and aesthetic design.
The design
The Equipment Awaiting Pickup screen serves as a critical operational component within the dedicated marine equipment ordering system, acting as a central point of contact for the effective and transparent management of equipment that has arrived at the warehouse and is ready for collection. This screen provides a dynamic and accessible real-time overview for ship crews and yacht owners, thereby significantly streamlining logistics and supply processes.
For the purpose of optimize the collection process, I added a 'Awaiting Collection' status for ready orders.
The system's Equipment Ordering screen serves as a central platform for managing and executing the procurement of all items necessary for the routine operation and comprehensive maintenance of a yacht. The system enables the ordering of essential components for routine maintenance, alongside the supply of food for the crew and passengers, while taking into account specific operational requirements.
My solutions:
Input Field Filtering: I implemented a filtering mechanism in the input fields within the system's design.
Improvement value: When there is a multi-item order, the input fields can be hidden, thereby increasing the display area for the items in the order. This improvement enhances the user experience and streamlines the ordering process in cases of large orders.
Item Quantity Indication: I added a visual indication of the total number of items in the order to the system's design.
Improvement value: Providing a clear indication of the number of items ordered, which facilitates tracking and control.
This improvement provides essential information to the user and helps prevent order errors.
Drop-Down Menu with Multiple Selection for SKUs: I implemented a "drop-down" menu with checkboxes for multiple selection of SKUs in the system's design. Improvement value: Significant time savings in order execution and reduction of typing errors.
This improvement streamlines the ordering process and shortens execution time.
Addition of Item Information Document: I added a detailed information document for each item in the system's design, including relevant data such as manufacturer, dimensions, weight, materials, and durability details.
Improvement value: Providing comprehensive and accessible information to the user, enabling informed purchasing decisions.
This improvement provides essential information to the user and helps prevent order errors.
"Kebab" Menu for Advanced Actions: I added a "kebab" menu to each item field in the system's design, allowing quick access to actions such as file upload, editing, and item deletion.
I improved system flexibility and provided advanced tools for order management.
This improvement streamlines the order management process and allows the user to perform complex actions intuitively.
"On the Equipment Ordering screen, activating the item search function via a dedicated button will open a pop-up that allows for locating specific items based on a name search.
My solutions:
The item display in this window will, by default, include all items available in the system, presented in a scrollable structure. Performing a textual search will filter the results, displaying items that match the search string, taking into account the item description. Selecting an item from the results list will add it to the order. This change streamlines the item addition process compared to the original system, where items were only displayed after an initiated search, and multiple selections could not be canceled using a clear-all function.
Because we added the ability to attach a document to each item in the order, a dedicated file upload pop-up has been integrated, allowing for the attachment of relevant documents to the items in the order.
In the original Order Summary screen, the order details were not displayed in their entirety. They appeared on the right side in an unaesthetic manner, while the list of items was presented on the left, with each item having the option to attach a relevant document.
To improve the readability and usability of the order summary screen, a reorganization of the displayed information was carried out, showing all order details. The main change includes presenting the general order details at the top of the screen, with a clear and detailed list of the ordered items below. Above the list of items, the title "Ordered Items" and the number of attached files were added.
While filling in the item details, the user can simultaneously attach a file.
The Requirements Tracking screen serves as a central tool for monitoring and controlling orders placed in the system, allowing users to track their progress and receive regular updates on the status of each order.
Existing System Deficiencies:
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The export option is limited to exporting all requirements together, without the option to export individual requirements.
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Requirements are not marked with a specific color for each type, making it difficult to quickly identify the type of requirement.
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An indication of the number of requirements displayed on the screen is missing, making it difficult to track the scope of requirements.
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The content of the requirement is presented in a disorganized manner, and the status of the requirement is not displayed visually and clearly, making it difficult to track the progress of requirements.
My solutions:
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A checkbox has been added to each requirement, allowing selection and export of individual requirements.
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Improvement in system flexibility and provision of focused export of selected requirements.
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Unique colors have been added to each type of requirement, allowing quick and easy identification of the requirement type.
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Improved user experience and streamlined requirement type identification process.
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An indication of the total number of requirements displayed on the screen has been added.
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Providing clear and accessible information to the user regarding the scope of displayed requirements.
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The content of the requirement has been organized in a clearer and more readable manner, and the status of the requirement is presented both in text and visually.
Significant improvement in tracking the progress of requirements and providing clear and accessible information to the user. -
A filtering function has been added to allow users to show or hide the input fields used for searching orders.
This action is designed to optimize screen display when dealing with numerous orders.
In the original Demand pop-up, warehouse demand management suffered from deficiencies and inefficiencies, which made it difficult for users to track order statuses and optimally manage the procurement process.
The lack of clarity was expressed in several ways:
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The presentation of demand details was fragmented and disorganized, making it difficult to understand the information and locate relevant data.
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An additional action, such as clicking a button, was required to view more detailed information about the rest of the order, which added complexity and delayed the workflow. As a result, users found it difficult to track their orders, identify potential delays or problems, and take the necessary steps to resolve them.
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There was no demand status process, which prevented users from getting an up-to-date picture of the progress of each order.
My solutions:
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I organized the demand details in a visually organized manner, allowing for easy and clear location of the details.
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All details are presented in one place in an organized, understandable, and aesthetic way.
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The addition of a demand status is presented in text and in a clear visual way, which makes it easier to track the progress of demands.
On the Catalog Management screen where you can create new catalogs or use existing ones, the 'Catalog Management' title is missing at the top of the screen as it appears on all screens with their associated titles. The catalogs displayed on the screen are presented in a visually disorganized manner. In each catalog, the edit icon appears on the right, and when clicked, it turns into a checkmark icon, with a close icon and an input field added next to it, thus opening the option to change the catalog name. On the left, delete and download icons appear to download the catalog.
When opening the catalog to view the items within, it is not possible to edit SKU, quantities, and notes, or delete an item.
My solutions:
To maintain consistency with the rest of the system, we added a title to the page.
I visually organized the screen by adding a kebab icon through which a menu opens with options to edit and delete.
I placed the download icon above the catalogs, as it is located in this position on all screens where download is possible, making the system consistent. When the catalog is open and the items can be viewed, I added the option to edit SKU, quantities, and notes, or delete the item from the catalog.
I made the following improvements to the original system:
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Enhancing the user experience and streamlining the catalog management process. Instead of the edit, delete, and export functions that were displayed separately in the catalogs, a kebab icon has been integrated, consolidating the edit and delete functions into a drop-down menu. This placement contributes to a clean and uniform screen appearance, preventing visual clutter.
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The export function has been moved to a more central location, above the catalog title, making it easier to find and use. These changes significantly improve the efficiency and flexibility of managing equipment order catalogs in the system, while maintaining a clean and intuitive user interface.
As part of a user interface optimization, improvements were made to the Copy from Catalog screen, which serves as a central tool for reusing existing catalogs and creating efficient equipment orders.
Existing System Deficiencies:
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Opening an empty pop-up window, requiring the entry of an identification number (ID) to display relevant catalogs.
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Lack of search functionality by catalog name, with all catalogs displayed in a single list, requiring scrolling for location.
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The process of canceling multiple catalog selections, requiring a single action for each catalog.
My solutions:
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Implementing the display of catalogs by default when opening the pop-up window, to reduce unnecessary user actions.
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Adding advanced search functionality, allowing catalog location by catalog name or user name, to improve search efficiency.
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Adding a "Clear All" button for quick cancellation of multiple selections, to improve user experience.
These improvements address several important points:
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Making catalogs more quickly accessible.
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Improving search efficiency by adding search options.
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Improving user experience by adding the option to clear multiple selections with a single button click.
Recurring orders in Order System screen
The order system screen serves as a central tool for managing and executing recurring equipment orders. The screen presents a comprehensive list of all past orders, allowing users to locate specific orders through advanced search. A key feature of the system is the ability to copy existing orders, which streamlines the recurring order process and saves time.
Existing System Deficiencies:
The export function exists separately for each order, requiring repeated export actions for multiple orders.
The order copy function is implemented by selecting checkboxes and choosing the "Enter Order Summary" button, leading to a complex approval process involving multiple pop-up windows.
My solutions:
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The export function has been moved to a central location above the order list, on the left side, enabling the selection and simultaneous export of multiple orders. This improvement saves time and streamlines the process.
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Optimized Order Duplication: A kebab icon has been added to each order, providing a direct order duplication option when clicked. This action takes the user directly to the equipment order screen with the duplicated order details, allowing for quick updates to the delivery date, description, and quantity changes.
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A filtering function has been added to allow users to show or hide the input fields used for order search. This action is designed to optimize screen display when dealing with numerous orders.
The improvements implemented in the system are designed to streamline the recurring order management process, save users time, and improve the overall user experience.
Professional Approval Screen
The professional approval screen serves as a central tool for controlling and approving requests submitted in the system, allowing authorized personnel to review and approve equipment orders before they are processed. The screen displays a detailed list of all received requests, enabling users to examine each request individually.
Added Solutions for Efficiency:
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Improved Filtering: A filtering function has been added to allow users to show or hide the input fields used for order search. This action is designed to optimize screen display when dealing with numerous orders.
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Total Requests Indication: An indication of the total number of requests has been added.
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Optimization of Professional Request and Approval Processes: Optimization of professional request and approval processes through clear and accessible visual representation, to improve the user experience.
