Fleet Management Winter Service Feature

Designing an Intuitive Interface for Monitoring and Managing Winter Service Vehicles in Airports

Role

UX/UI Design Intern

Duration

4 months

Understanding the Unique Challenges of Airport Winter Service

This project was initiated for a company developing fleet management software, focusing on a winter service feature specifically scaled for airports. The goal was to design a feature where drivers and service managers could see vehicles in real-time on a map, including the winter tasks they were performing or were scheduled to perform.

Tackling the Problem of Complex Operations in Harsh Conditions

The primary challenge was to design an application that could be used by winter-service vehicle drivers in harsh winter environments. The app needed to be operable on a tablet installed in vehicles where drivers were already focused on tasks like operating a snow plow or de-icer. The interface had to be clear, intuitive, and functional without distracting the driver from their critical duties.

Gaining Insight: Research in the Field

To deeply understand the operational environment, I:

Engaged with Airport Experts: Conducted interviews with shift planners and the leader of the airport winter service. This provided a comprehensive understanding of the workflow and critical requirements.
Conducted Contextual Inquiry: I joined drivers on their routes, observing their work firsthand. This allowed me to experience the environment in which the app would be used, from driving on the runway to managing tasks in real-time.

Why This Approach? This hands-on research was crucial to understanding the unique challenges of operating in a cold, high-pressure environment, ensuring that the solution would be both practical and effective.

Understanding the Unique Challenges of Airport Winter Service

Tackling the Problem of Complex Operations in Harsh Conditions

Gaining Insight: Research in the Field

To deeply understand the operational environment, I:

Engaged with Airport Experts: Conducted interviews with shift planners and the leader of the airport winter service. This provided a comprehensive understanding of the workflow and critical requirements.
Conducted Contextual Inquiry: I joined drivers on their routes, observing their work firsthand. This allowed me to experience the environment in which the app would be used, from driving on the runway to managing tasks in real-time.

Innovating Solutions: Brainstorming and Concept Development

Armed with insights from the research, I documented the environment and user behaviors through videos and notes. I involved stakeholders in brainstorming sessions, leading to some innovative ideas like voice commands and gesture operations. However, these were postponed for post-MVP versions.

Key Concept: The primary solution focused on a large map screen, displaying real-time vehicle locations and action points. This familiar GPS-navigation-like interface was chosen to ensure that drivers could immediately understand and interact with the system, even under pressure.

Designing an Intuitive Interface

The design had to balance ease of use with the existing style guide and design library of the application. The main focus was to create a transparent and familiar interface where drivers could immediately understand their tasks.

Validating the Design with Real Users

To ensure the design was effective, I created a mid-hi prototype using existing design components. This prototype was tested with the actual drivers who would use the system.

Key Insight: The tests highlighted the importance of data accuracy, especially in displaying real-time information that the drivers depend on.

Iterating Based on Feedback

Based on the feedback from testing, I made several refinements:

Introduced different colors for various traces to indicate the type of work performed.
Added features like hiding navigation controls to maximize screen real estate for critical information.

Lessons Learned

Deep Domain Understanding: Immersing myself in the operational environment was key to designing an effective solution.
Data Accuracy is Crucial: Ensu
ring that the system displayed accurate, real-time data was vital for user trust and functionality.
Technical Constraints: Knowing what is technically feasible in real-time displays was essential.
Practical Considerations: Always be prepared for unique challenges, like airport security procedures, even when you're not traveling.

Moving Forward

The next step in the project is to expand the feature set to include route creation for the winter service vehicles, further enhancing the functionality and utility of the application.

Validating the Design with Real Users

To ensure the design was effective, I created a mid-hi prototype using existing design components. This prototype was tested with the actual drivers who would use the system.

Key Insight: The tests highlighted the importance of data accuracy, especially in displaying real-time information that the drivers depend on.

Iterating Based on Feedback

Based on the feedback from testing, I made several refinements:

Introduced different colors for various traces to indicate the type of work performed.
Added features like hiding navigation controls to maximize screen real estate for critical information.

Lessons Learned

Deep Domain Understanding: Immersing myself in the operational environment was key to designing an effective solution.
Data Accuracy is Crucial: Ensu
ring that the system displayed accurate, real-time data was vital for user trust and functionality.
Technical Constraints: Knowing what is technically feasible in real-time displays was essential.
Practical Considerations: Always be prepared for unique challenges, like airport security procedures, even when you're not traveling.

Moving Forward

The next step in the project is to expand the feature set to include route creation for the winter service vehicles, further enhancing the functionality and utility of the application.

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Zoltan Vinay

Zoltan Vinay

Zoltan Vinay