SCOPE
I was a Senior Product Designer consultant on this project for Stord, a cloud supply chain startup. I worked with another designer, but I the lead on the Cluster Picking project. I created and presented designs to the development team, design directors, VP’s, and the COO.
DATE
December 2022
PROBLEM
The current software warehouse associates use is expensive, hard to use, inefficient, and causes inaccuracies in shipments. How do we improve the product picking process for warehouse associates? How do we optimize picking so workers can pick multiple items for multiple orders at the same time? How do we make it easier for warehouse associates to complete their work faster and more accurately? How do we create an engaging design that gives the warehouse the right information at the right time?
METHODOLOGY
I traveled to Atlanta to observe and talk with users in the warehouse and subject matter experts and use human-centered design practices to discover their goals, needs, and pain-points. Designed in sprints in conjunction with an agile development team. Usability test with our warehouse associates to create the best experience possible. Perform exploratory generative research with warehouse associates and subject matter experts to discover their needs, goals, wants mapped to their journey. Collaborated with our warehouse workers, product owners, tech leads, and product leadership to create the best experiences.
LEARNINGS
I discovered that our warehouse associates and subject matter experts may need a configurable experience for cluster picking. Meaning that they need a way for the SaaS to allow for associates to pick multiple items at a time AND a way to allow them to pick only one item at a time. I learned this by watching and hearing from associates about how they may miss some items when picking or put them into the wrong place on the picking cart. For the business, some expensive and bulky items, like say Macbook Pros must be picked and scanned individually. Less expensive and smaller items, like toothbrushes, can be picked and scanned in multiples by adding the correct quantity. This will allow for the warehouse manager to dial the level of oversight needed, and adjust for speed and accuracy as well.
RESULTS
We are currently designing and building an MVP. We will release and collect more feedback from our warehouse workers and iterate. The plan is to test speed and accuracy measured against the previous legacy software to find efficiencies. We will save the business over $1M per year for the licenses for the legacy software. Will also have the ability to white-label this tool and sell it to other warehouses around the world.
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