Field Toolkit

Empowering field technicians through technology

Client

A state-owned enterprise that manages the construction and operation of the country’s national broadband network. The client utilises various telecommunication technologies including fibre-optic, fixed wireless, and satellite technologies to operate its network.

 

Stakeholders

Product Owners, Business Solution Manager, Field Engineers and Technicians, Field Capability Delivery, Software Engineers, Solution Architect

Background

The engagement was centred on the enhancement of the “Field Toolkit” app, the primary app used by field technicians of the client. The primary focus of the engagement was optimising the Field Toolkit app’s user-friendliness and efficiency, while ensuring consistent brand identity across the UX. These efforts aimed to boost the overall productivity of field technicians and elevate user satisfaction. The engagement sought to also improve field technician retention, recognising their invaluable role in the successful execution of telecom installations, and the broader business success of the client.

My Role

My role as a UX designer in this engagement involved conducting user interviews, creating user journeys, creating wireframes and prototyping, conducting user testing, and collaborating with various stakeholders.

Challenges

  • “Why not build one app for it all? We’re not concerned if the app background is pale or sky blue. We just need it to be able to access and upload the information quickly!” (user feedback)

  • Low retention amongst field technicians: Due to its cumbersome UX, the retention rate of the Field Toolkit app among field technicians was low.

  • Ineffective UX design journey: The previous UX design journey of the Field Toolkit app failed to effectively address the pain points experienced by field technicians

Problem Statement

How might we enhance the user-friendliness, task management efficiency, and brand alignment of the "Field Toolkit" app used by field technicians in order to improve their operational effectiveness?

Process

  1. Understanding the Current App Build

    We conducted guerrilla testing and synthesised feedback received from distributed feedback forms to understand the then current app build.

  2. Commencing the Redesign Phase

    The redesign phase began after synthesising of the feedback received was completed, which formed the basis of the redesign process.

  3. Adding Features Suggested by Product Owner via JIRA Tickets

    New features were added to the Field Toolkit app based on JIRA tickets, which includes the acceptance criteria, created by a product owner

  4. Concept Ideation to Final Design

    I created wireframes to illustrate my ideas based on the acceptance criteria. I then showcased my designs to my stakeholders, I gathered feedback from these stakeholders, and then iterated my design based on this feedback

  5. Collaborating with Developers and Addressing Technical Challenges

    After the design is finalised, I then worked together with our software development team to build the new features and ensure a smooth development process. This collaboration was also important in the resolving of any technical issues and making adjustments to the design

Insights and Persona Needs

  • Users were overwhelmed by the number of apps required to complete a task

  • The Field Toolkit app lacked a clearly defined user journey, making it challenging for users to intuitively navigate the app

  • The Field Toolkit app’s delay in incorporating comprehensive information results increased the administrative burden of users

Previous Wireframes

Below are the wireframes I inherited as part of this engagement. Issues with the previous interface of the Field Toolkit app included the following:

  • Based on the data collected from the distributed feedback forms, most users used their smartphones and tablets to access the Field Toolkit app, ranging from the smaller iPhone SE to the latest iPad. These wireframes illustrated that extensive scrolling was required to navigate the app, making it a cumbersome and inefficient process, particularly on smaller screens

  • The previous UI possessed a readability issue, as shown in the image below, where the grey text was difficult to read against the bright red background

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Early Flow and Wireframe Sketches

Introducing the New Field Toolkit App (Smart phone)

The new Field Toolkit app for smartphones includes the following features:

  • Reduced amount of scrolling required in the Field Toolkit app by creating categories for its internal apps

  • Streamlined the user journey by consolidating the various apps used by field technicians into the Field Toolkit app, reducing the need to switch between multiple apps

  • Implemented a dark mode for improved usability, especially in well-lit field conditions

Introducing the New Field Toolkit App (Tablet)

The new Field Toolkit app for tablet includes the following features:

  • Because of the larger screen space on a tablet, users are able to simultaneously view and select between different categories on the left-hand side of the screen while view particular results on the right-hand side of the screen

  • Overall, a focus was made to enhancing the experience of the Field Toolkit app on its smartphone and tablet versions given 90% of users access the app on these two types of devices

Details About the New Wireframes

  • In response to user feedback, we redesigned the UI. Users indicated a preference for app grouping or displaying those app most relevant to them, as opposed to an extended scroll function that was adopted in the previous version of the Field Toolkit app

  • We completed a comprehensive rebranding effort and adopted the client’s design system to ensure uniformity across all the client’s products. This initiative aimed to minimise user confusion, improve navigation, and enhance users’ familiarity with the company’s design system

  • Recognising that many users operate in well-lit field conditions, we introduced a dark mode feature, which has proved popular among field technicians

  • We streamlined the user journey by consolidating several apps commonly used by field technicians to complete their tasks. When consolidation was not feasible, we used iframe to mirror some of the apps that were created using Power Apps. This simplified the navigation process for field technicians, eliminating the need to switch between multiple apps

Results

  • 95% of users expressed a preference for the new Field Toolkit app over its previous version

  • While the new app has proven popular, we later received additional feedback suggesting further enhancements were needed to unlock the full potential of the Field Toolkit app

  • Given the high level of satisfaction with the new app, the engagement later secured additional funding from the client's capability manager. This was excellent news as it allowed us to continue providing valuable support to the client’s field technicians, and contribute to the overall business success of the client

Personal Takeaways

Some key personal takeaways from the engagement included:

  • Importance of user-centred design: Gathering data on the prevalent phone and tablet sizes used by our users was particularly important. This insight allowed me to create a user-friendly design that aligned seamlessly with our users’ work preferences

  • Navigating assumptions for long-lasting success: While challenging assumptions put forward by the product owner can be a delicate exercise, it was a necessary step in ensuring the longevity of the new Field Toolkit app

  • Importance of collaboration between software developers and the UX designer: Fostering close collaboration with our software development team was key to achieving the engagement’s desired outcomes. Furthermore, striking the right balance between feasibility and UX design importantly ensured that all stakeholders involved in engagement were satisfied with the new Field Toolkit app