Coming Soon
Project Showcase @
Shop-Ware 🚙​
As a UX researcher and designer, I collaborated with teams to create data-driven features.
Techs transfer &
accept jobs in app🔧
Technicians grew weary of having to leave their workstations to input information into a computer-based web application. The time spent walking across the room to transfer, start, or cancel work impinged upon their service shifts, jeopardizing their potential profits. Now, technicians can efficiently manage repair orders directly at their stations. The final solution proved highly successful and emerged as one of the top features requested by mechanics.
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Contributor: UX researcher, writer, and designer
Driving research
Research Plan Development
In my role, I led the formulation of a research plan and was tasked with mentoring the team on research methods. In a dynamic project environment, my responsibilities extended beyond design to include mentorship, collaboration, and data analysis. Assigned the responsibility of guiding another designer and a Project Manager (PM) in research tasks, I developed a research plan outlining methodologies, questions, and strategies essential for uncovering insights crucial to improving workflow.
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Exploratory Research
The research plan seamlessly transitioned into a series of 1:1, one-hour video interviews with auto-shop owners and clients.
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Data Analysis
This experience involved overseeing the process, organizing data, and validating insights using Airtable. It entailed identifying user preferences for transferring and accepting Repair Orders, which directly influenced the design decisions.
Insights
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MSOs expressed a desire to manage and create cohesive services for deployment across multiple shop locations, and I endeavored to provide solutions to meet that need.
Designing the Feature
Wireframes to
Prototype
The process of building through research unfolded as follows: a task flow was created to analyze the current system's shortcomings and potential areas for improvement.
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Sender Perspective (Tech A): This represents the technician who intends to send a repair order, symbolizing a physical vehicle, to another technician further down the assembly line. This technician aims to send the repair order once they have completed their work.
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Receiver Perspective (Tech B): This technician receives a repair order that signifies a physical car on which they will begin working. The objective of this technician is to accept the job and commence work on the car.
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Subsequently, the task flow was translated into wireframes, and we explored best practices, distilling them into three options. Once the preferred flow was selected, I developed language options, which were then put to a team vote. Following collaboration with developers to address constraints, and consultation with automotive experts, the approved medium-fidelity designs were transformed into high-fidelity mockups using Figma.
Research: Before creating wireframes, it's essential to gather user data and understand their needs. This includes analyzing user personas, reviewing competitors, and identifying pain points. Research helps inform the layout and functionality of the wireframes.
Task flows are essential for mapping out the steps users take to achieve specific goals within a product or system. By visually representing the sequence of actions, decisions, and outcomes, task flows help designers understand how users interact with features and navigate through interfaces.
High-Fidelity Wireframes: These wireframes closely resemble the final product and incorporate design elements like typography, color schemes, and images. High-fidelity wireframes serve as a blueprint for designers and developers, offering a clear vision of the intended user interface and experience.
Research: Before creating wireframes, it's essential to gather user data and understand their needs. This includes analyzing user personas, reviewing competitors, and identifying pain points. Research helps inform the layout and functionality of the wireframes.
Tech receives and accepts an incoming job
Accepting Repair Orders
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Similarly, technicians can now accept repair orders sent by their team members directly on their phones from any screen or by accessing their Work Transfer inbox. Upon receiving a notification, a technician can accept the job either by navigating to their inbox (located under the wrench icon) or from any screen within the app, allowing them to seamlessly continue their work. Read more about the accept solution released here.
Tech finishes and transfers a job to their coworker
Transferring and Canceling Sent Repair Orders
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The newly designed features produced allowed technicians to transfer and accept jobs by tapping the wrench logo inbox on their mobile app; therefore, decreasing the time is takes for them to physically travel to enter information on their computers. Techs can now fill out needed information or withdraw a repair order from their inbox or on the specific work order screen. Read more about the transfer solution released here.
Impact
Now, technicians seamlessly manage repair orders without stepping away from their workstations. Extensive research uncovered diverse use cases, shaping the design journey. Insights from interviews dictated design decisions, exemplified by the adoption of larger buttons to accommodate work gloves and messy hands. The challenge lay in anticipating and addressing every stressor, embracing the unique language and challenges of the technician's in-group. Notably, this journey involved a dedicated effort to grasp their jargon, even delving into concepts previously unfamiliar. Each element was crafted for noisy, crowded, and cluttered environments, acknowledging the realities of technicians operating in distracting settings. These solutions, born from real problems, reflect the genuine experiences of technicians in multiple auto shops across the USA.
Building Enterprise Manager
Research to Build: Pioneering the MVP
What is Enterprise Manager?
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The Enterprise Manager allows a single user to efficiently oversee canned services for multiple shops within a Multi-Shop Organization. As a designer, I was assigned to various products, with the Enterprise Manager being my primary focus for the quarter.
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Who uses Enterprise Manager?
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Enterprise Manager UX Persona: Auto Repair Enterprise vs. Single-Need Shops
Name: Alex Ramirez
Role: Enterprise Manager
Company Size: 30+ techs, multi-location auto repair business
Key Responsibilities: Overseeing multiple shop operations, managing complex workflows, handling high-volume customer traffic, ensuring consistency across locations, optimizing staff efficiency, and monitoring KPIs.
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Pain Points:
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Operational Complexity: Managing multiple shops requires seamless coordination and visibility into each location's performance.
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Scalability: Tools that work for a single shop often break down at scale. Alex needs solutions that grow with the business.
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Team Management: Coordinating a large team, ensuring standard operating procedures, and keeping staff trained can be overwhelming without the right systems in place.
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Data Overload: With so many KPIs, Alex struggles to find actionable insights quickly.
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Customization: Requires robust, flexible tools to address different shop needs and regional compliance requirements.
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Differentiation from Single-Need Shops:
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Single-location shop managers, like "Chris," have a more focused workflow, needing simple task management for a smaller team. They prioritize quick access to service history and efficient job scheduling. This contrast between Alex and Chris highlights the need for scalable, sophisticated tools for enterprise management vs. streamlined, efficiency-focused solutions for single-need shops.
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Research Plan Development
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In spearheading the Q1 Enterprise Manager Software Development project, I collaborated closely with a Product Manager to conduct a comprehensive UX research initiative. The research methodology involved 11 one-hour interviews, which included deliberate note-taking and the utilization of frequency tables for nuanced analysis. The ultimate goal was to inform the creation of MVP enterprise management designs based on the findings, with subsequent refinements planned for Q2 and Q3
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Objective
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The core objective was to establish a foundation for the Q1 Enterprise Manager software by gathering insights from enterprise managers and high-profile clients. The focus was on understanding their expectations and challenges in efficiently managing multiple shops.
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Collaborative Approach
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Working collaboratively with the Product Manager, the research approach extended beyond traditional UX considerations to incorporate strategic perspectives. This ensured that the eventual MVP not only addressed immediate user needs but also aligned with the broader project goals
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Methodology
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We conducted 11 one-hour interviews structured to extract detailed insights. Deliberate note-taking captured nuanced responses, and the data were analyzed using frequency tables to derive both qualitative and quantitative insights.
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Stakeholder Engagement
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Sessions with high-profile clients added a strategic layer to the research, enhancing our understanding of user expectations and strategic opportunities. This engagement directly influenced the direction of the MVP design.
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MVP Development
Based on the research findings, the team commenced the development of MVP enterprise management designs in Q1. This iterative process involved translating insights into tangible design elements that would form the core features of the initial software release.
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Presentation
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I synthesized the interview data using frequency tables and presented key findings, insights, and strategic recommendations to stakeholders. This comprehensive approach informed stakeholders about immediate user needs and influenced strategic decision-making for the MVP and subsequent refinement phases.
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Impact
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By integrating user insights with strategic perspectives, we have not only initiated the development of a robust MVP but also established the foundation for iterative refinements. This approach ensures that the software evolves to meet the dynamic needs of enterprise managers.
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Design Focus
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While I can only share a few select screens due to confidentiality constraints, these glimpses capture the essence of the Enterprise Manager's user interface and its impact on effectively managing multi-shop organizations.
Screen 1: Dashboard Overview in Empty State
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A streamlined dashboard providing a comprehensive overview of all managed services distributed across multiple auto-shops. Emphasizing clean design and visual hierarchy, complemented by supportive text, it represents a significant improvement over the legacy system.
Screen 2: Dashboard Overview
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An intuitive dashboard offering a high-level overview of all managed services and the ability to send these canned services to multiple auto-shops across the US. Filters allow users to specify criteria. The design emphasizes clean visuals and a clear hierarchy.
Feature Releases
Project Showcase: Shop-Ware's GP% Calculator 🚀
Empowering Through Non-Intimidating AI
My design approach for integrating AI into the GP% Calculator at Shop-Ware was grounded in the idea of making artificial intelligence accessible and non-intimidating. When working on a job, mechanics needed to see if a car - represented by a work order - hits the needed metrics. It needed to be simple within the legacy interface, ensuring that users, including mechanics, found it approachable and user-friendly.
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High-Stakes Decision-Making
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Interviews with high-profile clients and industry experts guided every pixel of this design. The team carefully selected the insights that matter most to mechanics. The result? A tool that doesn't just showcase technology but adds value to daily workflows, supporting smarter, data-driven decisions.
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🔄 Legacy Constraints, Modern Solution
Working within the parameters of a legacy system and a predefined UI posed challenges. Every design tweak and functional enhancement was a collaborative effort with the development team.
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🎯 Visualizing Success with Target Indicators
The answer lies in the Target Indicators. These red and green color changes, communicate whether technicians are hitting the mark or need a closer look. It's not just a design element; it's a language that mechanics instantly understand. Colors were tested to make sure they meet WCAG requirements.
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Tech Cost Calculator 🚀
🧠Cutting out the brain work for auto-shop owners and managers
The challenge was to use the research to let shop owners find the best techs for their job by being able able to calculate how much they cost before they apply them to a job. Apply the best techs for the job by calculating their hourly rate and labor rate. Learn which tech can the auto-shop the most money by generating a profit. Solving the problem of knowing who to select for a repair job.
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🔄 Legacy Constraints, Modern Solutions
Navigating the constraints of a legacy system and a predefined user interface presented challenges in the design process. These challenges stemmed from the limitations imposed by the existing system architecture and the established user interface conventions. Addressing each design refinement and functional improvement required a collaborative approach, with close coordination and cooperation with the development team.
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Notable Research Sprints
Tires
Research for a Roadmap
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Conducted in-depth interviews and analyze data, unraveling the unique dynamics of tire handling in the automotive realm. From crafting the research plan to presenting insights to key stakeholders, including the CEO and Head of Product, this project paved the way for a feature release. The themes uncovered became the cornerstone of design cycles that steered Shop-Ware's trajectory in the ensuing quarters. 🚗✨
Messenger
Untangling a Web of User Insights
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In this project, I delved into why users were underutilizing the messaging feature. Through 1:1 video calls and usability tests, I unearthed a critical realization—the perceived pain points were often rooted in a misunderstanding of the feature so it was difficult to pinpoint the issue in the user journey. Users were reporting design pain points as bugs; therefore, they did not use feature. This research was foundational, using customer service reports from Slack and Facebook to unearth findings. Findings and recommendations from this research now empower PMs to take targeted actions and enhance the feature. The research presentation sparked Jira tickets and a call for UX clarity in design, states, and language, transforming the trajectory of this pivotal product for the team. 📱💡 See feature.
Fleet
Fleet Management Enhancement with Shop-Ware’s Auto Repair Software
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I collaborated in the synthesis of crucial data alongside design and project management teams. The objective was to address the intricate challenges associated with managing numerous customer contacts within the fleet business.
This collaborative effort led to the development of a groundbreaking feature within Shop-Ware’s auto repair software. The solution simplifies and streamlines the management of fleet vehicle repairs by allowing users to effortlessly keep track of multiple contacts within each fleet customer account.
📱💡 See feature.
Tech Actual Labor Costs
Fleet Management Enhancement with Shop-Ware’s Auto Repair Software
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Collaborating closely with design and project management teams, I played a pivotal role in synthesizing crucial data to address a key challenge—understanding what shop owners desired to know and how they currently analyzed their technicians' actual labor costs.
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This collaborative effort resulted in a transformative feature within Shop-Ware's auto repair software. The challenge was to empower shop owners to make informed decisions when selecting technicians for specific jobs. The feature allows shop owners to calculate the cost of each technician before assigning them to a job, facilitating the identification of the best-suited techs based on hourly rates and labor costs.
TechApp v1 & v2
App refinement for the future
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Trusted to conduct exploratory research. Held in-depth interviews and analyze data, unraveling the unique dynamics of app users handling in the automotive realm. From crafting the research plan to presenting insights to key stakeholders, including the CEO and Head of Product, this project paved the way for a feature release for 2024. The themes uncovered will steer Shop-Ware's trajectory in the ensuing quarters. 🚗✨ See feature
Evangelizing user experience
at Shop-Ware
I laid the foundation by establishing a comprehensive research repository, implementing robust systems, and introducing a dedicated UX writing hub to enhance UX company-wide.
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1. Systems in Place: In the world of design, organization is key. I implemented systems that streamlined the design process, ensuring that each iteration was a step towards perfection. From collaborative workflows to feedback loops, these systems nurtured an environment of efficiency and innovation.
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Research Repository: I spearheaded the creation of a research repository, a treasure trove of insights gleaned from high-profile clients and industry experts. This repository not only informed our design decisions but also became a dynamic knowledge hub, laying the groundwork for data-driven UX strategies.
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UX Writing Hub: Words matter. The introduction of a UX writing hub elevated the narrative of Shop-Ware's digital experience. Each word was carefully chosen to not only guide users, but also to infuse the interface with clarity and purpose. It became a compass for users navigating the intricacies of the platform.
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2. UX-Focused Released Features:
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The culmination of efforts resulted in the design and release of multiple features that transcended the traditional automotive repair landscape. From the GP % Calculator driven by AI insights to the Enterprise Manager empowering multi-shop organizations, each feature was meant to introduce new user-centric practices in writing and research.
