Case Study II Workflow Efficiency Improvements
Third Party Logistics (3PL) and Warehousing Industry
Background
This longtime client is one of Europe’s largest providers of logistics services, working with national and global brands. Its existing warehousing and logistics solution consisting of wearable voice directed technology being driven by a warehouse management system (WMS) was no longer able to support the sudden growth and expansion of not only their client portfolio, but addition of physical facilities that they were facing.
Having any downtime in operations was not an option during this analysis, development, and implementation of a bespoke hardware and software solution.
Methods
Working closely with the operations and senior management of this client, I conducted immersion workshops that created an alignment of the studies necessary to find a solution as well as explain in detail how they were to be conducted.
As this was a 24/7 high-speed operation, interrupting or slowing the warehouse workers’ movements was not an option. Instead of using traditional contextual research methods, I reached out to Tobii’s Swedish operations to collaborate on a way to use their eye tracking technology in adverse warehouse conditions. After gathering the eye tracking data, I was able to analyze and identify key points of workflow congestion, peripheral influences, worker and device interaction time studies, and most of all safety issues.
Creating heatmaps of not only the device/worker interactions but also the route logistics, I collaborated with our internal software team to devise better warehouse movement pathways guided by voice directed software to the worker. Additionally, we developed, tested, and implemented changes to track workers in the environment on a mobile tablet that warehouse managers could use on the floor in real-time.
In the end, we were able to design and build a multi-tiered end-to-end solution that was based off of operational reality, rather than perceptions and assumptions.
Success Criteria
Design and implement new workflows and software solutions that supports client’s quickly expanding international portfolio
Unify workflow processes across multiple facilities
Design efficient resource management technology
Address current challenges and future growth plans of the business
Clearly identify and solve health, safety, cognitive workload, & workflow congestion events
Roll solution out in a way that does not impede current operations
Many Voices Heard
Once implemented, this solution would include voice directed technology wearable computers, handhelds, industrial mobile tablets, and a warehouse management solution
Alignment and senior stakeholder buy-in was critical prior to even conducting research - this meant presenting a clearly defined process and timeline to ensure that this endeavor would not negatively impact delivery to their clients and prevent scope creep
Once senior stakeholders were comfortable, inspiring operations managers and warehouse workers to participate in the studies and redesign process was crucial, as these points could potentially be the undoing of any successful project
Sitting down with the participants to walk through the process and giving them space to voice their thoughts and respectfully answer their questions alleviated their fears such as staff reductions, pay reductions, and interacting with new technology
Equally crucial to project success was to get our software developers out on the floor engaging with users to give them a fresh perspective of user pain points
Key Highlights
Tobii Eye Tracking, SAP Integration, Angular, Voice Directed Technology, Onshore, Offshore, Stakeholder Alignment, InVision, Adobe Creative Suite, User Experience Design & Research, User Interface Design, Customer Experience, Journey Mapping, Project Roadmapping, Time Study Analysis