The Tread app lets dispatchers create construction projects and send the project details to all of their truckers at the click of a button. 30% of these projects require new sites to be created in Tread. Originally, Dispatchers could only create radial geofences on a map that represented a site outline. This was useful because i. geofences let their truckers log site entry and exit data and ii. analysts could look at this data to see how their projects were tracking against their target times.
Lead Product Designer
Sep – Nov, 2020
1 PM, 4 Eng, 1 QA
Our research identified two problems with site creation in Tread. First, radial geofences were often inaccurate because they did not match the real outline of construction sites. Second, there was a workflow-based problem with the site creation process. The Tread app had separate sections for dispatching and site creation. Although dispatchers could enter a site address while dispatching, they could not configure a geofence. This had to be done on a separate page called "Sites.”
The business goals were twofold: to improve customer satisfaction by enhancing dispatching accuracy and speed, and to win more paving customers.
Increase % of projects where dispatchers created sites with geofences
Reduce dispatcher’s average time spent on the task of dispatching
Reduce instances of project data inaccuracies.
We introduced a new inline site editor: dispatchers can use this tool to create construction sites while building new projects. The editor significantly boosted dispatching efficiency of site input on Tread.
Dispatchers prioritized speed and flexibility in their workflow. Originally, they could select an existing site or enter a text-based site address while dispatching, but they could not configure a geofence. This had to be done on a separate page called "Sites.”
Analysts were a separate persona who looked for efficiencies in how projects were run. Inaccurate or non-existent geofence data meant that analysts weren't able to observe if truckers' pickup and drop-off times fell within an acceptable range, based on their site geofence entry and exit times.
Radial geofences were a non-starter for our paving customer vertical. Overlapping radial geofences were a common issue, and caused almost all of the project cycle data to be inaccurate.
I collaborated with my product team over the course of six weeks to understand, define and ideate the solution we ended up implementing. I outline some of the process steps below.
We interviewed 10 dispatchers to understand their workflows, mental models and pain points and then mapped our insights across a dispatcher customer journey map. We used segments of the map to inform where we focused our efforts. Site creation was one of those segments.
I created a set of user flow maps in order to map the complexity, collect feedback and visually create a shared understanding amongst the team of the flow we were proposing to build – and how it would save dispatcher’s time.
Once we designed a scrappy prototype, we met with 6 dispatchers to perform evaluative testing. Feedback was more ground level – mostly around usability, however one key insight lead to an internal product strategy debate.
Concerns over entering sites without addresses
One main concern from dispatchers was that, when having to add new sites on a map, what do they do when sites don’t yet have addresses (since construction often preceded the assignment of an address)
Map window too small to draw
The prototype we tested involved a small map window, and dispatchers immediately pointed out that they wanted a large map window to avoid panning when drawing a site geofence.
Difficulty finding the entry point
The draw icon was not clear, and was missed by most of the dispatchers we tested with. When iterating with engineers, they recommended a clear labelling solution that we eventually went with.
90%
Before in-line site creation, only about 50% of projects used sites with geofences. After release, geofence creation increased to 90%+ per month, on average.
3x
Sales signed 3 mid-market paving customers in Q1 2021, and progressed in talks with an enterprise level paver that had earlier been stalled.
