Upserve Inventory App

Overview

Upserve Inventory is a mobile application designed to streamline the inventory management process for restaurants and hospitality businesses. This case study highlights the key steps and decisions I made to create a seamless and intuitive user experience for scanning product barcodes using a mobile phone camera feature.

Details

Type: Mobile app | Role: UX UI Designer | 4 Weeks | Tools: Miro, Figma

Problem Discovery

Users were confronted with a formidable challenge revolving around the laborious and error-laden landscape of the inventory-receiving process.
The crux of this issue centered on the manual entry of product details and quantities into the system, setting off a chain reaction of complexities.

The time-consuming nature of manual data input demanded a significant investment of time, acting as a hindrance to operational speed and creating workflow bottlenecks that hampered overall productivity. Moreover, the inherent risk of errors in the manual entry process led to discrepancies in inventory records, causing confusion and cascading effects on downstream processes such as order fulfillment, stock management, and overall data integrity.

The manual approach also posed challenges in maintaining accurate and up-to-date records, introducing inefficiencies in record-keeping and hindering transparency for informed decision-making. The cumulative impact of these challenges created operational bottlenecks, disrupting the smooth flow of tasks related to inventory management, procurement, and order fulfillment, ultimately affecting the efficiency of the entire supply chain.
In response, the subsequent design intervention aimed not only to address these pain points but also to redefine the inventory-receiving process, ushering in a new era of accuracy, efficiency, and user-friendly operations.

Objectives

Create a better workflow using the inventory app.

Automate and simplify the manual entry of product details, minimizing errors and reducing the time spent on this process.

Introduce user-friendly interfaces, error-checking mechanisms, and efficient record-keeping systems to streamline workflows and enhance overall operational efficiency.

Goals

Prioritize scalability to accommodate growth, implement robust security measures, and establish continuous improvement mechanisms based on user feedback, ensuring a responsive and reliable inventory-receiving process.

How might we create a more human and delightful experience for something that usually causes worry and errors?

Research

User Interviews

The first step was to conduct user research to understand the user pain points and needs of restaurant staff responsible for inventory management. To ensure we collect qualitative data, I collaborated with the product owner to develop an interview plan.

My approach included comprehensive surveys and in-depth questions designed to gain insights into the existing workflow for inventory receiving.

The results of these interviews allowed for discussions to understand the nuances of their experiences and to validate their needs and the existing pain points.

- To streamline the inventory-receiving process and reduce operational delays caused by manual data entry.

- To minimize inaccuracies in inventory records resulting from manual data entry.

- To have an intuitive interface that simplifies data entry, ensuring a user-friendly system requiring minimal training.

- To navigate the system effortlessly through user-friendly interfaces, promoting efficiency and ease of use.

- To experience a seamless process with real-time feedback and error prevention, fostering a reliable and pleasant user experience.

- To have a continuous improvement mechanism based on user feedback, ensuring the system evolves to meet changing operational demands over time.

Research debriefing and solution brainstorming sessions

Solution Discovery

I led brainstorming sessions with the design and development teams to ideate potential solutions. Various ideas were sketched out on paper and later translated into low-fidelity wireframes using Miro design tool. After some marketplace research and existing inventory tools, I proposed an innovative solution to address the inital issue:

Leveraging the phone camera to scan product barcodes and streamline the inventory counting process.

Embarking on the implementation of the phone camera solution to scan product barcodes for more efficient inventory counts was a positive move. However, it wasn't without its challenges, but the collaboration with the development team played a crucial role in identifying and resolving these challenges, ensuring a well-rounded solution.

Challenges

Barcode accuracy: Ensuring precise barcode scanning, especially when dealing with damaged labels or varying quality.

Integration Complexity: Complex integration with existing systems, necessitating seamless data transfer between the scanning application and the inventory database.

Scalability: Ensuring the solution's efficiency in handling high scanning volumes in a busy restaurant environment.

Offline Functionality: Considering functionality in situations of connectivity issues.

User Interface Design: Designing an intuitive interface for easy navigation and user acceptance.

Solutions

Implement advanced image recognition algorithms and error-correction
mechanisms to enhance accuracy and handle diverse barcode conditions.

Collaborate with IT teams to develop robust APIs, ensuring compatibility and smooth data flow between the new solution and existing inventory management systems.

Optimize the solution for scalability, employing cloud-based infrastructure and performance enhancements to accommodate increased scanning activities.

Develop offline capabilities, allowing the scanning application to store data locally and sync seamlessly when connectivity is restored.

Collaborate with other designers to create a more user-friendly interface options, incorporating feedback from end-users during iterative design phases. Conduct usability testing to refine the interface further.

Existing journey map

Intended journey

Design

Sketches

Usability test

A group of target users (restaurant staff) was invited to participate in usability testing sessions. The goal was to observe how users interacted with the barcode scanning feature and identify any usability issues or pain points.

Test goals

- To understand how easily users can navigate through the barcode scanning process, focusing on the overall user interface and flow.
- To measure the efficiency of the barcode recognition feature in terms of speed and accuracy during various testing scenarios.
- To collect insights into the overall user experience, including any challenges, frustrations, or positive feedback while using the barcode scanning feature.
- To check if design elements, such as visual cues and feedback mechanisms, align with user expectations and contribute to a positive experience.

Iterations

Test results

Feedback from the prototyping phase was incorporated into the design, leading to several iterations of the barcode scanning feature. I focused on making the scanning process effortless, incorporating visual cues, and providing real-time feedback during the scanning process.

- Incorporated more prominent visual cues during the barcode scanning process.
- Clarified error messages for a more user-friendly troubleshooting experience.
- Streamlined the overall workflow based on user feedback regarding specific steps.
- Made minor performance tweaks to improve the speed of the barcode recognition feature.

These small iterations showcase a responsive approach to user feedback, ensuring that the barcode scanning feature continually evolves to meet user needs and expectations.

Conclusion

The Upserve Inventory App's barcode scanning feature was successfully implemented, providing restaurant staff with a seamless and efficient way to receive inventory.

My iterative design process, user-centered approach, and focus on usability contributed to a positive user experience, making the Upserve Inventory App a valuable tool for restaurant owners and managers in their daily operations, the barcode scanner allows you to create suppliers, add catalog items, receive merchandise and enter inventory counts.