A Project Planning Platform for USACE
A project management tool for urban infrastructure planning with geo information integration, utilized by the US Army Corps of Engineers.
IntroductionAn application that streamlines and centralizes project planning within a specific segment of USACE’s operations. This application leverages GIS functionalities and fosters collaboration, specifically for urban infrastructure planning projects.
Background
Project leaders at USACE needed to change the way they collaborated on transferring information related to their project plans and work orders. They were having a hard time keeping track of progress updates and shared details related to urban infrastructure plans and work orders. Emails and spreadsheets allowed for easy mass communication, but was not the best environment for keeping track of relevant project details. Challenges they faced stemmed from difficulties viewing and finding information in an organized manner as well as receiving scattered updates that were sent through massive email chains. My goals were centered on relieving user pain points and implementing features that standardized their processes.
Impact
I reformed USACE’s work flow processes into two centralized systems; managing plans and managing work orders. This reduced errors, improved visibility and accelerated project completion times for the organization.
Client
US Army Corps of Engineering, geoConvergence
Contribution
UX Design, UI Design, Wireframing, Prototyping
Scope
Outlining the plan management process, Developing product flow, Interface components
Platform
Web Application
Product OverviewThe Layout
Panel Controls and Map
The web application’s layout features a side panel with a geographic information system (GIS). The panel displays plans and controls related to creating, editing, and sharing. The map is interactive and additional functions can be accessed from within the panel.
GIS Functionality
GIS Map Integration
A geographic information system (GIS) is a tool that allows for working with data that has a location component. Combining this system into the planning process provides an easier reference and display of geographical data.
Collaboration
Sharing Projects Within the Platform
Sharing and managing the feature within the system allows for more seamless collaboration between different stakeholders involved in the planning process. This allows for efficient information exchange, faster decision-making, and improved project coordination.
Design ApproachEstablishing Project Goals
Business Objectives
Staying on top of project details within large email chains was tedious and time consuming. Information overload made details easy to overlook, which leads to communication gaps and inefficiencies as teams spend time clarifying existing information.
Problem Statement
USACE’s current project planning process relied heavily on email chains to share and store data. Lengthy email threads created information overload, increasing the risk of information being overlooked while also making specific details difficult to find. With project information residing across various email chains, this lead to communication gaps and inefficiencies.
User Centered Design
Identifying and Categorizing User Types
Project managers, engineers and surveyors are involved in the planning process and collaborate closely at different points of the planning phase, each with their own focuses and expertise.
Communication Flows Between User Groups
Charting out how users communicated made it clear how complex communication was and how frequently the user groups needed to touch base with each other regarding plan details. With many side conversations, email chains made keeping information up to date a challenge.
Pain Points
Prioritizing Solutions for Users
In order to understand the users, I focused on uncovering and identifying their frustrations within the current system by asking questions like:
Who are the users accessing and sharing project information?
What information is communicated within email chains?
What is the current work flow for recording, sharing and updating plans between users?
Are there any common types of information or data points that reoccur across projects?
Design Requirements
01.
Improve visibility of project information: Easy access to a plan’s official details for all stakeholders
02.
Streamline workflows: Provide tools for plan drawing so visual details can also be easily viewable
03.
Increase transparency and efficiencies: Data updates on a singular platform for consistent reporting and project progress
04.
Improve communication channels: Provide a central access point for key data so that emails can prioritize inquiries and responses
05.
Reduce the amount of separate interfaces needed for planning: Design the web app within an existing framework that is integrated with a GIS (geographic information system) software
06.
Rapid MVP deployment: Existing framework that is familiar to developers and users for faster project take-off on both ends
Prioritizing Solutions for the Web Application
Accounting for frustrations that users have with their current system, I prioritized solutions that focused on simplifying project documentation, visibility, and efficiencies within a centralized platform.
Aligning Business Goals with User Needs
A business challenge was to design within an existing framework that implemented a GIS (geographic information system) with a side panel. This view was determined because (a) users have previous interaction with a tool that was formatted similarly so they benefit from Jakob's Law of Mental Models. (b) the developer was familiar with this layout which could be worked on to meet completion time. The panel would be the primary interaction point for users so the focus was on what they needed within this space, mapping out their tasks and keeping their previous frustration points in mind.
Design MethodsWireframe Progression
From Visualizing Structure to Detailing Sections
The side panel was the core aspect of navigating and interacting within the USACE web app. To ensure it effectively met user needs, I employed an iterative design approach when focusing on wireframe progressions.
The initial sketch was a high-level wireframe that served as a comprehensive outline, prioritizing the inclusion of all essential functionalities within the side panel. This "brain dump" phase ensured no critical elements were overlooked.
Building on the initial groundwork, subsequent wireframe progressions went further to detail the sections within the side panel. I worked through refining the organization and hierarchy of the components that was going to be included.
This approach ensured the side panel not only housed all necessary features but also presented them in a way that facilitated a smooth and efficient user experience.
User Flow and Journey Mapping
Decomposing the General Structure
I created a general user flow through the application in order to keep the user’s perspective top of mind during my designs. Since a lot of the panels are similar in visuals and structure, I used this as a guide to make sure that the screens progressed cohesively and were purposeful for the user’s goals.
final experience & deliverables
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Singular Plan View
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Plans Overview - Menu Hover
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Modal View - Creating a New Plan
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Plans Overview - Highlighted Plan
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Creating a Feature
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Features Overview - Menu Hover
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Features Overview - Expanded Feature
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Modal View - Adding Feature Attributes
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All Panel Variants
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UI Components
SummaryFrom Siloed Emails to Centralized Clarity
Reflections
I was able to structure a centralized platform that reformed USACE’s work flow processes and allows them to house and manage their infrastructure plans. This improved communication, reduced errors, improved visibility and accelerated project completion times for the organization. The final design went through the processes of:
identifying user pain points
creating a user flow that visualized the user’s journey and objectives
ideating and wireframing solutions that address needed/desired functionality
iterating on sections to ensure designs made sense for the user’s goals
My involvement with the project concluded with a hand-off of the deliverables for development. Through a follow up with stakeholders after the product shipped, I was happy to receive feedback that it was being used with enthusiasm and satisfaction by its users.
Challenges
Time and budget constraints were some of this project’s initial limitations. Stakeholders requested a relatively short, urgent turnaround so that plans could begin to be housed within the new system. Within the span of a few weeks, we came up with an application that they could use in place of their current system. Challenges once this project was underway included understanding the complexity and detailed nuances of a field that I didn’t initially have much insight on. With the added context of this being a project for a military organization, I had to work around certain topic sensitivities when it came to learning what their full scope of operations looked like.