Transforming Freight Forwarding at Wayfair: The Journey of NaviOS
Overview: During my two years at Wayfair, I served as the Lead UX Designer on NaviOS, an internal tool developed to revolutionize the freight forwarding process. NaviOS was designed to replace outdated tools like spreadsheets and CargoWise, enhancing customs, routing, and document management for Wayfair's operations associates.
Role
Lead product designer
Team
Director of product, 3 engineering teams, operations leadership
Scope
Web, 2 years
Challenges
Manual Data Entry: The reliance on manual data entry in spreadsheets led to frequent errors and inconsistencies, impacting the accuracy of customs and routing processes.
Lack of Integration: The existing tools operated in silos, meaning data had to be manually transferred between systems. This caused duplication of efforts and increased the chances of mistakes.
Inefficiency: The processes were time-consuming, with operations associates spending a significant amount of time on routine tasks that could have been automated, delaying the overall workflow.
User Frustration: The cumbersome nature of the existing tools caused significant frustration among operations associates, who needed a more efficient and reliable solution.
Goals
User Goals:
Improve Usability: Provide a more intuitive and user-friendly interface to reduce frustration and increase satisfaction.
Increase Accuracy: Reduce manual entry errors through automated data validation and integration.
Product Goals:
Modern Integration: Develop a modern, integrated tool (NaviOS) to streamline customs, routing, and document management.
Automation: Automate routine tasks to improve efficiency and reduce manual effort.
Business Goals:
Operational Efficiency: Increase overall efficiency by reducing time spent on repetitive tasks and minimizing errors.
Employee Satisfaction: Enhance user satisfaction, which can lead to increased productivity and lower turnover rates.
Research and Discovery
User research
To gain a deep understanding of the challenges faced by operations associates, I conducted a series of user interviews, shadowing sessions, and surveys. This multi-faceted approach allowed us to gather comprehensive data on user pain points and requirements.
Methods:
Interviews: Conducted one-on-one interviews with 20+ operations associates to uncover detailed insights into their daily tasks and challenges.
Shadowing Sessions: Spent time observing users in their work environment to see firsthand the issues they encountered with the current tools.
Surveys: Distributed surveys to a broader group of associates to quantify common problems and gather additional feedback.
Findings:
The primary issues identified were the need for integrated systems to reduce the redundancy of data entry, the high error rate associated with manual inputs, and the excessive time spent on routine, repetitive tasks.
Users expressed frustration with the lack of real-time updates and the difficulty in tracking shipments and managing documents efficiently.
Preview of the NPS survey
Ideation and Early Design
Brainstorming Sessions
To kick off the ideation phase, I organized cross-functional brainstorming sessions involving stakeholders from different departments, including operations, engineering, and product. The goal was to generate a wide range of ideas to address the identified problems.
Approach: We used various brainstorming techniques, such as mind mapping and affinity diagrams, to ensure all ideas were captured and categorized.
Outcomes:
Integration features to connect different systems and reduce manual data transfer.
Automation possibilities to handle routine tasks and reduce manual errors.
Interface improvements to enhance usability and user satisfaction.
Crazy 8s Workshop
To further refine our ideas, I conducted a Crazy 8s workshop with the team, focusing specifically on the routing process.
Purpose: The workshop aimed to rapidly generate and evaluate design ideas, leveraging the diverse perspectives of the team members.
Process:
Each participant was given eight minutes to sketch eight different design ideas, encouraging quick thinking and creativity.
After the sketching phase, we reviewed and discussed each idea, assessing their feasibility and potential impact on users.
Results: The workshop was highly productive, resulting in several promising design elements and features. Key takeaways included the need for:
A centralized dashboard to provide real-time updates on shipments.
Automated notifications to alert users of important events or changes.
Simplified data entry forms to reduce errors and improve efficiency.
User Flows
To ensure the new design would effectively address user pain points, I mapped out the existing user flows and designed new, streamlined flows.
Current Flows: The existing user flows were complex and prone to errors due to multiple manual steps. For example, the customs specialist had to manually enter data into several different systems, leading to inconsistencies and delays.
New Flows:
Integrate different systems, allowing data to flow seamlessly between them.
Automate routine tasks, such as data validation and notifications.
Simplify the user interface, making it easier for users to enter and access information.
Outcomes: The redesigned user flows promised to significantly reduce the time spent on routine tasks and minimize errors, improving overall efficiency and user satisfaction.
Solution
After thorough research, ideation, and prototyping, we implemented a series of solutions in Navios designed to address the challenges faced by operations associates. These solutions aimed to improve usability, efficiency, and accuracy, while integrating systems and automating routine tasks.
Centralized Dashboard:
Feature: A real-time dashboard displaying key shipment information, status updates, and alerts.
Solution: Provides a single source of truth for all freight forwarding activities, reducing the need to switch between multiple tools.
Benefits: Enhances visibility and tracking, enabling operations associates to manage shipments more effectively.
Integrated Data Entry Forms:
Feature: Simplified and integrated forms for entering customs and routing data.
Solution: Reduces manual data entry and errors by automating data validation and integrating with existing systems.
Benefits: Improves data accuracy and reduces the time spent on repetitive tasks, allowing users to focus on more critical activities.
Enhanced User Interface
Feature: A user-friendly interface with intuitive navigation and clear labeling.
Solution: Designed based on user feedback and usability testing to ensure ease of use and minimize learning curves.
Benefits: Increases user satisfaction and reduces frustration, leading to higher productivity and lower error rates.
Results
Quantitative Outcomes
Efficiency Improvements:
Reduced Manual Data Entry: Manual data entry tasks decreased by 50%, significantly reducing errors and saving time.
Faster Processing: Average processing time for shipments decreased by 30%, enabling quicker turnarounds and improved operational efficiency.
Accuracy Enhancements:
Error Reduction: Data entry errors decreased by 40% due to automated validation and integrated systems.
Increased Compliance: Improved accuracy in customs documentation and routing data led to a 20% increase in compliance with regulations.
User Satisfaction:
Survey Results: The user satisfaction survey showed an 80% approval rating among operations associates, highlighting the positive impact of the new tool.
Feedback Highlights: Users appreciated the intuitive interface, real-time updates, and reduced manual workload, resulting in higher overall job satisfaction.