Sean Baik — TMS

UNIS' Transportation Management System enhancement project aimed to enhance the overall user interface and experience to better assist internal teams in tackling complex transportation tasks and challenges. This was achieved through optimization of the data structure and improved communication between databases. The result was a modern, simple, and intuitive interface with clear actions, streamlined query flows, and efficient database interactions.

Analyzing the problem

A challenging interface that hinders users from operating efficiently.

The old system posed various obstacles in the daily operations of our primary and secondary users. This friction caused by a dull, slow, and disorganized UI resulted in multiple pain points for our users. Here's a look of the challenge we faced.

Key Pain Points

Scattered Data

The TMS web portal suffers from scattered data across various sections, making it difficult for users to find the information they need. This fragmentation leads to inefficiencies as users spend excessive time searching for relevant data, which hampers productivity and user satisfaction.

Broken Information Architecture

The existing information architecture is poorly structured, leading to confusion and navigation difficulties. Users struggle to understand the logical flow of the portal, resulting in frequent missteps and an overall frustrating experience as they try to accomplish their tasks.

Low Accessibility

The portal has significant accessibility issues, including non-compliance with WCAG guidelines. These deficiencies create barriers for users with disabilities, preventing them from effectively interacting with the portal and accessing necessary features and information.

Unintuitive UI

The user interface is unintuitive, with unclear icons, ambiguous labels, and a lack of visual hierarchy. This results in a steep learning curve and frequent user errors, as users are unable to easily grasp how to perform basic functions or locate essential tools within the portal.

launching the project

Craft a tool that helps the user move forward, not backward.

A professional ERP tool is expected to function in favor of the user. The TMS system suffered from overly-complex interface choices that do not enhance nor complement the over UX flows. We aimed to design a unified, continuous, and accessible interface that equipped our users with incredible workflows.

Week 1-2

Week 3-4

Week 5-6

Week 7-8

Week 9-10

Week 11-12

UX Research & Interviews

IA, Wireframing & Prototyping

User Testing

Hi-Fi Design & Flow Building

Test & Launch

Introducing the new generation of TMS.

Built for professionals, every step of the journey.

After weeks of design, development, testing, and iterating, the new generation of TMS launched. Users finally had a toolkit that not only helped them complete daily operations, but also empowered them to find and build long-term solutions.

Control Panel

A versatile command center for everyday operations.

Right at the heart of TMS lies the control panel, a comprehensive suite of tools and features that empowers efficient management. Each tool is meticulously designed to streamline management tasks, enhancing efficiency and control for logistics and operations team professionals.

Dashboard Order

View and manage all incoming orders at a glance, with key metrics and status updates for efficient order management.

Driver Manager

Seamlessly assign, track, and manage drivers' schedules and assignments, ensuring smooth operations and timely deliveries.

LH Schedule

Plan and optimize line-haul schedules with precision, considering factors like routes, time constratins, and resource availability.

Report Manager

Organize and access all generated reports efficiently, with advanced filtering and search capabilities for easy retrieval.

Reporting

Generate comprehensive reports on various aspects of transportation operations, providing valuable insights for decision-making and analysis.

Small Parcel Trip

Manage small parcel trips efficiently, from scheduling to tracking, ensuring timely and accurate deliveries for small shipments.

Trip Control

Exercise full control over trip planning and executing, with tools for route optimization load management, and real-time monitoring to ensure efficient trips.

Template Library

Access a library of pre-designed templates for various transportation documents and forms, streamlining the creation process and ensuring consistency.

Control Panel 2.0

An upgraded toolkit for elevated transportation efficiency.

Discover enhanced features and functionalities that streamline operations, optimize workflows, and empower users to achieve peak performance in managing transportation tasks.

Dispatch

Efficiently assign and manage tasks to drivers and vehicles, ensuring timely pickups and deliveries while optimizing resource utilization.

Driver Pay

Manage and track driver compensation efficiently with the Driver Pay feature. This tool streamlines the process of calculating and disbursing payments, ensuring accurancy and transparency while maintaining driver satisfaction and trust.

TMS 2.0

Advancing transportation management even further.

Explore the enhanced capabilities of TMS 2.0, designed to revolutionize transportation management workflows and elevate efficiency to new heights.

Shipment Order

Dive deeper into shipment and order details, with comprehensive information and tracking capabilities for enhanced visibility and control.

Route Engine

Harness the power of advanced routing algorithms to optimize routes based on various parameters, ensuring efficient and cost-effective transportation logistics.

Routing

Seamlessly plan and execute optimal routes for shipments, taking into account factors such as traffic conditions, delivery deadlines, and vehicle capacity.

Terminal Transit Zones

Utilize terminal transit zones to streamline operations at transportation terminals, facilitating smoother transitions and minimizing delays in the supply chain.

Brining succes at every turn.

No matter the road.

What's in the works?

Building ERP management systems is an incessant, challenging journey that requires consistent attention and modification. To this day, the team is continuously pushing enhancements to existing modules as well as developing new B2B products.

Key Takeaways

Truly understanding the user may take time, and it's OK.

I learned the importance of investing time and effort into understanding the needs, pain points, and behaviors of the end-users. This deep understanding allowed me to design solutions that truly resonate with them, leading to a more successful product.

Data structures are complex. Learn them with intent.

Working on this project taught me the significance of meticulously analyzing and comprehending complex data structures. By breaking them down into smaller components and understanding each piece thoroughly, I was able to design more efficient and effective solutions.

Be mindful of development timeframe.

Throughout the project, I gained a deeper appreciation for the importance of balancing creativity and innovation with practical considerations such as development timeframes. It's crucial to maintain awareness of project deadlines and constraints while striving for excellence in design and functionality.