BYOND - https://www.getbyond.com/
Scope
Mobile application for inventory management using RFID technology, bar and QR codes or manually. The application had to perform inventory counts using different technologies for a different variety of clients, from manufacturers with warehouses to shops, libraries, churches and so on. The tasks included basic inventory counts for single and multiple items, transportation of goods, searching for specific items, reading items informations recorded in the tags and association of bar and QR codes to RFID tags. This was a freelance work for the Startup Byond.
Product requirements and Design solutions
The mobile application was designed for Android Smartphones because the client’s technology to read RFID tags worked only on that platform. Since there was no intention to expand to other platforms I suggested that we used Google’s Material Design framework to create an app that would be familiar to Android users. Since the app was going to be used to perform a physical task, it needed to be easy to use with only one hand while far away from the user’s field of view and in situations where he would have to put the phone away to complete the task. All of the app’s tasks were designed together with two real users for fast feedback and validation.
Methodology
I was the only designer on the project, working with two potential users and a product manager from the startup. In almost all of the projects that I worked as a freelancer, I used the Kanban method for tracking my deliverables and deadlines, using trello like solutions. This is useful also when working in small teams, where a SCRUM approach can’t be used.
I used the Lean UX design process, to ensure fast deliveries that delivered value to users, using usability tests to validate the proposed solutions. Using the requirements provided by the company, I separated the project between discovery, information architecture and UI design. In discovery I tried to understand the requirements and create a holistic view of the whole solution, designing the navigational structure and main concepts afterwards. Then I dived into each feature, dividing the remaining deliveries in user stories with high fidelity prototypes.
It was an interesting project where I was able to learn more about a field that I really enjoyed, IoT or Internet of Things, using in this case RFID technology.
