My Role
Responsibilities
As the Lead UX Designer, my responsibilities encompassed everything from conceptualization, user research, story prioritization in collaboration with stakeholders, to the actual UI Design.
Objective
To design a user-centric e-commerce solution for Arrow Trucks, where sellers could reliably list their trucks and buyers could confidently make a purchase, equipped with all necessary information and financial tools.
Goals
Achieve the sale of the first truck through the platform within a month post-launch
Engage in a minimum of 10 chats with potential buyers in the initial 14 days post-launch
Feature at least 10 trucks on the platform within four months of its launch
Challenges
For Buyers: Difficulties in finding trucks, viewing their condition and specifications, necessitating third-party checkups and personal test drives - a costly and time-consuming process.
For Sellers: Lack of a trustworthy platform to list trucks and manage the entire sales process end-to-end.
Approach
1. Discover:
Pre-study Analysis: I kicked off the project by poring over a pre-study conducted by a third-party vendor. This was instrumental in understanding the unique desires and requirements of our target market.
Business Alignment: Working closely with the client was essential to align our design approach with Arrow Trucks' broader business goals, bridging the insights from the pre-study with the company's objectives.
2. Design:
Conceptualization: Iterative concept designs were put forth to cater to user needs. As the design matured, several innovative ideas emerged:
Facilitate foreign customers to arrange for flight and accommodation when they wished to test-drive trucks at the Sales Center in Deutschland.
Incorporate options for customers to schedule video calls with on-site sales representatives.
Embed a financing calculator to provide users with a transparent view of their financing possibilities.
3. Designing the User Experience
Given the agile nature of the project, the design was approached iteratively:
Initial sketching sessions to draft the potential layout
Development and testing of wireframes with users
Finalizing the visual design
4. Develop & Deliver:
Agile Collaboration: With a rapid release cycle of just one week, I engaged continuously with Project Managers, Developers, and Stakeholder to refine and roll out new features.
Prototyping & Testing: Throughout the weeks, I progressively built upon prototypes & wireframes. These design iterations were promptly tested with real users using online-testing tools. I also took the lead in workshops, outlining the direction for upcoming sprints.
5. Analysis & Refinement
To ensure alignment with user expectations:
Usability tests were consistently conducted
Quantitative analytics measured against set project goals
Impactful Outcomes
Operating in an agile framework was a novel experience for me while developing a brand-new product. With developers already setting up databases and infrastructure concurrently with the design phase, we consistently handed off design elements to them. This integrated approach proved effective as both design updates and developmental advancements were showcased during demos.
Conclusion
The partnership between Acando and Arrow Trucks resulted in a reliable e-commerce solution tailored for truckers. The platform addressed critical pain points for both buyers and sellers, ensuring a streamlined and trustful experience for all stakeholders.
Top learning
B2B E-commerce Nuances: While B2C e-commerce is often perceived as straightforward owing to its established best practices, crafting a B2B-focused e-commerce platform presented a distinct set of challenges.
Diverse Buying Journeys: Depending on the size and nature of the buyer's company, the buying processes can vary significantly, necessitating a flexible design approach.
Truck Specific Insights: The intricacies of truck details were enlightening, adding depth to the design process.
