Deal Catch
This project was a 4 week product concept for Valero Corp.
Re-thinking the contract lifecycle, all the way from scouting out new gas stations to revamping and completing them.
To comply with my non-disclosure agreement, I have omitted and obfuscated confidential information in this case study. The information in this case study is my own and does not necessarily reflect the views of SAP or Valero.
Challenge
Re-think how Valero's sales team scouts, economically evaluates, purchases, and revamps, promising new gas stations.
This project was a 4 week product concept. (aka: A Race!)
Personas
The TSM would be our guide "we found they did everything"
We identified and created 13 personas that the current process touches but we decided to focus on only one persona, the TSM "Territory Sales Manager". We found that the TSM was responsible for starting the entire process, capturing most of the data, on-site evaluations, site economic analysis, and ultimately deciding whether the site was worth the companies time. (...we found they did a lot)
Current Process
From pain-points to design opportunities.
Next we created a day in the life of a TSM. This allowed us to not only understand the current process but to identify touchpoints (when other personas were involved) and more importantly pain points (parts of the process that we're painful...). We identified 5 main areas we wanted to focus on:
1. Data Capture : Scattered process and files
2. Entering Site Data: Consistently reentry of data
3. Rethinking how Proposals are received by customer:
2. Entering Site Data: Consistently reentry of data
3. Rethinking how Proposals are received by customer:
4.
5. Approval Process- Slow approval process (lost emails)
5. Approval Process- Slow approval process (lost emails)
User Task Flow - Current State
User Observations
Field trip!
Cornell, our TSM guinea pig, took me to 3 different gas stations and walked me through 2 different scenarios he delt with on a daily basis
Scouting New Sites
This consists of printing out maps for directions or using google maps.
Introducing yourself to the manager of the gas station.
Drawing up a quick sketch of the place to remember certain items like how many tanks, square footage and etc.
Taking pictures of the interior and exterior areas that may need to be fixed called "Contingencies"
Installation validations
(Basically making sure his new sites were built correctly and to standards)
Things we could digitalize and enhance the experience.
Lots of which was data capture whether it was through photos, notes, measuring square footage, and validating real life items while referring to a hand book or notes taken.
Later we were able to piece together the process and look for key areas that could be digitally enhanced or where our app could improve the experience.
Design Opportunities
"....we can't boil the Ocean." - Tony Viviano
3 areas of focus
The Overall Process: (currently it's a scattered process of word of mouth/email approvals, files stored locally and constant reentry of data. We felt we could use this system to build a more logical structure for the user to follow.
Evalution Tool: currently the tool is an excel sheet that needs to be consistently updated.
List below shows design attributes we also wanted to fix when designing...
Mapping out the Future. Woah....
Lets try it this way....
After getting a sense of the power user, Cornell in this instance, we were able to start to piece together a rough idea for a new process. We went through about 3 major iterations (standing for hours moving stickies) before landing on a strong direction we wanted to pursue.
Customer Jouney Map - Proposed Future State
User Task Flow- Future State
Wireframes, Prototypes, and User Validations.
When it came to putting our ideas down and formulating the app there were a couple ways we began
Navigation- Dash>List>Map>Eco>Form or Dash EcoVal>form (Structured and unstructured flexibility. (You have to be careful when created a strict process) Guided process but still allows for freedom and flexibility.
Final (ly) Designs
Conclusion (insert funny title here)
Concept to Reality.
Happy to say the customer was more then pleased and wants to take this concept to reality. I'm happy I was able to work with such great people on the project and I'm excited to make the next leap to finalizing this concept!
Design details are the design... -Dieter Rams