To design an intuitive and effective experience for Hwy Haul’s users, I conducted extensive field research, directly engaging with both truck drivers and shippers. This research provided firsthand insights into the daily challenges faced by carriers and the logistical requirements of shippers, helping to refine Hwy Haul’s platform based on real-world needs.
Understand the workflow, pain points, and expectations of truck drivers using or considering digital freight platforms.
Traveled to Salinas, CA, alongside a Senior Designer to meet with truck drivers at a key loading zone.
These insights informed improvements to load visibility, driver communication tools, and payment process transparency within Hwy Haul’s product.
I made a trip to Salinas, CA, with a Senior Designer to meet with three truck drivers and test the Hwy Haul product before the design process began. The goal was to understand the intricacies of their daily routines, observe how they interacted with the current app, and assess their feedback on the app’s functionality. This provided critical insights into their pain points, such as unclear load details and tracking issues, which helped inform key improvements to the platform’s usability and efficiency.
Confusing Sign-Up Process: Users experienced confusion during the sign-up process, signaling a need for a simplified and more intuitive onboarding experience. This highlights the importance of reducing friction in the initial stages of using the platform.
Clarity Through Context: Onboarding instructions lacked sufficient context, making it challenging for users to understand the next steps. Providing clear, contextual information during the onboarding process could significantly improve user comprehension and ease of use.
Communication Preferences: Drivers overwhelmingly preferred asynchronous communication methods over phone calls. To enhance user experience, offering non-intrusive channels such as in-app messaging or push notifications would align with their preferences and create more efficient communication pathways.
Time Efficiency: Drivers expressed frustration with long wait times, viewing them as a poor use of their valuable time. Many indicated a desire to streamline processes to allocate more time to their personal lives, suggesting that time-sensitive operations should be optimized within the platform.
Data Visualization: Shippers and drivers both valued the ability to visually track shipments in real-time. Improved data visualization tools for shipment tracking would allow users to quickly analyze performance, making it easier to identify potential delays or issues, improving overall operational awareness.
Identify shipper-specific challenges and requirements for streamlining logistics through Hwy Haul.
Attended a meeting with Lipman Farms representatives, alongside Hwy Haul’s CTO, to assess their needs and explore platform enhancements.
These discussions directly influenced the design of real-time shipment tracking, automated scheduling tools, and improved analytics dashboards.
The meeting with representatives from Lipman Farms, accompanied by the CTO, was a crucial opportunity to dive deep into the specific logistics challenges they face. The conversation focused on improving the freight management process, streamlining operations, and addressing pain points related to tracking, communication, and financial systems. Lipman’s team highlighted the need for a more integrated solution to better manage shipments and improve efficiency. This feedback was essential in guiding the direction of the Hwy Haul platform, ensuring it aligns with the needs of large-scale producers and shippers.
Shippers need better forecasting and scheduling tools for load planning: Shippers need accurate forecasting and efficient scheduling tools to optimize operations. These tools help predict demand, manage carrier availability, and reduce delays. By allowing dynamic adjustments to schedules, shippers can improve load management and minimize bottlenecks, enhancing overall supply chain efficiency.
Data visualization for shipment tracking and performance analytics is crucial: Real-time data visualization is key for monitoring shipments and tracking performance. Intuitive dashboards displaying key metrics like on-time delivery and route efficiency help teams make quick, informed decisions. This reduces disruptions and helps optimize operations by identifying trends and improving decision-making.
Seamless communication between shippers and carriers minimizes delays: Clear, real-time communication between shippers and carriers is essential to prevent delays. Instant messaging and automated notifications keep all parties informed of changes, eliminating the need for phone calls or emails. This ensures smoother operations, builds trust, and allows quick responses to potential issues.
By conducting direct field research, I was able to bridge the gap between user expectations and platform capabilities. The findings from both truck drivers and shippers were translated into actionable UI/UX improvements, enhancing Hwy Haul’s usability, efficiency, and overall user satisfaction. This hands-on research allowed for a deeper understanding of the pain points faced by users, ensuring that the design changes were not only visually appealing but also functional and relevant to real-world logistics challenges. The insights gained were crucial in refining the platform to better meet the needs of both the carriers and shippers, resulting in a more intuitive and streamlined experience."
