N41

PLM System

Overview

N41 is dedicated to integrating cutting-edge technology and developing innovative strategies to deliver the ultimate online shopping experience for vendors. We are enhancing the PLM system to maximize our clients' business potential. I have established a robust design process by collaborating with UI designers, product managers, engineers, data scientists, and business leadership and improved user journeys across responsive platforms.

ROLE
UX Designer

YEAR
2019

TEAM
1x UX designer
1x UI designers
3x Developers
1x Product managers

Challenge

The clients use Excel and a third-party app to manage their product orders. However, this process has proven to be easy yet hectic. Moreover, the files and items from these tools are scattered across the desktop background, causing clutter and disorganization. This fragmented and inefficient approach to managing product orders hinders productivity and creates challenges in maintaining a streamlined workflow.

Scope

6 mo, End to end design, UX design, interaction design, UI design, user testing, handoff.

Solution

Our goal is to provide a user-friendly, intuitive PLM system that can unlock our clients' full potential. To enhance product development efficiency and adopt a smart digital-native strategy, businesses must transition from traditional methods to a more advanced and streamlined approach. PLM system provides an integrated and seamless platform to handle all product-related activities efficiently, leading to smoother workflows and enhanced productivity.

Streamline the management of small but critical pieces of information associated with each product order. Enable easy editing and updating of this information when necessary to ensure accuracy and efficiency in product development.

Implement a product tracking system that allows for easy monitoring of each product's current state throughout its lifecycle.

Develop a global platform that facilitates seamless communication and message exchange between partners and customers. The platform should also provide a history log to prevent miscommunication and document all relevant discussions and decisions.

Iterate & Improve

With the PLM, users can accelerate and optimize their product development process. Whether initiating new projects or managing vendors, the platform empowers them to enhance productivity and streamline product-related activities.

Effortlessly Track Product Development

Stay organized, efficient, and in control with this easy-to-use platform:
The digital platform has been streamlined to eliminate scattered tasks and provide a simplified solution with a clean and modern design. Anyone new to a project can easily manage the product development process and enjoy the benefits of a centralized platform that brings clarity and simplicity to their workflow.

Reflection

After successfully deploying the MVP, our team proceeded with an iterative process, continuously updating the software to improve the user experience. Our custom made software system fulfilled the unique requirements of our primary users, which led to their satisfaction. As the lead designer, working in this new domain was both challenging and motivating, highlighting the significance of collaboration and trusting one's instincts in ambiguous situations.

If I could redo the project, I would prioritize user testing in the early stages to uncover issues the client wasn’t yet aware of. Since the newly built PLM system closely mirrored 80-90% of the client's traditional processes, involving real customers earlier could have significantly influenced the final design direction.