Role: Sr. Product Designer
Duration: 3 Months
Problem
Ford’s contracted iOS app was behind schedule, so they brought us in to get things back on track. Since all employees already used iPhones, it was more cost-effective to shift away from Zebra scanners. This change also empowered employees to use their own devices—eliminating issues with misplaced or uncharged scanners. Because the transition wasn’t immediate, we designed the app as a multiplatform solution to bridge the gap.
The immediate problem was a lack in completion, but upon looking at the current state of the app, key usability issues were immediately noticed.
Site Visit
After visiting the testing center in Livonia, we gained a clear view of the full operation—spanning part intake, assembly, calibration, and testing. Each step was technical and potentially time-sensitive depending on the number of parts, making speed and scanning accuracy absolutely critical to avoid costly errors.
Team Dynamics
Ford’s priority was speed—just getting the functionality in place. Expectations around design were minimal. Still, I saw an opportunity to add value. Working within tight constraints, I developed a focused design plan that prioritized high-impact features based on effort and user value. The result exceeded expectations and opened the door to future collaboration.
Design Plan
The progress level at the beginning of our engagement was low. Utilizing a hierarchy of user needs showcased areas that needed attention and helped create developer buy-in to go beyond basic functionality.
OST
I utilized an Opportunity Solution Tree (OST) to identify the best ways to increase usability and delight—advocating for the end user.
Solution Matrix
Plotting various solutions on a matrix of user value versus implementation time clarified priorities and helped align with the product owner's expectations on time and budget.
Functionality
I enabled the dev team to focus on core functionality while I explored higher-level design opportunities for the next phase. Together, we delivered all 7 functional features, including print, calibration, and change disposition. This improved functionality by 75% and boosting overall app completion by 43%
Reliable
To bridge the gap between Zebra scanners and iPhones, I introduced a bottom-sheet, for fast and intuitive scanning on iOS. This eliminated friction and boosted reliability, making scanning consistent across both platforms which provided a 100% increase for reliability.
Usable
I improved user control and freedom by ensuring users could always cancel or back out of unintended actions. To enhance aesthetic and minimalist design, we applied core Gestalt principles and adhered to the iOS design system, resulting in a cleaner, more intuitive interface. We also reduced potential errors by clearly indicating which printers would be used for each task. These changes raised our heuristic compliance from 4/10 to 7/10, improving usability by 75%.
Delight
Of the 6 key opportunities I identified for increasing user delight, renaming and rebranding the app delivered the greatest impact with the least difficulty, resulting in a 100% improvement for delight.
Opportunities:
Refreshing the UI, Introducing Haptics, Adding Shortcuts, Simplifying IA, Ensuring Consistency, and Updating Name and Icon.
I renamed the app from the arbitrary "Songbird" to "Ford Scan," a simple, clear name aligned with its core functionality. The product owner's response, "Ford Scan is brilliant", reflected the positive shift away from the unfinished legacy app. The new logo incorporates the 3D barcode element central to the app’s use, paired with Ford’s Antenna typeface in line with brand guidelines.
Result
From our starting point, inheriting an unfinished app, and a tight deadline, we managed to finish functionality and create multiplatform reliability. Beyond this, significant improvements in making the app more usable and delightful made this a successful project. The app, on average was 87.5% more usable.
The team delivered more than a functioning app. By advocating for the end user, we elevated the success of the project. Ford now plans to roll out the app beyond Livonia and continue working with us on future initiatives.