Fainzy Technologies Japan
Overview
Fainzy Technologies is a japanese-based technology company who specializes in developing tech solutions to automate processes. They developed a delivery robot, a food ordering software and a demand forecast system.
On this project, I was required to design the web-app which comprised of the company’s web system and the user access to products, services and user data (represented on dashboards).
Role
Product designer, product strategist
Product Strategy, User Research, Interaction, Visual design, Prototyping & Testing
I usually like working with designers that make the work and work flow very seamless for the developers. That was my major attraction to Chinedu.
He interpreted the product concept note very well and strcutured out a simple but effective UX for the product. I think the most commendable thing about his work on this project is the user experience and ability to forecast user preferences.
Obidike Lawrence
Head of Engineering, Fainzy Technologies,
Japan
Background
The impact of the COVID-19 on businesses exposed the need for business automation. To that effect, Fainzy Technologies went ahead to develop a delivery robot that can pick and deliver food or logistics items in restaurants and hotels. Fainzy Technologies also developed a food ordering software to automate the process of going through the menu and placing food orders and receiving them, finally, they developed a demand forecast system which helps business owners track their orders and forecast likely demands for the next business day or week or month, thereby saving resources.
These innovations needed to be integrated into a web system for customers and potential customers to encounter all the infomation necessary, make purchases/subscriptions and have access to manage products, services and data.
I was the only designer for this project
Methodology
I devised the double diamond process as the principal methodology for this project.
The major reason for this is that the double diamond model scales well to accomodate varying situations and we evisaged that this project would present varioud user scenarios that needed to be tackled. The model is shown below;
Problem Narative
Fainzy Technologies have developed beautiful products; a delivery robot, a food ordering software and a demand forecast system, I was to design an all-in-one system that; The absence of this product that encompasses all these features meant that no one was encountering these innovations, or paying for them. We needed to solve this problem.
Showcases all info about the company
Showcases all info about the products and services
Allows users to sign up / subscribe to any or all of the services
Allow users to manage orders and purchases for the products and services
Allow users to view usage data of their products and services on an interactive dashboard
Features a dashboard that displays tailored data for all subscribed products
Features a dashboard that allows users manage billings and other individual settings
The absence of this product that encompasses all these features meant that no one was encountering these innovations, or paying for them. We needed to solve this problem.
The Product Vision
We wanted a single product that had two (2) major components -
A product that allowed users access to manage specific products and services, as well as view user data for products and services1. A product that served as a company and sales website to put out all the possible informaton on the company and its products and allow potential customers make purchases.
2. A product that allowed users access to manage specific products and services, as well as view user data for products and services
User story development &
functionality checklist development
I held three (3) technical sessions with the business development officers. The objectives of the technical sessions were;
To develop the full business requirements for the product - This is the full checklist of what the business owners want to achieve for their users and the company. It would help in developing the functionality requirements of the product and showcase short, medium and long term upgrades.
To develop the functionality requirements for the product – This is the full checkilist of all the functions the product would fulfil. It is a build-on from the buisness requirements checklist. It feeds into the user story development.
User story development – - I developed, executed, tested and documented the user journeys for the product in line with the functionality and business requirements.
Sketches & user flow development
I proceeded to create high-level sketches showing the user journey and page layouts of the proposed product.
The skeches were pretty much straight forward, the data from the user story development & functionality checklist development were infused into this process.
Sketch & User Flow test
The nature of the project meant that we had to test out the sketches and the user flow with the business develoment team. Who doubled as test users. The test was pretty straight forward. It involved;
The test was pretty straight forward. It involved;
Mean time to complete checks
User retention checks
Knowledge management and dissemination checks
Designs
Designs for the 1st component of the system containing the company website and information on all products and services and e-commerce functions to purchase a product or sign up for a service.
Designs for the 2nd component of the system, containing the user access to manage specific producrs and services and view user product data
For more details, link to finished product would be updated here as soon as the company goes live
Results and takeaways
Developing a business requirements based product is different from developing a conceptual product. Here I learnt the following;
How to work closely with the business development team from the begining of a product development process until the end.
How to interweave business goals into the design thinking of a product.
Important to note is;
When developing a dashboard, you must think expansively, it is important to exhaust all user journeys before beginning a sketch or a design as dashboard designs are very meticulous and tightly knit.