Fleet Guard
Fleet Guar is a Digital Application allowing last mile delivery comapies to enable their drivers the possibility to conduct thourough pre departure inspection to make sure the vehicles are safe as well as detecting possible damages inflicted by other drivers on the car. The COmpany benefit from a in depth status update of the vehicles and can ensure no vehicles with major problems will drive on the streets which could lead to significant fines.
Role
UX Designer
Time Limitations
04/2024 - 07/2024
Platform
Mobile
Tools
Figma
Overview
“Fleet Guard” was my self-initiated bachelor’s thesis project, inspired by an earlier project I participated in at Robert Bosch GmbH. Observing inefficiencies in vehicle pre-departure inspections, I identified an opportunity to develop an innovative concept. This project aimed to enhance the process by addressing critical challenges faced by parcel delivery companies.
Goal
Conducted over a four-month period, the goal was to design a user-centered digital solution that ensures thorough pre-departure inspections while maintaining efficiency and usability for non-digital experts.
Problem
Prior to the initian of the project we conducted Through contextual inquiries conducted at a major parcel delivery company in Switzerland, the following challenges were identified which lead to the initian:
Inefficient Execution
Pre-departure inspections were not systematically or thoroughly performed due to time pressure and lack of clear guidance.
Incomplete Documentation
Mängel (defects) were either underreported or vaguely described, leading to delays in addressing vehicle issues.
Safety Risks
Neglecting proper inspections increased the risk of breakdowns, accidents, and penalties.
Time Constraints:
Drivers prioritized fast departures over comprehensive vehicle checks.
Research
Research Questions
To address these identified challenges, the following research questions were formulated:
What specific measures and process optimizations are necessary to perform pre-departure vehicle inspections efficiently?
What factors prevent drivers from conducting thorough and regular inspections?
Contextual Inquiry: Observing Pre-Departure Inspection Processes at a German Freight Company
A deep-dive observation of inspection practices was conducted on-site to understand the challenges and routines involved in vehicle pre-departure checks.
Key Insights:
Execution of Pre-Departure Inspections:
While Spedition drivers claim to perform thorough inspections, observations revealed they are often superficial, focusing on basic elements like tires, brakes, and lights, with other critical checks frequently neglected.
Stress and Motivation:
Integration of inspections into the daily routine reduces stress, but high-demand days lead to shortcuts and decreased motivation for thorough checks.
Documentation and Traceability:
The use of digital tools like the TIS application supports documentation but lacks consistency and accountability, with defects often not forwarded to workshops effectively.
Technological Needs:
Drivers value digital tools but desire clearer guidance and improved reliability to avoid process misuse and ensure adherence.
Interviews: Insights from Drivers at One of Germany’s Largest Package Delivery Companies
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with parcel delivery drivers to uncover pain points, motivational factors, and improvement opportunities in their daily inspection routines.
Key Insights:
Execution of Pre-Departure Inspections:
Parcel delivery drivers often skip or conduct minimal inspections, relying on ad-hoc checks during loading rather than structured pre-departure procedures.
Stress and Motivation:
High time pressure and large delivery zones significantly hinder drivers’ willingness and ability to conduct proper inspections.
Documentation and Traceability:
Commonly encountered defects, such as under-inflated tires or damaged doors, are inconsistently reported, leading to unresolved issues that affect efficiency and safety.
Technological Needs:
Lack of a standardized defect reporting system results in informal and inconsistent documentation, relying heavily on verbal communication or personal tools.
Communicating Insights to Stakeholders
Deliverable 1: User Journey Map
A comprehensive visual representation of the user’s experience, highlighting the touchpoints, pain points and emotions throughout the pre-departure inspection process.
The user journey map helped stakeholders understand the challenges faced by drivers, especially moments of high stress or inefficiency. This clarity was essential for identifying intervention points and designing targeted solutions.
Deliverable 2: Current State Analysis (“Ist-Szenario”)
To highlight the differences and inefficiencies in pre-departure inspection processes, a structured comparison was conducted between parcel delivery drivers (“Luca”) and freight drivers (“Max”). This analysis focused on user characteristics, goals, environments, challenges, and motivations.
This “Ist-Szenario” comparison provided critical insights into the contrasting workflows and challenges of parcel and freight drivers. It revealed inefficiencies in informal inspection processes and highlighted the need for structured guidance, technological integration, and motivational incentives. These findings directly informed the design of a more efficient and user-friendly pre-departure inspection system.
Ideate
Decision for an Interactive System
Based on the research findings, it became clear that an interactive system was necessary to address the identified challenges in pre-departure inspections. The system needed to streamline processes, improve guidance, and motivate users while maintaining thoroughness and transparency.
This decision was driven by the following factors:
The need for user guidance to support drivers with minimal digital expertise.
The importance of photo documentation for accountability and transparency.
The necessity of an intuitive and efficient process to save time without compromising safety.
Adressing User Requirements
18 user requirements were derived to address the key challenges drivers face during pre-departure inspections. These were grouped into the following thematic categories:
Efficiency and Speed:
The system must enable users to complete daily inspections in under 10 minutes.
It must allow users to view the time required for specific inspections and adjust their scope based on time constraints.
Thoroughness and Transparency:
A complete and detailed inspection must be possible, with mandatory photo documentation for each checkpoint.
The system must provide clear information about vehicle status and inspection history.
Motivation and Incentives:
Users must receive recognition and instant feedback for completing inspections to encourage compliance.
An incentive mechanism must promote regular and thorough inspections.
Guidance and Ease of Use:
The system must provide step-by-step guidance to reduce errors and ensure effective inspections.
It must be intuitive for non-digital experts, seamlessly integrating into drivers’ existing workflows.
Design Thinking Activities
To translate these requirements into actionable solutions, the following design thinking methods were applied:
Scribbles and Brainstorming:
Early sketches and brainstorming sessions explored potential workflows, layouts, and features.
Ideas such as photo documentation, step-by-step guidance, and variable inspections emerged from these activities.
Wireframing:
Low-fidelity wireframes were created in Figma to test the structure and navigation of the system.
These prototypes helped visualize features like guided inspections, damage tracking, and progress indicators.
These activities ensured the concept remained user-centered, allowing early validation and iteration before moving to high-fidelity designs.
The Inspection Concept: Daily and Variable Inspections
The core of the interactive system was the introduction of daily and variable inspections to balance efficiency with thoroughness.
Daily Inspections
These inspections cover urgent and mandatory tasks required for road safety and legal compliance, such as checking tires, lights, and brakes.
The reduced scope ensures that critical safety elements are addressed efficiently within the limited time available (under 10 minutes).
Variable Inspections
Broader, more in-depth checks, such as oil level, wear and tear, or sensor status, are performed less frequently and based on predefined factors, including:
Driving Distance: Frequency of inspections adapts to the kilometers driven.
Vehicle Usage: Factors like driving style and load impact the inspection schedule.
Vehicle Type: Different vehicle features or systems (e.g., front-wheel vs. all-wheel drive) determine specific checkpoints.
Inspection History: Data from previous inspections informs future checks to address recurring issues.
Purpose of This Process
The ideation process allowed for the creation of a scalable and user-friendly concept by:
Clearly addressing user requirements with a structured inspection framework.
Incorporating feedback from design thinking activities to refine workflows and usability.
Developing a solution that is adaptable, efficient, and motivational for drivers.
Prototype
High-Fidelity Prototyping
The high-fidelity prototype visualizes the complete inspection workflow, addressing all identified user requirements. It was designed as an interactive solution, covering the entire process from preparation to feedback. Due to compliance restrictions, only selected screens are shown, but the prototype spans the full user journey, including preparation, inspection, documentation, and follow-up.
Purpose of High-Fidelity Prototypes
The high-fidelity prototypes were essential for:
Demonstrating the feasibility and usability of the concept to stakeholders.
Providing a polished, interactive tool for user testing and validation.
Refining the design based on feedback to ensure the final product meets user and organizational needs.
Prototype Interactivity and Limitations
The prototype spans the entire user journey of pre-departure inspections, from preparation to documentation and feedback. It is designed to simulate real-world interactions, showcasing how users navigate through:
Inspection preparation steps.
Point-by-point vehicle checks with photo uploads.
Task and defect management on the dashboard.
However, due to compliance restrictions, only selected screens can be shared publicly, focusing on key workflows and functionalities.
Anticipated Impact and Scalability
Grounded in research and user requirements, this prototype is expected to:
Increase inspection compliance rates while reducing operational inefficiencies.
Foster user engagement through intuitive workflows and motivational features.
Scale seamlessly with additional functionalities like real-time defect tracking or predictive maintenance integration.