Customs & Merchandise Management System
Customs & Merchandise Management System
My Role
My Role
Product Designer
The Team
The Team
Product Designer
Product Designer
1 PM & Founder
1 PM & Founder
6 developers
6 developers
Key Contributions
Key Contributions
User Interviews
Competitive Analysis
Design
Prototyping
About the product
An international freight organization requires the integration of a new module into its current B2B SaaS system: A supervisory module designed to monitor and record particulars related to imports, encompassing collaboration with domestic regulators.
An international freight organization requires the integration of a new module into its current B2B SaaS system: A supervisory module designed to monitor and record particulars related to imports, encompassing collaboration with domestic regulators.
My Role
Product Designer
The Team
Product Designer
1 PM & Founder
6 developers
Key Contributions
User Interviews
Competitive Analysis
Design
Prototyping
About the product
An international freight organization requires the integration of a new module into its current B2B SaaS system: A supervisory module designed to monitor and record particulars related to imports, encompassing collaboration with domestic regulators.
Main Challenges
1
Load of documents and information
2
Unite and integrate different tools into one.
3
Non-technological users in an enterprise environment.
4
Allow simultaneous collaboration between 5 roles.
Research
Interviews
I conducted 4 interviews at the beginning of this project. The first one was with the project manager and development manager, after that, I ran 3 interviews with SMEs (Subject matter experts), from the departments of the designated users.
Takeaways & Insights
Takeaways & Insights
The main entity of the existing system is the customs case and the module needs to take it in account.
The main entity of the existing system is the customs case and the module needs to take it in account.
The system needs to be collaborative and allow the users to work on the case at the same time.
The system needs to be collaborative and allow the users to work on the case at the same time.
There are a lot of data fields in every case that need hierarchy.
There are a lot of data fields in every case that need hierarchy.
The system needs to fit a variety of users and roles from 2 Countries (RTL and LTR design).
The system needs to fit a variety of users and roles from 2 Countries (RTL and LTR design).
The Customs Manager is the main user of this module, and is in charge of the process.
The Customs Manager is the main user of this module, and is in charge of the process.
Interviews
I conducted 4 interviews at the beginning of this project. The first one was with the project manager and development manager, after that, I ran 3 interviews with SMEs (Subject matter experts), from the departments of the designated users.
Takeaways & Insights
The main entity of the existing system is the customs case and the module needs to take it in account.
The system needs to be collaborative and allow the users to work on the case at the same time.
There are a lot of data fields in every case that need hierarchy.
The system needs to fit a variety of users and roles from 2 Countries (RTL and LTR design).
The Customs Manager is the main user of this module, and is in charge of the process.
Role analysis
After the interviews, I understood the different responsibilities, goals, and challenges for every role in the process. It helped me to design the actions and flows every role pass through.
Customs Manager
Customs Manager
Handles customs cases, responsible for the commissions and oversees the work of all roles.
Goals
Goals
Transference of tariff affairs
facilitating the moving of merchandise
Making sure all roles collaborate successfully.
Frustrations
Frustrations
Hard to trace and oversee all cases.
Lots of tasks going on simultaneously.
Classifier
Classifier
Classify cases and merchandise by types. Subordinate to the Customs Manager.
Goals
Goals
Classify as many cases as possible.
Minimize time and errors in classifications.
Frustrations
Frustrations
Comparisons to past cases are complicated and create workload.
Unclarified cases create delays.
Permits
Permits
Check the existence of required permits for merchandise and obtain missing permits
Goals
Obtain permits for existing cases, derived from previous ones.
Submit the required permits to governmental organizations.
Frustrations
Hard to follow existing permits and expirations.
Understand which permits are required for every case.
PHL
PHL
Filling in technical data about the customs case.
Goals
Fill in data for as many customs cases as possible
Fill in data as fast as possible.
Make as few mistakes as possible.
Frustrations
Past system designed right to left.
Many cases, difficult to organize.
Difficulty assessing workload status.
Audit
Audit
Review the customs case and affiliated documents before they are sent for payment.
Goals
Obtain permits for existing cases, derived from previous ones.
Submit the required permits to governmental organizations.
Frustrations
Hard to follow existing permits and expirations.
Understand which permits are required for every case.
Role analysis
After the interviews, I understood the different responsibilities, goals, and challenges for every role in the process. It helped me to design the actions and flows every role pass through.
Customs Manager
Customs Manager
Handles customs cases, responsible for the commissions and oversees the work of all roles.
Goals
Transference of tariff affairs
facilitating the moving of merchandise
Making sure all roles collaborate successfully.
Frustrations
Hard to trace and oversee all cases.
Lots of tasks going on simultaneously.
Classifier
Classifier
Classify cases and merchandise by types. Subordinate to the Customs Manager.
Goals
Classify as many cases as possible.
Minimize time and errors in classifications.
Frustrations
Comparisons to past cases are complicated and create workload.
Unclarified cases create delays.
Permits
Permits
Check the existence of required permits for merchandise and obtain missing permits
Goals
Obtain permits for existing cases, derived from previous ones.
Submit the required permits to governmental organizations.
Frustrations
Hard to follow existing permits and expirations.
Understand which permits are required for every case.
PHL
PHL
Filling in technical data about the customs case.
Goals
Fill in data for as many customs cases as possible
Fill in data as fast as possible.
Make as few mistakes as possible.
Frustrations
Past system designed right to left.
Many cases, difficult to organize.
Difficulty assessing workload status.
Audit
Audit
Review the customs case and affiliated documents before they are sent for payment.
Goals
Obtain permits for existing cases, derived from previous ones.
Submit the required permits to governmental organizations.
Frustrations
Hard to follow existing permits and expirations.
Understand which permits are required for every case.
Users Flow Map
The main user flow, is between 5 users types, to complete the customs case
Users Flow Map
The main user flow, is between 5 users types, to complete the customs case
Market Research
Post-study, I was keen to review the solutions present in the industry to these challenges, as well as their features, specifically with respect to case management.
Enable to work collaboratively on a lot of details.
Enable to work collaboratively on a lot of details.
Can tag other team members and leave a comment.
Can tag other team members and leave a comment.
Can give status to any object.
Can give status to any object.
Can build automation to improve efficiency.
Can build automation to improve efficiency.
Simple and easy to use.
Simple and easy to use.
Market Research
Post-study, I was keen to review the solutions present in the industry to these challenges, as well as their features, specifically with respect to case management.
Enable to work collaboratively on a lot of details.
Can tag other team members and leave a comment.
Can give status to any object.
Can build automation to improve efficiency.
Simple and easy to use.
Design
Layout Concept
From the accumulated knowledge of research, I made 2 different concepts and shared them to the stakeholders, to explore the options.
Concept 1 - Table View
Focuses on the details by showing more information on every case at first sight.
More information is shown in the case preview on the left panel.
Selected by the SME's because the users found it familiar and clear to understand 👍🏻
Selected by stakeholders because its easier to develop
Concept 2 - Lanes View
Focuses on the case location and status of the customs process.
Shows less information at first sight, but is easy to manage and monitor.
The users didn’t understand how to move cases and wanted to have more information at first sight.
Haeder to develop
Design
Layout Concept
From the accumulated knowledge of research, I made 2 different concepts and shared them to the stakeholders, to explore the options.
Concept 1 - Table View
Focuses on the details by showing more information on every case at first sight.
More information is shown in the case preview on the left panel.
Selected by the SME's because the users found it familiar and clear to understand 👍🏻
Concept 2 - Lanes View
Focuses on the case location and status of the customs process.
Shows less information at first sight, but is easy to manage and monitor.
The users didn’t understand how to move cases and wanted to have more information at first sight.
Haeder to develop
Final Design
Home Screen
Mini Dashboard - An overview of the role workload.
Main Table - Case details, statuses and actions. For more details, every case opens a side panel.
The main table - every row is a case' which expands in the left panel.
Mini Dashboard - gives an overview of the role workload - necessary, especially for the customs manager.
Final Design
Home Screen
The main table - every row is a case' which expands in the left panel.
Mini Dashboard - gives an overview of the role workload - necessary, especially for the customs manager.
Classifier Screen
Review the products of a particular case.
Set a price, based on comparable previous products.
Return issued cases to the customs manager.
Verify related permits.
Classifier Screen
Review the products of a particular case.
Set a price, based on comparable previous products.
Return issued cases to the customs manager.
Verify related permits.
Permits Screen
Reviewing current permits
Inspecting merchendaise-specific permit applications.
Adding notes or comments to applications.
Reviewing current permits
Inspecting merchendaise-specific permit applications.
Adding notes or comments to applications.
Audit Screen
Audit Screen
Utilized for examining the case, prior to finalizing the customs procedure.
The load of information the user must review required a screen design, ensuring clarity and efficiency.
Utilized for examining the case, prior to finalizing the customs procedure.
The load of information the user must review required a screen design, ensuring clarity and efficiency.
Thanks for watching 🙌🏻
Other case studies
Permits Screen
Reviewing current permits
Inspecting merchendaise-specific permit applications.
Adding notes or comments to applications.
Audit Screen
Utilized for examining the case, prior to finalizing the customs procedure.
The load of information the user must review required a screen design, ensuring clarity and efficiency.
Permits Screen
Reviewing current permits
Inspecting merchendaise-specific permit applications.
Adding notes or comments to applications.