From the initial research phase to the final design and prototype, this case study will outline the development process of the Logixboad (LXB) full trucking experience.
Overview
Logixboard is a B2B customer experience tool that aims to present logistics and shipping data from different TMS systems (Transport Management Systems) in a user-friendly manner.
Intended Audience: Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
Business Size: 50-200 Employees
Key Benefits:
User-friendly interface
Cost-effective
Enhances operational productivity
The domestic trucking market is extremely fragmented, with several major global players and an extreme long-tail of small-medium enterprise (SME) businesses and individual Owner-Operators.
To illustrate the fragmentation, consider that the top 10 carriers within the ocean carrier market account for greater than 85% of global traffic, while in the US domestic space alone, the top 25 truckload carriers account for only 45% of market share. According to the American Trucking Association, 95.7% of registered carriers operate 10 or fewer trucks.
A natural consequence of this market fragmentation is an equally extreme fragmentation in tooling and software systems meant to support the players and LSPs involved in the market
Due to the complexities of the market, these tools (broadly classified as Transportation Management Systems, or TMSs may be aimed at supporting LSPs (including forwarders and brokers), carriers, or even shippers
Market fragmentation has also given rise to carrier-focused tools like Load Boards, which help drivers find work without the help and matchmaking skills of a freight broker.
Problem statement
The objective of this project had two main aspects:
To develop a brand-new product for domestic/trucking services that is easy to use, elegant, and tailored to our existing client base
It was essential to design it in a manner that enables seamless integration with various transport management systems, aiming to reduce reliance on the Cargowise platform
Users and audience
User:
Logistics Service Providers (LSPs)
Third-Party Logistics (3PL) companies
Companies offering international freight forwarding and domestic services
User's Goals:
Diversify revenue streams
Control a larger portion of the supply chain
Offer a wide array of logistics services
Protect from market fluctuations
Audience:
Customers of 3PL LSPs
Businesses looking for comprehensive logistics solutions
Companies needing services such as domestic forwarding, brokerage, warehousing, customs brokerage, and long-haul trucking
US-based companies requiring domestic long-haul trucking services
Logistics operators dealing with fragmented trucking carrier space
Organizations interested in integrating technology and data for logistics management
Audience's needs:
Comprehensive logistics services
Effective management of domestic long-haul trucking
Integration of technology and data for streamlined operations
Reduction of operational overhead
Access to a unified platform for logistics management
Challenges for the audience:
Managing the fragmented nature of the trucking carrier space
Dealing with extreme fluctuations in demand and capacity
High operational overhead due to manual processes
Complexity and expense of integrating technology and data into internal systems
Need for a unified platform to manage logistics operations efficiently
Roles and responsibilities
Creative direction, UX/UI product design: Michael (Me)
Senior Product Owner : Jared Wolff
Partner and client: Rim Logistic
Development Team: 10 people
Scope and constraints
There were some constraints associated with this project. The project needed to be finished within a short timeframe of 2-3 months because the sales team intended to utilize it as a motivating factor for potential customers.
Furthermore, this project aimed to propel the company towards new opportunities to appeal to larger corporations. Our goal was to advance the company and its range of products by offering integration capabilities for a comprehensive view. This involved shifting away from reliance from a single TMS and enabling data input from various integrations.
What I did
Research
Collaborating closely with Senior Product Owner Jared, we initiated comprehensive industry and market research to pinpoint the market, major stakeholders, and the range of services available.
The domestic trucking market is highly fragmented.
Composed of numerous small-medium enterprises and individual owner-operators.
In contrast, the ocean carrier market is dominated by a few major players.
In the US, the top 25 truckload carriers hold only 45% of the market share.
Market Data:
Global OTR market valued at $2-4 trillion in 2020.
Projected to grow to $2.9 trillion by 2027.
Domestic freight brokerage market valued at $56.3 billion in 2021.
Expected to reach $85.7 billion by 2028.
Over a million registered carriers and over 4 million tractor-class trucks in the US.
Key Players:
Carriers: Owners of physical assets (trucks, trailers, etc.).
Drivers: Include lease contractors, independent drivers, and owner-operators.
Freight Brokers: Coordinate load scheduling and rate negotiation without taking control of goods.
Main Service Types:
Over-the-Road (Long-Haul) Trucking: Includes sub-types like truckload, less-than-truckload, and specialized markets (refrigerated, flatbed, etc.).
Drayage: Short-distance container movements, connecting major transit legs.
Identifying the Vendors:
Carrier Management tools
Tracking and communication Tools
Reporting, Accounting and analytics
Given that the logistics industry in general, and the domestic trucking sector in particular, was new to me, I collaborated closely with the Product Manager/Owner. I took the initiative to conduct my own research to gain a deeper understanding of the intricacies involved.
It is crucial for me to grasp the various components and operations of both the industry and the specific product in order to develop a coherent visual representation.
Having only started a month ago, I aimed to ensure a strong start on my new, significant, and exciting project within the tight timeframe.
Many of the following steps were happening simultaneously
Researching and getting visuals for the tools that are already existing
Diagrams and Flow
Domestic manufacturer to warehouse flow
Creating the first version
For the first designs I chose to stay close to other part of the application that I liked and that I thought would work well for this product line.
The application had been very table focused so far which had been chosen a bit as a default to being able to present lots of data in a compact format.
Table view
Introducing the card view
I wanted to find a way not only to delight our partners and customers but also disrupt somewhat the internal status quo. I first presented the idea to the product manager to see how he would feel if we went that route. I got his buy in and started to explore that route
Presenting the First New Flow with the introduction of the new Card View
Card view - Presentation1
Card view - Presentation2
Initial designs and prototype for customer interview and feedback
Upon Landing on the Dashboard
Click through the different interactions. Click anywhere will reveal clickable hints
Switch from table view to map View
Click on map number clusters in both table and map view to reveal routes
Click on different routes on both table and map view
On Map view
All "lane"cards click through a detail page
Users can expand the different modules
On Table View
Map number clusters are clickable
Lanes are also clickable
The first version was really well received with minor feedback. Upon reviewing the work our customer wanted to make sure that we would be able to capture all the different status for pickup and delivery. There were some differences between how the TMS was naming some of the data fields and how they were referred as in the real world.
Defining the Pick and Delivery Logic
Design and Project Library - Working with Components
Whenever possible and since working with sketch I got into the habit of working with components from the beginning of a project. It enables me to scale a project quickly and tackle all the different variations and permutations of a component. This is usually an expansion phase where I'll make sure to iterate quickly I'll at times go on paper and sketch different ideas that I'll quickly transfer to digital to verify that they work.
More Pages
From that point on we started to discuss the different delivery milestones as well as all the different pages that we needed to create for the complete experience.
Table View Explorer
Card View Explorer
Detail Page
Activity Page
Exceptions and Reminders on Detail page
In App Communication on Detail Page
Trucking Settings and notifications Page
Trucking Dashboard with analytics
Final Designs - Complete Experience Prototype
Dashboard - Trucking with analytics
An additional component of the Domestic Trucking Project involved conceptualizing a dashboard tailored to the domestic trucking experience. Presented below are several ideas. The Trucking dashboard was ultimately deemed out of scope, with the team opting to address it during the dashboard redesign project.
Outcomes and lessons
Working on this project was incredibly enjoyable! I gained valuable insights into the industry and the company's operations. I had the opportunity to collaborate with various teams, including product owners, developers, and design team members, engaging in numerous insightful conversations and review sessions.
It was a high-stakes project as it involved creating a net new product with a unique flow, look and feel, promoting consistency and simplicity, and adding some delightful interactions.
This project revitalized the sales team and the entire company. Soon after, the company vision and strategy took a new direction.
Instead of being limited to connecting the data to a single platform like Cargowise, Logixboard expanded its vision to connect with multiple platforms and TMSs.