Details
Role
Founding Product Designer
Year
2022 - 2023
Tools
Figma, Confluence, Miro
Brief
WattEV Drive is a mobile application that simplifies the truck driver daily workflow and ensures compliance with California driver safety regulations. I led the design and development of this project from conceptualization to launch on the google play store.
Business Problem
What are the FMCSA requirements?
In 2011, the FMCSA issued the electronic logging device (ELD) mandate, requiring all commercial drivers to electronically document their daily activities to replace forged and inaccurate handwritten logs.
Our Approach
Most transportation companies adopt third-party ELDs, but these lack tailored user experience for WattEV's innovative electric Nikola trucks. Therefore, we developed a custom in-house driver app for our fleet.
Market Research
Software Requirement #1: RODS
Records of Duty Status (RODS) are electronic logs of a driver's hours, including driving, rest, and off-duty time. They ensure a safer work environment and enforce driving hour limits and mandatory rest periods for commercial drivers.
Software Requirement #2: Driver Vehicle Inspection Records
Driver Vehicle Inspection Records (DVIR) document defects or deficiencies found during pre-trip and post-trip inspections, ensuring the safety and roadworthiness of commercial vehicles.
User Research
Research methods
I conducted user interviews, participated in ride-alongs, held figma prototype testing at truck stops and attended industry leading events to immerse myself in the driver experience.
Synthesizing Research Findings
Dispatching
A truck driver's primary objective is to pick up and deliver shipments, necessitating clear information on their destinations. However, they often receive last-minute and disorganized updates via messy text messages. With a dispatching system, drivers can access their routes, assignments, and load details in one centralized location, eliminating the need for constant back-and-forth messaging on personal phones. Drive also integrates geofencing, automatically notifying dispatchers at home base about arrivals and departures.
Logbook
As mentioned earlier, drivers are required to log every hour of their day and complete mandatory pre-trip and post-trip inspections on their vehicles. They also need to take mandatory breaks after driving for 9 hours to ensure safety on the road. The logbook feature makes data entry simple and allows for easy editing.
Vehicle Hardware Integration
Automated Motion Detection
One significant benefit of vehicle battery integration is that it enables Drive to detect vehicle movement and automatically update the driver's duty status within the ELD Truck Driver app. This reduces the driver's cognitive load, allowing them to focus more on safety while on the road instead of making manual updates.
Vehicle Diagnostics
Another benefit is the ability to monitor and provide real-time insights into the health and performance of the vehicle. This feature enables proactive maintenance, minimizes downtime, and enhances overall safety and efficiency on the road.
Conclusion
My thoughts on designing a government mandated product.
Designing for users who engage with an app primarily due to legal requirements has been enlightening. It's deepened my appreciation for creating seamless experiences that fulfill needs without frequent interaction. You can explore more of my reflections on this topic in a LinkedIn post I've shared. Thanks for reading.
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