Boeing

Before I joined Boeing in 2019, Boeing manufacturing employees were using software that was decades old. It was slow, complex, and heavily outdated.

​My team and I were tasked with designing one of the largest Boeing software applications to date. Our objective was to build a new software ecosystem in order to efficiently digitize the aircraft manufacturing process.

​​Privacy Disclaimer: To protect Boeing classified information, I am not allowed to display the entirety of my work. Certain details and images in this case study have been simplified, altered, or omitted entirely (this includes pictures of legacy Boeing software). The data used in the images below are meant to be placeholders and are not accurate to the data used in the actual product.

Overview

I joined Boeing along with a team of 4 other UX designers to work on revamping and building their enterprise manufacturing software. The goal for this project was to identify any usability issues with the current applications while integrating a huge set of complex tasks. In the end, we designed a new large software ecosystem consisting of several modules and applications.​

For sake of simplicity, I'll call this project LMP (Large Manufacturing Project). Each UX designer was placed on a team within LMP that handled different applications that served different purposes. The application I was responsible for was the heart of the project. I'll refer to the application I worked on as MES (Manufacturing Execution System). MES was designed to allow mechanics to see their work, do their work, and complete their work.

MES would affect over 70,000 Boeing employees around the globe.

This was the largest and most challenging project I've worked on, but it has allowed me to grow tremendously as a UX designer. Some of my biggest accomplishments working with Boeing are listed below:

  • Pioneered design process – User experience as a discipline was relatively new to Boeing manufacturing. A new design process was drafted to ensure a seamless integration of UX designers into Boeing team structures.
  • Established a design system –  This helped us maintain consistency across all applications within LMP while preserving the distinct look and feel of a Boeing software application.
  • Led UX practice within team – As the only designer on my application, I was responsible educating the team on UX. I coordinated my own work which included everything from research, synthesis, and design to internal team collaboration and handoff.
  • Improved usability – User research was never conducted on the previous versions of our application. Changes or updates in our work were backed by user testing, interviews, surveys, and/or studies.

Process

Mockups

WORK LIST

The home screen for a mechanic logging into MES.

  • Horizontal scroll issue was eliminated with the integration of a drop down arrow that hides secondary attributes
  • Left-hand navigation menu was made collapsible to allow for more screen real estate
  • Work orders can be started directly from the home screen with just 2 clicks under the status column
  • Integrated search bars speed up the process of pinpointing specific work orders
WORK INSTRUCTIONS

Detailed display of a work order.

  • Switched to a card format to allow for a comprehensive display of data that is easy to compare and reference
  • Scalable to allow for additional cards to be added along with a scroll bar at future dates
GROUP SUMMARY

An itemized view that shows the different steps of a work order.

  • Split screen view allows user to reference and select group numbers on the left
  • Action buttons were removed and changed to be selectable through radio buttons in close proximity to the corresponding action
  • Headers added that provide direction for unfamiliar users
NOTES & ALERTS

Any updates or changes to a work happen here.

  • Notes, alerts, and attachments were all categorized together and put on this screen to simplify the information architecture and user flow.
  • Disabled buttons and form fields help to prevent user confusion or error.
BILL OF MATERIALS

Comprehensive list of parts, items, and other assembly materials pertaining to a work order.

  • Individual search fields, pagination buttons, and page buttons were removed to reduce visual complexity

Results

Although LMP hadn't fully rolled out when I left Boeing, I was able to see MES perform in a site implementation. The feedback I gathered was extremely positive and I was able to continue shaping the growth of MES. Countless design iterations were necessary to alleviate issues that users had and create a product that would become the biggest Boeing manufacturing update for future generations.​

Here are some of my key takeaways from this project: