Case Study - Boeing

Project Overview

I joined Boeing along with a team of 4 other UX designers to work on revamping and building their core enterprise manufacturing software — one of the largest Boeing software projects to date. Our objective was to build a new software ecosystem in order to efficiently digitize the aircraft manufacturing process. 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 view their daily tasks, manage their tasks, and review and sign off on those tasks.

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

Role

Product Designer

Industry

Aerospace

Year

June 2019 - Oct 2020

Skills

User Research
Enterprise Software
Design Systems
Information Architecture
Visual Design
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My Process

One of my tasks at MyUSCIS was fully migrating our component library into Figma. Using the principles of an atomic design system, I built a responsive design library with a collection of reusable components and templates that are used on MyUSCIS.com today.

Research

Through several rounds of stakeholder workshops, user interviews, and usability tests, I was able to compile and prioritize user pain points and opportunities backed by real data. These insights allowed our product team to align user needs with business goals.

Image blurred to protect Boeing sensitive data.

Wireframes

Creating low fidelity designs allowed me to quickly refine ideas and align with my engineers on technical feasibility early on in the process. I went through several iterations of ideas, engaging product team stakeholders throughout this phase to incorporate their feedback and make sure we were addressing the problems found in research effectively and in a collaborative manner.

Designs

WORK LIST

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

The home screen for a mechanic logging into MES.

WORK INSTRUCTIONS

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

Detailed display of a work order.

BATCH SUMMARY

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

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

NOTES & ALERTS

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.

Any updates or changes to a work happen here.

BILL OF MATERIALS

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

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

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:

Advocate for UX – It's okay for people to be unfamiliar with UX. Be patient and and persistent about the importance of doing proper UX work. There isn't a shortcut to creating a great user experience.
Build an MVP and iterate – Perfection never happens on the first try. My former Boeing UX mentor once said don't try to build whole car when you can start by building a bike and constantly improving.
Defend your users' needs – There are times where what a user needs and what the business wants don't align. When you have the user research to back it up, fight to stretch the technical "limitations" of what your team can do.
Collaboration yields better results – It doesn't need to be with another designer. Invite your team to your design workshops, walkthroughs, and other design activities so that they can offer input as well. Sometimes the best design comes from the collaboration between your team and your users.

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