Car Turnaround Time Feature
Streamline and Optimize Car Management with dealership buffer.
By leveraging operational data, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and overcoming various challenges, I have developed a groundbreaking solution that simplifies car management and ensures stability. Throughout the process, I tackled challenges such as accommodating different business models in diverse scenarios, dealing with a lack of data and information from dealerships, and seamlessly integrating into existing designs. The result is an innovative solution that delivers increased cost recovery, time-saving benefits, and improved vehicle utilization, transforming fleet operations with Dealerware.
My Role
As a product designer at Dealerware, I spearheaded the design of the turnaround time feature, catering to the needs of over 1000 Dealership partners. My role involved iterative design to ensure an optimal solution.
Impact
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80% User Satisfaction: Time Selector Redesign and Easy Pathway Location
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Developed a design system
What I did?
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UI/UX
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Onsite Interview
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Online Interview
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Data Applied
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Wireframe & Prototype
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Cross-functional team cooperation
Time
02/2023- 04/2023
Tools
Figma
FigJam
Zoom
Dealerware is a software platform for automotive dealerships to manage loaner vehicle fleets efficiently. It automates processes like vehicle check-in/out, contracts, billing, and provides real-time tracking and reporting. It helps dealerships optimize fleet utilization, enhance customer experience, and improve operational efficiency.
Problem
Challenges Faced by Dealerships:
Scheduling Reservations Without Buffer Time and its Impact on Car Management Reducing Contract Turnaround Time for Better Management
Right now, dealership let people make reservations right after each other. For example, if one reservation ends at 12:00pm on February 2nd, another one can be scheduled for 1pm .Once customers start making their own reservations, we need to add some time between them. This is because cars may be returned late or at unpredictable times, they need to be cleaned and refueled, and electric cars might take longer to charge depending on the dealership's charging system.
The Solution
Simplifying Setup and Real-Time Time Management for Enhanced Customer Service.
01 | Standardized Setup for Single Site
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Consistency | Standardizing the setup process for a single site ensures a consistent configuration across all aspects of the operation.
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Ease of management | With a standardized setup, managing the operations of a single site becomes more straightforward.
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Training and support | A standardized setup enable more efficient training and support for dealership staff.
02 | Customizable Time Settings for Individual Vehicles
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Flexibility | Offering customizable time settings for individual vehicles allows dealerships to adapt to customer needs and preferences.
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Real-time adjustments | By enabling real-time adjustments to the time settings for individual vehicles, dealerships can respond to changing circumstances promptly.
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Efficient resource allocation | Customizable time settings empower dealerships to optimize resource allocation.
The Challenge
What problem did I try to solve at the beginning
Diverse Business Models
Limited Data Availability
Seamless Integration
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Diverse Business Models: Addressing the challenge of different dealership scenarios, including loaner services, rental services, or both, by tailoring the design solution to meet their specific needs.
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Limited Data Availability: Overcoming the obstacle of a lack of data and information from dealerships by utilizing alternative research methods, conducting interviews and workshops, and collaborating closely with stakeholders to gather essential insights.
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Seamless Integration: Successfully integrating the new solution into the existing design by careful planning, collaboration with development teams, and iterative design iterations to ensure a smooth transition and a consistent user experience.
My Process
1.Data inspection and
user research
2.Design
3.User Testing & Iteration
Data Inspection
Unveiling Operational Gaps and Customer Perspectives: A Closer Look at Car Dealerships
User Research
Operational Methods Influence Time Duration: Impact Extends to Login Pages as Well
In order to identify user usage details and frequency, I have decided to adopt the following research methods.
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Onsite Observation (Austin Jaguar)
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Internal Second-hand Info Review
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Competitor Analysis
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User Interview
User Interview
Flexibility as the Key Metric: Enhancing Car Delivery with Customer Choice
The users sharing their current situation and requirements, along with the flexibility and time-saving settings, will greatly assist them.
Current Product Analysis
Comparing Key Pages for Optimal Pathway: Pros and Cons
Based on user interviews conducted both internally and externally, I have identified the top three most frequently used and configured pages. Now, I am researching which of these pages would be the most suitable as a pathway.
Location Page
A page for making unified settings specifically for a single storefront.
Pros
Global Setting
Cons
Uncertainty about user's familiarity with page name
Vehicle Page
A dashboard where you can view the status of individual vehicles in inventory and make configurations for each vehicle.
Pros
customized by needs
Cons
Time Cost
Vehicle Group Page
A page where you can configure settings for a fleet of vehicles, such as a rental cars fleet.
Pros
Easy to change by group
Cons
Overlap with Location page
Final Decision
Prioritizing MVP Approach: Enhancing Reservation Experience with Time Selector
We have decided to prioritize the development of the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) approach for the Location page and Vehicle page, with a specific focus on the time selector as the key component. The time selector is vital as it allows customers to easily choose their desired reservation times. By prioritizing this functionality, we ensure a seamless and user-friendly reservation experience. Gathering user feedback early on will help us improve the time selector's usability and effectiveness. This decision allows us to deliver a functional and intuitive core feature while maintaining the flexibility to enhance the system based on user input.
The final decision is to start with the MVP on the Location page and Vehicle page.
Location Page
Implementing Unified Time Settings for the Entire Dealership
Vehicle Page
Individual Vehicle Time Configuration
Design
Time Selector | Enhancing Flexibility: Intuitive Time Selector for Customizable Buffer Durations
In the market, there are various options for time selectors, including input fields, dropdown lists, and a combination of both. Additionally, defining the specific numbers within the time selector can be a challenging task. To address these challenges, I conducted user testing to gather feedback and insights from users, which helped me define the specific numbers to be included. Ultimately, I decided that a dropdown list is the most suitable approach for the time selector.
Wireframe
Wireframes are essential for effective communication between project managers and developers. I visualize ideas, ensure clarity and consistency, identify requirements and gaps, enable efficient iteration, and save time and costs.
Hi-Fi
Location Page
Vehicle Page
What I learned
Simplicity over Complexity: Embracing the Power of Minimalistic Designs
First Version - Complexity
Simplicity in design and mechanism can often be more effective. While functional and intelligent computing has its advantages, overly complex systems can increase user learning curves and introduce potential errors. Simple designs offer easier understanding, reduced confusion, faster execution, and increased efficiency. Balancing functionality and complexity is important, and sometimes, the simplest design is the most reliable choice for meeting user expectations and needs.
The initial design of tooltips was implemented to address potential difficulties faced by users in selecting numbers and distinguishing between minutes and hours. The tooltips were added to mitigate cognitive obstacles.
Design System for Tooltips
I proposed the design of tooltips because the design system did not have updated tooltip components. Therefore, I also assisted in creating new tooltip components in the design system.
User Testing
Simplifying Configuration and Optimizing Loading Time
80% of users are satisfied with the final design of the time selector and find the new pathway easy to locate.
5
Dealerships
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Internal Stakeholders
Iteration
1.The significance of habit pathways and button usage frequency
Before: With the low-frequency usage and inconvenience of updating a single-car model
After: Aim to improve usability by providing management personnel with easy access to the update functionality without the need for extensive navigation. Additionally, it considers the variable nature of the turnaround time for the single car, allowing for more efficient updates based on specific circumstances.
Iteration
2.Simplifying choices for time-saving results: Embracing the efficiency of compact lists
Before: This input can result in difficulties in accurately managing numerical inputs, leading to management challenges. Moreover, combining the input of hours and minutes in the same field can cause immediate confusion for users trying to determine the time.
After: A dropdown list offers users the convenience of selecting a specific time directly. The consistency of numerical inputs also aids in internal management and communication. Additionally, while hours and minutes are separated into two fields, the minutes can be set at intervals of only 0 and 30, which efficiently assists users in making their desired settings.
Iteration
3.Simplifying method for Improved Efficiency and Faster Loading
Before: The initial card design, intended to facilitate efficiency by automatically calculating the total time required in various scenarios, inadvertently led to redundant API requests and increased time consumption. Moreover, the overwhelming complexity of information presented on the card placed a burden on user memory.
After: Aligning with the existing design system, and incorporating a simple dropdown list to empower users with the freedom to choose their desired time.
Takeaway
Top-Down Approach
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Reflecting on the challenges faced during dealership research, I realized the potential efficiency in studying the entire business model of larger automotive groups. Taking a top-down approach could provide valuable insights into dealership workflows and help optimize operations more effectively.
Prioritizing Efficiency
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highlight the importance of effective prioritization, such as starting with an MVP, leveraging the 80/20 rule, targeting high-impact users, and collecting data to enhance use case coverage. Additionally, I discovered that launching an MVP not only enables data collection but also helps overcome user resistance by allowing them to experience the benefits of the tool firsthand. This approach fosters user familiarity and gradually builds trust in the value of the solution.
Collaborative Synergy
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Collaborating with other teams was crucial in gaining valuable input and feedback, greatly enhancing goal achievement. Timely feedback from developers enabled prompt modifications to the card design, improving page usability and efficiency. This collaborative approach ensured a design that met user needs and aligned with technical requirements, optimizing the overall user experience.