RODA.MOVE YOUR GOODS
The project started when a Delhi based businessman approached me to give the transportation of goods a new turn. There are few businesses on similar lines which are upcoming and has sustained in the market like Shippr, Porter or Lets Transport to name a few. And even now, a major sector of trucking market is driven by the unorganised group of local truck operators and drivers in India.
CLIENT: Roda | DATE: Nov 2017 - Feb 2018 | CATEGORY: Transportation Service
RESEARCH
As a UX designer, I did a thorough market study, both online and offline instead of directly jumping on to visual aspects of design. I conducted half an hour to 45 minutes long conversations with 8 truck drivers, 10 wholesalers and 4 retailers in Delhi to understand their day in life of, work ethics and pain-points when it comes to shipment of commodities.
I understand these numbers aren’t large enough to reach a qualitative outcome of research. But in given time frame, this research really helped me to know their side of stories and gave me a fairly good idea to start the process.
USER CATEGORIES
A TYPICAL CONVERSATION
between a wholesaler and a truck driver (in a little toned down Dilli-lingo)
USERS JOURNEY MAP
After collating all the data from the conversations I conducted with all three types of users, I created a journey map which includes the emotion and thoughts that each user goes through while dealing with each other at different touch-points.
This step helped me to understand each one's pain points in detail and what each of them goes through. The project got more and more interesting when I had clear data in hands to be worked on.
While doing online research alongside, I came across few more apps who provides similar service which helped me in forming the outline of my requirement list.
“Design is not about reinventing the wheel.” Instead of creating a new system entirely for the users, it’s better to use an existing they’re used to and induce the solution to their core pain points.
PAIN POINTS (sellers / buyers / truck drivers)
The unorganised trucking business in India hasn’t changed much in last 15-20 years and it has got a good opportunity going forward using technology to streamline the segment and attain efficiency for both the customers and truck drivers.
- Manufacturers and wholesalers are dependent on local truck operators and drivers to transport their shipments within cities
and inter-cities.
- Consumers find it difficult to hire a truck at the same time of sending the shipment.
- Either consumer goes out or sends his staff in the look-out for truck drivers for advance booking.
- Consumers need to take the pain of repeated calling to the truck driver to track their goods.
- Buyers usually have no track updates and bother the seller over and over for the update.
- Driver could finish between 1-2 trips a day due to inefficiency and un-calculated time barrier of loading/unloading.
- Driver ends up charging more to customers because there is never a confirmed return trip.
- Sudden requirement of extra hands for loading and unloading leads to delay of entire shipment.
THE CHALLENGES
The research also yielded few challenges which were directly related to the truck drivers and can't be ignored. The points were discussed with the client and the solutions to them are listed down further below as we go ahead later under business requirements list.
01.
Not many truck drivers own a smartphone
02.
Getting truck drivers to adopt technology is the main challenge that needs to be addressed
03.
English language isn’t familiar amongst all the drivers
BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS
Instead of providing a set of rigid features to both the user groups, I along with the client decided to give a controlled power in users hands, where they can attend to each other using the app in close to real-life situation along with enhanced usability experience.
For Driver
- Increase drivers’ daily trips by making the system more efficient
- Minimise the possibility of empty return, by allowing the driver to feed date, time and destination location to the system
in advance
- Intimate drivers in advance if loading/unloading of goods is required so that it can be planned accordingly
- Show photographs of goods’ cartons if uploaded by the customer
- Bid/quote price over suggested cost based on his knowledge and will
- Incorporate Hindi language in the app to make it accessible to more drivers
For Customers
- Live tracking of trucks including loading and unloading for seller and buyer
- Reduce the transportation cost for customers
- Making “book later” as a primary feature
- Upload goods images to be transported
- In-app call feature to the driver
USER FLOW
I believe sudden change in the way of operating any business for the direct users is always way difficult to be accepted and it is a huge turn-off for them. Making a smooth transition for this business was very important for the consumers to adapt it without much hassle. While working on the final flow for both the user groups, my sole intention was to get the operation of this business from offline to online without much change in their current process. Critical solutions to their major pain points were implemented alongside while making the platform seamless.
STYLE GUIDE
PROTOTYPE
