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B2B Furniture Distribution & Data Management Platform
CLIENT
Hopdesk
product design
design research, interaction DESIGN
Hopdesk is an online platform providing furniture distribution solutions. It bridges the gap between companies and their dispersed workforce by offering customized furniture solutions that simplify the transition to remote work for businesses.
OVERVIEW
About the Project
Hopdesk offers furniture solutions for small to medium-sized companies with remote workforces. Acting as an intermediary between furniture suppliers and these companies, Hopdesk leverages its strong position in the specialized home office equipment industry.
We aim to revolutionize home-office furniture maintenance for CFOs and F&Ms transitioning to remote work. Hopdesk's current tracking system has performance limitations, leading us to seek a new, more efficient solution. We focused on expanding capabilities and elevating service quality through the implementation of an upgraded furniture maintenance management system.
We aim to revolutionize home-office furniture maintenance for CFOs and F&Ms transitioning to remote work. Hopdesk's current tracking system has performance limitations, leading us to seek a new, more efficient solution. We focused on expanding capabilities and elevating service quality through the implementation of an upgraded furniture maintenance management system.
Role
Design Research, Strategist, Stakeholder workshop facilitation, Client requirement gathering, Usability Testing , Pitch Presentation
Timeline
15 Weeks
Methods
Design Research, Competitor Research & Market analysis, Business model canvas, Unit economics, Journey Map, Interviews, Information architecture, Prototyping
The Challenge
How can we streamline furniture distribution and logistics for a rapidly growing remote workforce struggling with traditional systems?
Hopdesk faces the challenge of creating a comprehensive solution that enables facility managers in large and mid-sized companies to efficiently procure, monitor, manage, and depreciate remote office assets.
The rise of remote work has created a surge of "micro-offices," posing a major challenge for traditional workplace management. Existing systems struggle to handle the complexities of furniture distribution and logistics for a geographically dispersed workforce. As our customer base explodes, Hopdesk recognizes the urgent need for a more robust platform.
Strategy
Develop a user-friendly online platform for managers and employees to order, track, and maintain approved furniture and equipment.
Simplifying work-from-home furniture logistics for both remote employees and administrators by ensuring easy selection, delivery, and assembly of home office furniture.
A dashboard for furniture distribution and workforce management to streamline logistical operations.
key features
1. Dashboard: For Managers
An integrated dashboard displaying essential and frequently accessed features in a centralized location enhances navigation efficiency. Users can swiftly access, modify, and track the status of current budgets, delivery updates, and order details.
2. Dashboard: For Employee
Employees have the option to browse and select necessary assets from the catalog, arranging for them to be delivered to their designated address. Users can conveniently monitor the delivery progress, make changes to selected items, and request repair or replacement services as needed.
3. Dashboard: For Hopdesk
These individual requests will encompass reports, orders, and inventory data, all readily accessible. Users have the capability to accept or decline requests and adhere to deadlines accordingly. Additionally, they can oversee asset stock levels and coordinate asset deliveries.
The Process
Objective
Our objective as a team is to construct an infrastructure that streamlines this process.
Such an expansion has demanded that they address crucial issues and strengthen their infrastructure so as to provide a solution that can:
- Facilitate efficient management and distribution of employees' home-office equipment.
- Enable real-time updates and monitoring of extensive data by all stakeholders involved.
- Enhance communication among all parties engaged in the process.
- Incorporate feedback mechanisms for market insights and trend identification.
- Effectively manage the depreciation of items in the system.
Such an expansion has demanded that they address crucial issues and strengthen their infrastructure so as to provide a solution that can:
- Facilitate efficient management and distribution of employees' home-office equipment.
- Enable real-time updates and monitoring of extensive data by all stakeholders involved.
- Enhance communication among all parties engaged in the process.
- Incorporate feedback mechanisms for market insights and trend identification.
- Effectively manage the depreciation of items in the system.
INITIAL THINKING
Research Methods
- Desk Research
- Interviews: - Work-from-home employees, HR managers, and COO
- Competitive analysis
- Idealization Workshops
- Interviews: - Work-from-home employees, HR managers, and COO
- Competitive analysis
- Idealization Workshops
Target Users
- Operations managers
- HR managers
- HR managers
how might we questions
1. How can we empower operations managers to design environments that boost employee safety, well-being, and productivity?
2. How can we streamline furniture distribution and logistics for rapidly growing remote teams, leaving them frustration-free and well-equipped?
2. How can we streamline furniture distribution and logistics for rapidly growing remote teams, leaving them frustration-free and well-equipped?
Understanding the market scope
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user research
research insights
Understanding the User
After conducting interviews and observations, I created user personas with information about their behaviors, technologies used, pain points, and needs. PERSONA
After conducting interviews and observations, I created user personas with information about their behaviors, technologies used, pain points, and needs. PERSONA
problem space
Issues Found
1. Lack of frameworks and tools to track items in micro-offices
2. Time-consuming calculations in Excel
3. Lot of complaint tickets and high error rates
4. Undefined procedure when an employee is quitting
5. Lengthy procedure when an item gets broken
6. Organizing & searching data is time consuming
2. Time-consuming calculations in Excel
3. Lot of complaint tickets and high error rates
4. Undefined procedure when an employee is quitting
5. Lengthy procedure when an item gets broken
6. Organizing & searching data is time consuming
design goal
Re-framing the Problem
How can Hopdesk empower managers to establish an asset accountability system that swiftly gathers, compiles, and analyzes orders and issues, while also promoting productivity and wellness within a remote workforce?
How can Hopdesk empower managers to establish an asset accountability system that swiftly gathers, compiles, and analyzes orders and issues, while also promoting productivity and wellness within a remote workforce?
journey mapping
Identifying use case
STORY-BOARDING
Identifying different scenarios
The goal was to take the ideas we generated in the brainstorming sessions and sketch an actual use case and user scenario on how a user would explore the various options through this part of the story. Finally, after the storyboards, we were able to decide which functionality suits our scope and serves the users best.
The goal was to take the ideas we generated in the brainstorming sessions and sketch an actual use case and user scenario on how a user would explore the various options through this part of the story. Finally, after the storyboards, we were able to decide which functionality suits our scope and serves the users best.
DESIGN DECISIONS
Rationale behind the solution
After brainstorming and story-boarding sessions, we finally decided on a suitable solution for our problem space and what features or functionality it would possess.
After brainstorming and story-boarding sessions, we finally decided on a suitable solution for our problem space and what features or functionality it would possess.
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BRAINSTORMING
Exploring ideas & opportunities
From our concept development and insights sessions, we identified the main features and requirements. However, we realized that many of the shortlisted features were too broad for this project. After prioritizing the list, we discovered that some requirements were interconnected.
From our concept development and insights sessions, we identified the main features and requirements. However, we realized that many of the shortlisted features were too broad for this project. After prioritizing the list, we discovered that some requirements were interconnected.
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
Mapping & organizing information: User flow diagrams
Designing for the user experience began with sketching out a typical user journey based on the accomplishment of specific tasks within the web platform. Once the user journey had been established, the team began to unpack the design flow for general and specific use cases.
expert evaluation
Exploring different layouts
WIREFRAMING
Iterating User Interface
Based on the main features and task flow of our platform, we created initial sketches & wireframes of our prototype with the following user flows:
As we moved on to designing the interface of the web platform, I wire-framed all the UI screens and conducted an initial user testing session.
Based on the main features and task flow of our platform, we created initial sketches & wireframes of our prototype with the following user flows:
As we moved on to designing the interface of the web platform, I wire-framed all the UI screens and conducted an initial user testing session.
Manager
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Employees
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Hopdesk
High Fidelity
Visual Design
Manager
Employee
Hopdesk
user & product journey
Core Strategic Values: One-stop solution
For the client, anything that saves their time and effort would be valuable. For example, Hopdesk’s one-stop solution, which covers everything from consulting to actual furniture and equipment implementation, helps a company spend less time on internal facility management.
Vulnerability: Inventory management
Hopdesk’s needs to carefully control their total inventory, as a shortage in the inventory might lead to dissatisfaction of customers or churn in the worst case. Similarly, there are some risks that manufacturers get into inventory shortages when the demand increases.
For the client, anything that saves their time and effort would be valuable. For example, Hopdesk’s one-stop solution, which covers everything from consulting to actual furniture and equipment implementation, helps a company spend less time on internal facility management.
Vulnerability: Inventory management
Hopdesk’s needs to carefully control their total inventory, as a shortage in the inventory might lead to dissatisfaction of customers or churn in the worst case. Similarly, there are some risks that manufacturers get into inventory shortages when the demand increases.
business strategy
Business Model Canvas
conclusion
Overall Impact:
Hopdesk uses the web app to optimize operations with organizations, providing top-notch services and saving time. This tool enhances efficient furniture delivery and supports performance and service management. The platform's flexibility and its three specialized user interfaces, each designed for different user types, are highly valued by its large client base. Most questions were about when the website's full functionality would be available. Overall, the team was pleased with the results, requesting only minor personalized adjustments.
Hopdesk uses the web app to optimize operations with organizations, providing top-notch services and saving time. This tool enhances efficient furniture delivery and supports performance and service management. The platform's flexibility and its three specialized user interfaces, each designed for different user types, are highly valued by its large client base. Most questions were about when the website's full functionality would be available. Overall, the team was pleased with the results, requesting only minor personalized adjustments.
key takeaway
The key takeaway is that The Supplier/Service diversification strategy serves as a form of insurance for the organization. Demand planning helps to avoid excess inventory costs and waste. However, integrating data from various systems will be challenging.
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