During my internship, I redesigned the supplier management function of an ERP system used by over 100 supply chain networks, resulting in a 21% increase in user satisfaction. This case study will outline the problem addressed, metrics identified, design process, trade-offs, and lessons learned.
3
Months
2
Designers
UI/UX Design Intern
Figma Axure Adobe XD
Supply chain is... complex
The majority of Chinese supply chain companies are entering the digital management stage, with less than 15% using digital procurement systems. Surveys indicate that over half of these enterprises find the process complex, which has led to significant investment in SaaS solutions. During my UI/UX internship at a leading SaaS system service in China, I tackled the challenge of designing the supplier management feature for an ERP app. This involved understanding user needs, conducting competitive analysis, and simplifying the procurement management process.
Understanding procurement
Understanding supply chain management was crucial before starting the design work. I conducted interviews with supply chain managers, watched procurement process videos, and read relevant articles to gather insights. This research phase helped me visualize the workflow across different departments and created a flowchart as shown below.
What's the problem?
Analysis revealed that suppliers play a crucial role in the supply chain, often acting as both suppliers and customers, which adds complexity. The current system lacked a workflow for managing supplier-related information, leading to inefficiencies. Therefore, an intuitive supplier management feature was essential.
Companies need
Efficient management of trading relationships and information with suppliers and customers.
However,
Our system lacks a streamlined workflow for managing supplier information.
So, how might we
Create a feature that centralizes all supplier-related information and streamlines an intuitive workflow for simplified management
03.IDEATE
Competitive Analysis
To leverage successful strategies, avoid pitfalls, and ensure our ERP system remains competitive in current market while meeting users' expectations, I believe conducting a competitive analysis is essential. I began by dissect the structure of other two leading ERP systems in the market, and found that both had heavy focus on the following functions: "Supplier info management", "Supplier evaluation", "Supplier qualification management", and "Trading relationship".
I then analyzed user flows for each system, considering the needs from different roles (group manager, supplier, distribution center, warehouse, etc.), and identified two key interaction workflows for collecting and managing supplier information:
Supplier qualification audit: The group manager creates the supplier profile, suppliers upload certificates, and the group manager audits and approves/denies them.
Supplier evaluation: The group manager creates evaluation forms, and warehouse consignees evaluate suppliers upon receiving the task.
Using user journey maps, I examined users' goals, actions, problems, and sentiments at different stages, gaining key insights on the Pros and Cons on our competitors' design.
After evaluating competitors' strengths and weaknesses, I identified the following takeaways:
The pop-up evaluation form post-confirmation by warehouse consignees is highly convenient, requiring minimal user engagement and cognitive effort.
The existing system's supplier certificate auditing process is cumbersome, as the data auditing page isn't directly linked to supplier profiles, necessitating manual addition of certificates by managers.
A crucial feature lacking in the current system is an expiration reminder function, which would alert managers when suppliers' contracts or certificates are nearing expiration.
Designing main features
Trading relationships & profile
Combining supplier information with trading relationships to reduce redundancy and improve efficiency. Adding filters to view suppliers, customers, or both for better categorization.
Document management
Introducing an "invite with one click" button for suppliers to upload their documents on their mobile device, simplifying the process for managers.
Supplier qualification audit
Group managers create supplier profiles, and suppliers are notified via mobile. Suppliers then upload certificates, which managers can approve or deny.
Supplier assessment
Integrating immediate ratings through pop-up windows and periodic evaluations. Evaluation data is converted into percentages, generating supplier reports for ranking.
Streamlining User flow
I then created user flows to guide the design process and ensure seamless integration of key features.
Final Prototype
What I learnt?
Reflecting on this project, I learned the importance of deep domain knowledge, user-centered design, and research-guided design. Key takeaways include:
Competitive analysis: provided insights into industry trends and competitor offerings, informing innovative design solutions while avoiding common pitfalls.
Designing for different perspectives: Applying user-centered design principles tailored to different roles within the supply chain ecosystem ensured a seamless and intuitive user experience for all stakeholders involved.
Designing for SaaS applications required understanding scalability and complex workflow to create intuitive and responsive interfaces.
If given the chance to work on this project again, I would focus more on integrating real-time user feedback and exploring more automation features to further streamline the process. Additionally, I would implement more robust analytics to track user engagement and identify further areas for improvement.