Project Description
Platforms
Responsive Web, iOS, Android
Services
Product Design, UX Research, Interaction Design, Animation
Roger is on a mission to bring transparency to dry bulk transport through a neutral network.
From deal negotiations to scale tickets and digital payments, Roger is digitizing the dry-bulk shipping industry. Their core offering’s have helped dry-bulk carriers and shippers get paid more, faster, and eliminated the never-ending question of “where’s my grain?”. Roger creates a listing of all active loads and available capacity so carriers and shippers can receive multiple bids, accept an offer in one click and use trackable negotiation tools to help them make the best moves for their business. Once a deal is made, carriers and shippers can manage all of their active loads on any device, in one universal platform. Finally, Roger helps dry-bulk shippers and carriers store insurance, DOT, and other certifications, making onboarding with new shippers faster than ever. For dry-bulk shippers, carriers, and drivers, Roger is the whole package.
PRODUCT DESIGN
Discovery
Iterate, iterate, iterate
Roger is in its 3rd year of existence, and we have moved far beyond a basic MVP and into iterations of user pains, gains, and jobs to be done. Though the problems have changed, the Design Thinking framework that we’ve used to solve those problems has largely stayed consistent.
Methodology
Design Thinking + Scrum
We structured our product teams to consistently deliver a product that is solving real problems. Our development teams work in agile, two-week sprints, to ensure consistent deliveries. To avoid a flat development backlog, the design team works ahead using a trimmed down version of design thinking.
Our “Double-Diamond” approach to design thinking is our key to truly understanding user needs and iterating on solutions. The iterative process is broken down into 4 phases: research + understand, synthesize + define, iterate + decide, create + validate.
Double Diamond
In our first diamond, we identify the value proposition for Shippers, Carriers, and Drivers through stakeholder/user interviews, surveys, or feedback from our CSM team. Once we’ve gathered our insights we synthesize them into common themes by affinity mapping or creating a value proposition canvas. From that point, we will prioritize our next steps and will generally have enough confidence to move into our second diamond.
In the second diamond, we follow up with our users and perform basic tasks through moderated or unmoderated usability tests using low to high-fidelity prototypes. Our goal in this phase is to apply our research into a usable/desirable product. Once our iterations are done here we push it into our developer backlog for their upcoming sprints.
Users
Personas or proto-personas are a great way of identifying foundational traits of your users. Where they fall short is identifying the real pains, gains, and jobs to be done for a specific product. As an ongoing effort, we actively adjust our persona’s value propositions as new information arises.
Meeting Roger’s users where they’re at
Rather than overhaul a tried and true process within dry-bulk shipping, or goal is to replicate the process with a few enhancements that will ultimately benefit all users involved. Once we understand the real challenges of our users, it allows us to meet them where they’re at, and solve problems with familiar solutions.
One thing many digital product companies take for granted is how tech-savvy their user base is. During our initial research phase, we exposed needs around helping users find their email addresses and phone numbers, checking emails for validation upon registration, and how to take a picture. We knew at that point that our solutions needed to be easy and straightforward.
The creative direction we used for Roger was personable and simple. We used an interface that is straightforward and fun, but at the same time is simple to use. By using this direction and consistently validating our work, we enabled a more inviting experience with a new tool for dry-bulk shippers, carriers, and drivers.
User interface
Design system
Roger is made up of 3 products that can either stand alone as unique offerings or work together to connect the entire life cycle of a dry-bulk shipper. With a platform of this scale, a design system is a must in order to keep all style guides and design components consistent between design and development. We created, and are consistently updating, a 16-page design system containing standards for every element used across the platform. Not only does this ensure consistency, but now we are able to iterate lightning fast with existing variants of components.
High & low fidelity
Create & Validate
We aim to validate early and often with all new features within Roger, and thanks to our design system, those iterations tend to be more high-fidelity than not. To iterate and validate, we perform moderated and unmoderated usability tests on high-risk problems and features. In those usability tests, we send users through tasks and track their ability to successfully complete or fail those tasks. Once we have those results we will either move forward or iterate if more validation is necessary.
Our iterations have led to a satisfying platform that is friendly, fun, and inviting, all by using a flat UI design. We accent the flat and colorful UI by sprinkling a few fun animations and illustrations throughout the platform to help with direction and understanding. The final product is delightful and insightful.
Results
Roger metrics
Roger has been a huge success. In the past 6 months, engagement in new loads created increased by 77% (419,594 total), adoption in new carriers and shippers increased by 40% (1,114 carriers and 2,148 drivers), and freight paid through Roger increased by 80% ($129,000,00 total). This platform would not be successful without the team that is actively working on it. It has been a great pleasure to work on this project and collaborate with an awesome team from Roger’s leadership to our annual interns. Roger is solving real problems, and changing real lives for the better and it’s been a pleasure to be along for the ride. Haul Yeah!
Thank You
