autozone
Radio-Frequency Scanner Redesign
Handheld radio-frequency (RF) scanners are used to track inventory in AutoZone’s warehouses across the US and Mexico. The interface is severely outdated and leads to costly errors, misclicks, and unnecessary repetition.
I designed a new RF scanner interface from 0 to 1 as part of a larger warehouse management system overhaul, resulting in a complete redesign and design system.
Duration
January - March 2023
Team
4 Designers
2 Product Managers
Skills
Product & Visual Design, Interaction Design
Due to NDA, parts of this case study are redacted
Please reach out for more details regarding involvement and impact.
User Goal
The warehouse management employees are using an out-of-date scanner to log thousands of shipments everyday. The RF scanner should empower users to easily find, log, and move shipments around large warehouses.
Business Goal
Employees are spending hours of their day correcting issues and updating to-do lists on whiteboards. This initiative should minimize inventory errors, improve overall warehouse productivity, and increase revenue potential.
First things first… what is an RF scanner?
RF scanners are handheld devices that warehouse employees use to track inventory and ensure accurate order fulfillment. 10,000s of employees using this RF scanner to complete daily tasks, so one extra step in a flow compounds into thousands of hours and dollars.
Warehouse management software (WMS) allows AutoZone to time the flow of goods entering the warehouse and moving out to stores. The inventory in these warehouses are scanned and logged through RF scanners.
Who is AutoZone?
AutoZone is one of the worlds leading automotive parts and accessory retailers with over 6,000 stores, 80,000 employees, and 12 distribution centres across the US and Mexico. They specialize in aftermarket car parts and sell to both consumers and auto body businesses.
$14.6 billion
in annual revenue
6000+
stores
200,000+
square feet distribution centres
Highlights
1803 screens, 1 robust design system
Over the span of 2 months, we redesigned a new RF scanner interface with build spec and a design system. Working closely with the greater Warehouse Management System (WMS) team, product managers, and the clients, we were able to deliver functional designs with a focus on efficiency and clarity.
discovery
Exploratory research with AutoZone warehouse employees
Our internal strategists took a trip down to Memphis , Tennessee to visit AutoZone warehouses and conduct exploratory research with AutoZoners who use the RF scanner on a daily basis.
Over 15 AutoZoners were interviewed about the RF scanner and their workflows.
Extracting key pain points from our users
From observing key in-warehouse interactions, several pain points became clear.
Lengthy uninterruptible flows leading to redundancy and repetition
Key insight 1
Confusing commands and lack of physical-task triggers
Key insight 2
Clunky and illogical keyboard mapping requires a long time to learn and retain.
Key insight 3
A painfully outdated command line GUI, with poor visual hierarchy and contrast
Key insight 4
Learning about edge cases
We also learned of uncommon but important edge cases. Oftentimes, a warehouse worker my be interrupted in the middle of a flow to switch to another flow or to pick up a fallen box on the ground and scan that into the WMS system. The RF scanner flows require the user to exit their current flow and restart from the beginning. We identified this as an opportunity to reduce wasted time inputting repetitive data.
We also discovered that there are often physical actions a user needs to take, namely moving boxes from one location to another, that are not indicated on the screen. The only way users are able to learn this behaviour is typically weeks to months of learning and more often than not, costly mistakes.
tldr; the problem
Current RF scanner = wasted time, money, resources
the opportunity
How might we design an RF scanner interface that improves efficiency while respecting years of learned habits?
the solution
A complete mobile redesign and design system
process and challenges
Working with a small screen and many technical constraints
Warehouse employees are often wearing gloves and are older. We had to take this into account when creating the designs, focusing on crystal clear designs and copy. We also had to consider the smaller screen size and less-than-usual resolution, as well as the keyboard. Users could input numbers and letters for item IDs, or use shortcuts like F1-F10 for quick actions.
Bridging the physical & digital through rounds of iteration
A huge and complicated challenge in this project was learning how to communicate physical tasks though the RF scanner. We had weekly demos with the client to make sense of these actions and incorporate their feedback.
Can we default vehicle login to the previous vehicle that you used?
Warehouse Manager
Can we give some kind of feedback that they scanned the first pallet?
Inventory Control Clerk
You have to hit shift and then a function key in order to get those F6-F10 on the keyboard to work.
Warehouse Employee
We currently log in by scanning the back of a name badge, can we add that?
Warehouse Employee
Almost everything is scanning, they don’t type long numbers. We only type when barcode is damaged or a scan doesn’t read.
Warehouse Employee
We hold the device sideways because it leaves our other hand open to pick up boxes that have falled.
Warehouse Employee
Due to NDA, many details of the design process
Please email me for more details regarding process and final results.
final designs
My Tasks
Showing urgent tasks in a personalized queue
Menu
The home to enter all main task flows
Trailer Loading
Scanning shipments onto loading trucks
Returns & Recalls
Registering shipments as return or recall and logging them back into an appropriate warehouse slot
IMPACT
Currently in build with a happy client
The RF scanner and larger WMS redesign initiative is currently in development, and we were able to extend this contract for further work to flesh out this MVP and move into development.
Extended contract with AutoZone
In build and testing
Presented at AutoZone's annual partner conference
The WMS and RF scanner initiative was presented by AutoZone executives at their annual partner conference, to great success. The brand team at Konrad created a sizzle reel that played on loop the whole day.
retrospective
With more time…
We had hypothesized that rearranging the function key mapping was worth the effort of relearning new flows and paths. I would love to conduct moderated usability testing to test the steep learning curve we introduced.
Lessons and reflections
Communication is key
With multiple working files and requirements changing rapidly, it only took a day for a design to be out-of-date. Especially with global actions, I learned how important it is to communicate even the most minute changes or discoveries in requirements.
Inspiration comes from unexpected places
Typical mobile inspiration was helpful, but only took us so far when accounting for all the unique constraints of a RF scanner. By designing for an unconventional device, I learned how to take a step back in order to identify parallel experiences and try to connect them in creative ways.
Nothing great is built alone
Every flow in this project involved designers, obsessing over the details, sharing their ideas and feedback, and giving input that ultimately led to the end-product.
I learned how much I enjoy and crave the art of collaboration. This engagement was full of ambiguity and I’m grateful to have worked alongside talented & capable designers each day to comprehend it all.