Beyond the Map

Pinpointing Success with Points of Interest

‍

The INCYT map has become a valuable tool for our users, offering a comprehensive view of their farm operations. However, we've identified a key gap in its functionality: the ability to mark and easily locate specific, important locations within their farm maps. This limitation has presented challenges for both existing users and our sales team, hindering the full potential of the INCYT platform.

‍

Currently, navigating large farm sites, especially for part-time or temporary workers unfamiliar with the terrain, can be a time-consuming and inefficient process. These workers often struggle to locate essential facilities like admin offices, chemical storage barns, specific fields, or other key points of interest. This leads to lost productivity, potential errors, and increased operational costs. Our user research confirms this pain point, with approximately 36% of our existing user base expressing a direct need for a "Points of Interest" (POI) feature. These requests highlight the demand for a simple and effective way to mark and share crucial locations within the INCYT map.

‍

Beyond internal farm operations, the lack of a POI feature also impacts our sales efforts.

‍

Our sales team often relies on third-party mapping applications when visiting potential clients. This disjointed workflow makes it difficult to seamlessly integrate farm site visits with the INCYT platform, hindering our ability to showcase the full value proposition of our product. Stakeholders believe that incorporating a POI feature would empower our sales team to visualize potential farm layouts directly within INCYT, creating a more compelling and persuasive sales experience. By enabling sales representatives to mark proposed locations for structures, fields, or other key elements, we can demonstrate the potential of INCYT to new customers and provide a tangible vision for their future farm management.

‍

This project, focused on developing the "Points of Interest" feature, aims to address these critical needs. By empowering users to easily create, label, and share key locations within their INCYT maps, we anticipate improvements in operational efficiency, enhanced communication, and a stronger competitive edge in the market. This feature will not only streamline internal workflows for our existing users but also provide a powerful tool for our sales team to effectively demonstrate the value of INCYT to prospective clients.

Unearthing the Pain Points

‍

Our discovery phase began with a clear understanding of the need for a Points of Interest (POI) feature, but we wanted to delve deeper, to truly understand the why behind the requests and uncover the full scope of the problem. We conducted a series of user interviews with a diverse group of INCYT map users, ranging from farm managers to part-time workers, and also shadowed our sales team during client visits. What we discovered painted a vivid picture of the challenges they faced.

‍

Lost Time, Lost Productivity, Lost Opportunities

‍

The overarching problem was clear: difficulty navigating and locating key areas within farm sites. This seemingly simple issue spiraled into a cascade of negative consequences. For part-time workers, unfamiliar with the farm layout, simply finding the chemical storage barn could take upwards of an hour. This wasn't just wasted time; it disrupted workflows, delayed crucial tasks like crop treatment, and ultimately impacted overall productivity. One worker shared, "I spent half my day just trying to find the right field to spray. It's frustrating, and I feel like I'm letting the team down."

‍

For farm managers, this translated to increased labor costs and decreased efficiency. They spent valuable time giving directions, answering calls from lost workers, and often had to personally escort them to specific locations. "I feel like I'm constantly running around putting out fires," one manager confessed. "I can't focus on the bigger picture when I'm dealing with these navigation issues."

‍

Lack of Clear Mapping and Communication

‍

The root cause of these navigation problems was the absence of a simple, integrated way to mark and share important locations within the INCYT map. Existing workarounds, like verbal directions or hand-drawn maps, proved unreliable and inefficient. "We have a paper map, but it's outdated and hard to read," another worker explained. "Plus, it doesn't show the new storage shed we built last month."

Furthermore, communication breakdowns exacerbated the problem. Verbal directions were easily misinterpreted, and there was no central, accessible source of truth for location information. This lack of clear communication often led to confusion, frustration, and costly mistakes.

‍

Beyond Navigation

‍

The impact of this navigation challenge extended beyond simple inefficiency. It affected team morale, created unnecessary stress, and even posed safety risks. Workers expressed anxiety about getting lost or making mistakes due to miscommunication. "I'm worried about accidentally spraying the wrong field," one worker admitted. "It's a lot of pressure."

‍

For our sales team, the lack of a POI feature hampered their ability to effectively showcase INCYT's potential.  They struggled to connect the dots between a client's current farm layout and how it could be optimized within the INCYT platform. "It's hard to paint a compelling picture when I'm relying on a separate mapping tool," one sales representative explained. "I need to be able to visualize their farm directly within INCYT and show them how it can work for them."

‍

This discovery phase revealed the true depth and breadth of the problem. It wasn't just about adding a feature; it was about addressing a fundamental need for clear communication, efficient navigation, and a more integrated workflow. By understanding the pain points, causes, and knock-on effects, we were now equipped to move forward with a clear vision for the POI feature and its potential to transform the INCYT experience.

‍

‍

Focusing Our Efforts

‍

We synthesized these insights to pinpoint the core problem and establish a clear direction for our design efforts. We held several design sprints with the project manager, tech leads, and key stakeholders, leveraging the data gathered during user research to guide our discussions.

‍

Key Issues

‍

Through collaborative brainstorming and analysis, we distilled the user feedback and identified the following key issues:

‍

• Inefficient Navigation: Difficulty locating key areas within farm sites led to wasted time, reduced productivity, and increased operational costs.
• Communication Breakdown:  Lack of a centralized, reliable system for sharing location information resulted in confusion, errors, and frustration.
• Disjointed Sales Process: Reliance on third-party mapping tools hindered our sales team's ability to effectively showcase the value of INCYT and visualize potential farm layouts.
• Lack of Context:  Existing mapping solutions lacked the ability to add contextual information to locations, such as labels, descriptions, or associated data.

‍

Problem Statement

‍

After much deliberation and several iterations, we crafted the following problem statement to encapsulate the core challenge:

‍

INCYT users struggle to efficiently navigate and communicate about key locations within their farm sites, leading to lost productivity, increased operational costs, and a weakened sales process. This is due to the absence of a simple, integrated way to mark, share, and contextualize Points of Interest within the INCYT map.

‍

This problem statement serves as our guiding star, clearly articulating the problem we are tackling and setting the stage for the designs. It highlights the impact on both users and the business, emphasizing the need for a solution that addresses navigation, communication, and sales enablement. It also emphasizes the need for integration within the INCYT map, rather than a separate solution.

‍

How We Got Here...

‍

The design sprints were crucial in arriving at this concise and impactful problem statement. We started by individually brainstorming all the problems we had observed during user research. Then, we grouped similar problems together and prioritized them based on their frequency and impact. We used techniques like "How Might We" questions to reframe problems into opportunities for design, and we also conducted competitive analysis to understand how other mapping solutions addressed similar challenges.

‍

The project manager played a key role in keeping us focused and ensuring that our problem statement aligned with business goals. The tech leads provided valuable input on the feasibility of several different solutions, helping us to avoid pursuing ideas that were technically challenging or unsustainable. Through these collaborative workshops, we gradually refined our understanding of the problem and arrived at a shared vision for the POI feature. This collaborative approach ensured buy-in from all stakeholders and laid a solid foundation for the next phase of the design process.

‍

‍

Building the Solution

‍

With a clearly defined problem statement, we entered the Develop phase, focused on creating a practical and effective solution. We embraced an iterative design process, starting with low-fidelity prototypes and progressively refining them based on user feedback.

‍

Our initial design explorations focused on how to seamlessly integrate the POI feature within the existing INCYT map interface. We experimented with different entry points, considering options like a dedicated POI tab, a context menu on the map, and a new button within the existing list panel. We also explored various ways to create and customize POIs, including manual placement on the map, address search, and coordinate input.

‍

We quickly realized that simply adding another tab or menu would clutter the interface and make it more difficult for users to find the functionality they needed. We wanted a solution that felt intuitive and integrated seamlessly with the existing INCYT workflow.

‍

The Winning Solution:

‍

After several rounds of prototyping and user testing, we arrived at a solution that we felt effectively addressed the problem statement and met the needs of our users. This solution centered around the "Add An Item" button within the List panel. This approach offered several key advantages:

‍

• Centralized Access:  By grouping Points of Interest, Applications, and Zones as "List Items" under the "Add An Item" button, we created a single, consistent entry point for adding any type of element to the map. This streamlined the user experience and reduced the cognitive load.
• Keyboard Shortcuts:  The introduction of keyboard shortcuts (Z for Zones, P for Points of Interest, A for Applications) further enhanced efficiency, allowing users to quickly add items without navigating through menus. This was particularly valuable for frequent users like our sales team.
• Familiar Customization:  Borrowing the customization options from INCYT's Application map pins (color changes, custom icons) ensured consistency with the existing branding and made the POI feature feel familiar and easy to use.
• Intuitive Placement:  Allowing users to set the location manually through map interaction provided a natural and intuitive way to place POIs. Users could simply click on the map to drop a pin, ensuring accurate placement.
• Rich-Text Notes:  The ability to add rich-text notes to each POI similar to our Applications addressed the communication breakdown issue. Users will be able to add detailed descriptions, updates, or other relevant information to each POI, making it a valuable source of truth for the entire team.
• Seamless Conversion:  The ability to convert existing POIs to Applications streamlined workflows and preserved valuable data. This feature allowed users to easily transition from marking a location to managing it as a full-fledged application.

‍

Why This?

‍

This design emerged as the clear winner because it directly addressed the key issues identified in the Define phase. It simplified navigation, improved communication, and enhanced the sales process. The centralized access point, keyboard shortcuts, and intuitive placement made it easy for users to create and manage POIs. The rich-text notes feature addressed the communication breakdown, while the seamless conversion capability streamlined workflows.

‍

Most importantly, this solution felt natural and integrated seamlessly with the existing INCYT map interface. User testing confirmed that it was intuitive and easy to learn, even for users unfamiliar with the platform. This was crucial for ensuring adoption and maximizing the impact of the POI feature.

Measuring Success & Iterating for the Future

‍

The November 2024 release of the Points of Interest feature was met with considerable excitement. We closely monitored its performance over the following three months, eager to see the real-world impact on INCYT's users and business metrics. The results were encouraging, validating our design decisions and highlighting areas for future improvement.

‍

Impact on INCYT's Numbers

‍

The POI feature demonstrably impacted INCYT's performance. We saw a substantial 16% increase in leads generated from site visits. This directly correlated with our sales team's feedback; the ability to visualize potential farm layouts within INCYT using POIs made their presentations more compelling and effective. They could now create a tangible vision for prospective clients, showcasing how INCYT could streamline their operations.

Furthermore, user engagement with the INCYT map increased significantly. We observed a noticeable uptick in the number of map sessions and the average session duration. This indicated that users were finding the POI feature valuable and incorporating it into their daily workflows.

‍

UX Growth and User Feedback

‍

From a UX perspective, the POI feature was a resounding success. 44% of our existing users expressed delight with the new functionality, reporting that it significantly improved their daily farm operations. They specifically praised the ease of use, the intuitive placement of POIs, and the ability to share location information with their teams. "This feature has been a game-changer for us," one farm manager shared. "It's saved us so much time and reduced confusion on the farm."

‍

However, we also received valuable constructive feedback. A key issue was the occasional bugginess of the keyboard shortcuts, particularly for larger organizations. Users reported that the shortcuts sometimes failed to register or experienced significant delays, especially for organisations with a huge number of Applications already existing. This clearly needed to be addressed.

‍

Another point of contention was the decision to move Zones to the List panel. 27% of existing users expressed dissatisfaction with this change, stating that they were accustomed to having Zones in the Layers panel and found the new location less intuitive. This feedback highlighted the importance of considering established user workflows and providing clear communication about design changes.

‍

On a positive note, the POI feature was easily discoverable and accessible. Users quickly grasped the functionality and integrated it into their routines. This was a testament to the intuitive design and the seamless integration with the existing INCYT map interface.

‍

Next Starts Now...

‍

Based on the gathered feedback, we outlined the following priorities for the next iteration of the POI feature:

‍

1. Bug Fixes and Performance Optimization: Addressing the keyboard shortcut issues is paramount. We need to thoroughly investigate the bugs, identify the root cause, and implement robust fixes. Furthermore, we need to optimize the performance of the POI feature, especially for large organizations with numerous POIs, ensuring smooth and responsive interaction.
2. Re-evaluate Zone Placement: Given the negative feedback regarding the move of Zones to the List panel, we will re-evaluate this decision. We will conduct further user research to understand the rationale behind the users' preference for the Layers panel and explore potential solutions, including the possibility of allowing users to customize their interface.
3. Collaboration Features: Based on user feedback, we plan to explore adding collaboration features to the POI feature. This could include the ability to share POI lists with specific teams, assign ownership of POIs, and track changes made to POIs over time.
4. Integration with other INCYT features: We plan to explore integrating the POI feature with other INCYT functionalities, such as reporting and analytics. This would allow users to generate reports based on POI data and gain deeper insights into their farm operations.

‍

By addressing the identified issues and incorporating user feedback, we can further enhance the POI feature and ensure that it continues to meet the evolving needs of our users. Our iterative approach to design allows us to learn from each release, continuously improving the INCYT experience and delivering even greater value to our customers.

‍

This Points of Interest project provided invaluable learning experiences and reinforced several key principles of UX design. Here are some key takeaways:

‍

• The Power of User Research: The discovery phase was crucial. Truly understanding user needs and pain points through user interviews and shadowing was fundamental to the project's success. It's not enough to just think you know what users want; you have to ask them and observe them.
• Iterative Design is Essential: The iterative design process, with its focus on prototyping and user testing, proved its worth. We didn't get the perfect solution right away. It was through repeated cycles of design, testing, and refinement that we arrived at a truly effective solution.
• Collaboration is Key: The collaboration with the project manager, tech leads, and stakeholders was essential. Each team member brought unique perspectives and expertise to the table, enriching the design process and ensuring that the final product met both user needs and business goals.
• Don't Underestimate the Impact of Small Details: Seemingly minor details, like keyboard shortcuts and the placement of elements within the interface, can have a significant impact on user experience. Paying close attention to these details is crucial for creating a truly user-friendly product.
• Feedback is Gold: User feedback, both positive and negative, is invaluable. It provides crucial insights into what's working and what's not, allowing us to continuously improve the product. Even negative feedback, while sometimes difficult to hear, is a gift that helps us learn and grow.

‍

Personal Reflections:

‍

As a product designer, this project reinforced the importance of empathy. Putting myself in the shoes of the users, understanding their frustrations, and advocating for their needs was at the heart of this project. It was incredibly rewarding to see how our design decisions positively impacted the lives of our users.

‍

This project also taught me the importance of balance. Balancing user needs with business goals, technical feasibility, and design principles is a constant challenge. It requires careful consideration, compromise, and a willingness to iterate.

‍

Finally, this project reinforced my belief in the power of design to solve real-world problems. By focusing on user needs and employing a user-centered design approach, we can create products that are not only functional but also delightful and meaningful. This project was a reminder of why I chose to be a UX designer, and it has inspired me to continue striving to create better experiences for users in the future.

‍