Connected Worker
SaaS product aimed to increase productivity in manufacturing plants.
This in-plant application is used for daily job-related tasks, defect communication and operator support. This is the first step to removing manual, repetitive daily tasks and transition to a digitally effective process.
Phase 1 has been launched to 5 out of 28 plants in the US and has already achieved reducing daily processes time by 15%.
Company
Kraft Heinz Company
Year
2023
Role
UX strategy, UX and UI Designer
$13M
2024 Joint Value Capture
$110M
2027 Joint Value Capture
Product process
Because nothing like this existed, we had to determine the core daily activities the plant workers perform, find the pain points and figure out opportunities to make the transition to digital as smooth as possible.
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For the first month of the project, we dedicated time to do plant walkthroughs, worker interviews and team workshops to define current processes, pain points and opportunities.
I personally led group workshops, conducted worker and business stakeholder interviews.
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After documenting core user flows, I gathered input from users, development and the business and designed 5 core areas within the application.
Fun fact to note: this application is the first within the company to be 100% used on a tablet.
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With our pilot plant, we did remote and in-person testing using our Figma prototypes for core functions of the application.
After analyzing the results, we went back and adjusted some parts of the design to create a more intuitive experience.
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Once the MVP product launched, our UX Researcher and myself met weekly to collect feedback from the Line Workers that were using the product.
We reviewed any patterns, presented them to business and crated a backlog of items to address either immediately or in the future.
Core feature #1
Equipment/Line defect handling
In the manufacturing process, a defect occurs when something goes wrong.
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Currently, workers at the plant note these defects on small cards, which are then taken to a meeting room and displayed on a board. These defects are only reviewed during scheduled meetings.
Meanwhile, the equipment or even the entire production line may be halted until the issue is discussed and resolved at the meeting.
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Connected Worker streamlines the communication of defects by enabling multiple users to comment on an issue and attach videos and photos for clarity.
As soon as an operator logs a defect through the app, Team Leads are immediately notified, resulting in quicker action and less downtime.
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— Ability to view all defects within an Operator’s assigned equipment or Line
— Sort by defect category to determine priority level
— Ability to view a single defect and update the status, leave a comment, add media and see activity
Product Core Experience #2
Daily management tasks
Every day when an Operator comes into the Plant, they get ready and go out to their Line on the Plant floor. Depending on what equipment they are running, they have to perform a safety and quality checklist before beginning. Their current process is checking boxes on a piece of paper and then running it over to their meeting room (which might not be close to their Line) for their Team Lead.
Connected Worker reduces the amount of time for their daily checklists to be submitted for their Equipment. Through the app, they can quickly check compliant or not for each standard check and then gets submitted to their Team Lead’s and Trio’s Connected Worker accounts. Team Leads are able to keep track of their employees and allows to see trends of workers through the different shifts.
Daily Management Operator Basic Flow
Daily management tasks selected screens
Product Core Experience #3
Shift Hand-Off
Before behaviors
On a daily basis before an Operator leaves for the day, they currently write details on notes or a paper to hand it off to their Team Lead. Sometimes these papers get lost, sometimes they’re not done at all and it’s led to disruption when the next Shift takes over.
Connected Worker adds all of the relevant areas the Operator needs to comment on, doesn’t allow for a submission until all areas have been completed or skipped and then gets submitted to their Team Lead’s and Trio’s Connected Worker accounts. This helps with accountability and keeping track of issues that a specific Line or Equipment has.
Shift Hand-Off Operator Basic Flow
Shift hand-off selected screens
After implementation
P H A S E O N E H A S
reduced daily processes time
by 15%
What line workers are saying
“Other line workers will see somebody else using (Connected Worker) and ask ‘when am I going to get on it? When am I going to get away from the paperwork?”
— Plant Supervisor
It’s easy for them to transition to use the app (vs the old manual process) and they’re navigating through it easily.”
— Plant Manager
“From a leadership standpoint, it just makes our life easier because we can see what (line workers) have done versus literally having to walk around (the plant)”
— Continuous Improvement Lead
Internal recognition
Kraft Heinz Company has an internal award, The Golden Noodle, that goes out to a few employees each quarter. It’s a sought-out award that goes to teams that are showing extreme impact and value to the company as a whole.
I was so proud to find out that our Connected Worker team won the award in Q3 of 2023. What a way to wrap up our year!
What it’s like working with me
(There was zero bribing with coffee and snacks to get this, I promise)
Yoko is one of my favorite people I have worked with. Her ability to take a few simple phrases to make a vision come to life is extraordinary. It’s impressive that she’s able to quickly understand design concepts for applications in manufacturing with minimal background or explanation required.
Not only is her work exceptional, but she’s a very enjoyable and easy person to work and collaborate with. While we were working Connected Worker with tight deadlines, she kept the atmosphere light and helped minimize the stress. I envy anyone who gets the pleasure of working with her in the future.