Inchcape Optic 2.0
Dispute and Query Management
User-Centered Design
Government Design System (GDS) Compliance
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Summary
Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS) is the world's leading port agency, managing over 10,000 cruise ship calls annually across 60 countries and 260 offices. Tasked with enhancing the platform's query, dispute management, and payment sections, I led a comprehensive UX initiative aimed at streamlining operations and improving user satisfaction.
Understand the problem
Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS), manages over 10,000 cruise ship calls annually across 60 countries and 260 offices. Despite its extensive reach and operational scale, the existing platform presented significant challenges that impeded efficiency and user satisfaction.
The platform's query, dispute management, and payment sections were particularly problematic. Users, including harbour operators, accounts receivable personnel, and disbursement account executives, encountered convoluted processes that led to inefficiencies and errors. The lack of a unified workflow resulted in inconsistent procedures across different regions, causing confusion and operational delays.
Moreover, the platform suffered from limited user insights. Without comprehensive data on user behaviours and needs, tailoring the platform to enhance user experience was challenging. This gap hindered the ability to identify pain points accurately and implement effective solutions.
To address these issues, a thorough user research initiative was undertaken. Over 40 sessions, including interviews and usability tests, were conducted with key stakeholders from various countries. This research provided invaluable insights into user pain points, workflows, and requirements, forming the foundation for developing refined user personas and informing the subsequent design process.
The findings highlighted the necessity for a user-centred redesign that would streamline operations, standardise workflows, and enhance overall user satisfaction across ISS's global operations.
The Solution
In response to the identified challenges within Inchcape Shipping Services' platform, a comprehensive, user-centred design strategy was implemented to enhance the query, dispute management, and payment processes. This approach was grounded in extensive user research and iterative design methodologies, ensuring that solutions were tailored to the specific needs of the platform's diverse user base.
The initial phase involved a thorough analysis of the existing workflows, where I mapped out the current user journeys to pinpoint areas of friction and inefficiency. This analysis was informed by over 40 user research sessions, including interviews and usability tests with harbour operators, accounts receivable personnel, and disbursement account executives from various countries. The insights gained from these sessions were instrumental in developing refined user personas, which served as a foundation for the redesign process.
Building upon this foundation, I restructured the platform's information architecture using FigJam, aligning it more closely with user workflows and expectations. This restructuring aimed to facilitate intuitive navigation and logical grouping of functionalities, thereby enhancing the overall user experience.
To explore potential solutions, I developed multiple wireframe iterations in Figma, each designed to address specific user pain points identified during the research phase. These wireframes were subjected to usability testing, allowing for rapid feedback and iterative improvements. This process ensured that the final designs were not only theoretically sound but also practically effective in real-world scenarios.
Collaboration was a key component of the design process. I conducted regular workshops and presentations with cross-functional teams, including management, transformation teams, product managers, business analysts, and UI designers. These sessions facilitated alignment across departments and ensured that the design solutions met both user needs and business objectives.
The outcome of this process was the implementation of streamlined workflows for disbursement accounts, query and dispute management, and accounts receivable processes, including pre-funding, payment allocation, and management of outstanding balances. These enhancements not only improved operational efficiency but also significantly elevated user satisfaction across ISS's global operations.
Outcomes
The redesign of Inchcape Shipping Services' platform yielded significant improvements across various facets of the organisation's operations. By addressing the complexities inherent in the query, dispute management, and payment sections, the project not only enhanced user experience but also streamlined internal processes, leading to increased efficiency and stakeholder satisfaction.
One of the most notable outcomes was the enhancement of user experience. The redesigned platform offered a more intuitive and efficient interface, enabling users to navigate and complete tasks with greater ease. This improvement reduced the time and effort required for managing queries, disputes, and payments, thereby increasing overall productivity.
Operational efficiency also saw a marked improvement. The streamlined processes facilitated faster resolution of queries and disputes, as well as more accurate handling of payments. This efficiency not only improved the day-to-day operations but also contributed to better financial management and reporting.
The collaborative approach adopted during the redesign process fostered greater alignment among cross-functional teams. Regular workshops and presentations ensured that management, transformation teams, product managers, business analysts, and UI designers were all engaged and contributing to the project's success. This collaboration resulted in a platform that met both user needs and business objectives.
Furthermore, the project positioned Inchcape Shipping Services for continued success in managing its global port agency operations. The enhancements made to the platform not only addressed existing pain points but also laid the groundwork for future improvements and scalability.
In summary, the comprehensive UX overhaul of Inchcape Shipping Services' platform led to enhanced user experience, improved operational efficiency, increased stakeholder satisfaction, and a stronger foundation for future growth.