OPTIMIZING LAST-MILE LOGISTICS WITH AR
8 WEEKS, 2024
CONCEPT DESIGN
FIGMA, JIRA
ROLE:IMMERSIVE DESIGNER
PROJECT BACKGROUND
Project Overivew Title
Using AR to enhance UX by overlying digital content onto the real world, offering immersive and contextually relevant information to enhance operational efficiency Using AR to enhance UX by overlying digital content onto the real world, offering immersive and contextually relevant information to enhance operational efficiency
WHY OPTIMIZE?
BECAUSE THE SMALLEST LAST-MILE INEFFICIENCIES CAN PROVE EXPENSIVE
last-mile delivery costs account for 41% of total logistics supply chain costs
Credit: CapGemini Research Institute, 2019
SCOPE
WHAT IS LAST-MILE?
The “last-mile” of delivery, which refers to the final leg of the delivery journey from your Local dispatch center to the your doorstep.
CHALLENGE
While customers want shipping that's free and fast, it also happens to be the most expensive and time- consuming part of the shipping process. But with how easy it is for customers to find an alternative place to shop, companies can't afford to disappoint them.
Analysis, Ideation & Visual design
Re-formulation of design brief
Data collection, analysis and inferencing
Forming initial Design brief
Preliminary Primary & Secondary research
DESIGN PROCESS
SCOPE
SOLUTION THAT TACKLE DIFFERENT PARTS OF LAST-MILE DELIVERY
Al engine to optimize delivery routes
Al engine to optimize delivery routes
Predictive Analytics
Geotagging-enabled automated route optimization
E-Proof Of Delivery
Drone delivery
SaaS applications for multi-carrier management system
Extended reality
WHY AUGMENTED REALITY?
FROM DIGITAL GIMMICKRY TO REVOLUTIONIZING BUSINESSES?
While pickers and packers can benefit from other stationary adv. technology, the key challenge lies in empowering delivery personnel operating outside their usual environment.
AR + Al provides a dynamic solution, optimizing this crucial step in the delivery process.
Source - DHL Logistics Trends Radar, APQC
TECHNOLOGY - ASSISTED WORKFLOWS
LEVERAGING THE EXISTING MENTAL MODEL
Their existing familiarity with using digital devices to access information.
Delivery partners often rely on barcodes, in their daily operations. With AR's ability to overlay digital information and provide situation-aware guidance, may minimize the chance of misinterpretation
RESEARCH QUESTION
How can AR enhance last-mile delivery productivity for delivery partners and bridge the independence-guidance gap in crowdsourced deliveries?
RESERACH BRIEF
RESEARCH QUESITONS
Journey
How can we improve parcel distribution methods for greater operational efficiency and accuracy?
Technology
What forms of this technology can be harnessed for improvement?
Efficiency
How can AR be be effectively utilized for distributing higher volumes of parcel? How can it be a mutual aid amongst all the stakeholders?
Domain research
Literature Review Expert Interviews
Qualitative
Contextual Inquiry
Behavioral
Shadowing
Attitudinal
Cognitive Walkthrough Guerilla Testing
PRIMARY RESEARCH
THIS IS HOW IT HAPPENS
IDENTIFYING THE NEED GAPS
PROBLEM FROM BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE - REVERSE LOGISITCS
JUST ANOTHER BROWN BOX
Why Are Packages Lost in Transit?
If an address is misspelled, the wrong packaging is used, or if the address label falls off a package, the package cannot be delivered successfully... also costs involved with multiple delivery attempts.
How can delivery partner impact to reduce reverse logistics?
What measures can prevent the loss of low-value orders potentially getting misplaced due to the absence of authentication.
CHOOSING HARDWARE
PERSONA
WHAT DO THEY WANT?
Tech savvy
Their use of technology extends from basic smartphone functions to Internet browsing, including YouTube and various social media platforms. However, they may not be as familiar with voice assistants.
Extrinsic & Intrinsic factors
Respect and Recognition
Pressure to minimize errors to save the job
Language barriers
Hedonic motivation
INSIGHTS
OBSERVED INTERACTION PATTERNS
Almost all of them use smartphone
Most of them Use Earphones for handsfree calling experience
Not well versed with Voice assistants
2D gestures on phones are intuitive to them
Proximity as a input modality
INTRODUCING
DELIVAR
ACHIEVING DELIVERY PRODUCTIVITY
PROPOSED MODALITIES
PROPOSED GESTURES
SOLUTION
HOW IT WORKS?
META INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
PARCEL IDENTIFICATION MODULE
USABILTIY TESTING
QUICK GUERILLA TESTING
Goal
Evaluate Interface Learnability with Cognitive Walkthroughs
What?
The visual design was tested for the above factors in various conditions
Learnability
Discoverability of features
Time taken (gulf of exe.)
User satisfaction
Parcel identification Module
BUILDING INTRINSIC MOTIVATION
GAMIFICATION FRAMEWORK
streak
Series of successful deliveries
reward
Incentivized or given perks, not money
Social
competition
Comparison with similar delivery parameters. (Hub, distance, units, region...)
celebrating
milestone
Milestone can be celebrated by giving incentive! It also fosters a sense of Status & recognition.
THE PRODUCTIVITY STREAK RULES
You have 3 chances (intervals) to keep your streak going.
If you miss in the first 2 intervals, you get an alert notification.
In the 3rd interval, you must compensate for the previous misses.
If you don't, the streak breaks. But don't worry, the penalty is just missing out on exciting rewards.
SOLUTIONS
CAVEATS
For the technology to function optimally, it's advisable to include barcodes on a minimum of 2-3 sides of the parcel.
Light intensity, Distance & angle from the target, Camera resolution might impact the detection
AR glasses would be ergonomical and more usable, but use of smart phones would be scalable for businesses
While AR reality holds immense potential in the last-mile segment, this project showcases just one journey. leaving ample room for expansion and diverse use cases
CAVEATS
For the technology to function optimally, it's advisable to include barcodes on a minimum of 2-3 sides of the parcel. Light intensity, Distance & angle from the target, Camera resolution might impact the detection. AR glasses would be ergonomical and more usable, but use of smart phones would be scalable for businesses. While AR reality holds immense potential in the last-mile segment, this project showcases just one journey. leaving ample room for expansion and diverse use cases