Predictive Insignt Center
Transforming pharmaceutical operations with advanced predictive analytics
UX UI Designer
ROLE
18 months
PROJECT TIMELINE
Figma, Miro, Jira, Adobe Suite
TOOLS
PROJECT BRIEF
Transform global manufacturing and supply chain operations
The core objective of this initiative is to develop and deploy an advanced platform for our esteemed pharmaceutical client, aiming to revolutionize global manufacturing and supply chain operations. The central focus of this platform is Live Batch Traceability, complemented by secondary features tailored to address the diverse needs of various user groups. These features include Risk Management, Performance Monitoring, Process Digitization, Data Representation, Error Handling, Predictive Forecast, Cross-functional Alignment, Operational Efficiency, and the democratization of tacit knowledge.
The project commenced with the aim of enhancing their batch traceability processes. Beginning with a single brand as the catalyst for transformative traceability, the project quickly garnered success. Subsequently, the initiative expanded its reach across 5+ Opus lines, spanning 50+ brands and encompassing 30+ global sites. This expansion serves as a testament to the project's prowess in reshaping pharmaceutical and lifescience practices through innovative solutions and collaborative efforts.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
The current state of global drug production workflow poses a challenge in terms of managing and enhancing batch traceability for pharmaceutical products. To overcome this hurdle, theobjective is to implement a system dedicated to improving the traceability of drug batches. This initiative aims to optimize processes and bolster the overall efficiency of the pharmaceutical workflow on a global scale.
How can we design and implement a streamlined drug production workflow to empower users?
DESIGN PROCESS
We adopted an agile design process tailored to the project's requirements and the Statement of Work (SOW) agreed upon with the client. This involved iterative two-week sprints encompassing discovery, definition, ideation, design, and delivery phases.
RESEARCH
Brand Study
Prior to commencing the design phase, a comprehensive grasp of the brand, its guidelines, and the pharmaceutical manufacturing process was imperative.
The guiding values of the brand incorporate Integrity, Fairness, Honesty and Perseverance, with Integrity at the core. Over the past 242 years, these principles have been brought to life through actions based on Patient-Trust-Reputation-Business.
Brand Visual Guidelines
The brand follows 4 fundamental guidelines - Clean, Modern, Warm/Caring and Dynamic design.
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Clean: Clean designs that embrace white space, using the core color palette.
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Modern: Thin lines, thoughtful use of color blocks, icon-centric design.
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Warm/Caring: Authentic, diverse, unfiltered imagery capturing patient focus, energy, and progress.
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Dynamic: represent momentum, innovation, progression.
Competitors Study
The first step to understand the industry practices was to study the different platforms to fully capture the current ways of design implementation and solutioning. Once the competitor and market platforms were studied and analysed individually, all the high-priority information and key findings were combined and showcased in a framework to make understanding the differences easier.
This competitor analysis proved to be pivotal in the project journey as it provided a great insight into the most impactful features of competitor platforms - Digital Twin capabilities, Predictive Process Models, Long Range Capacity Planning, Geneaology Models.
Process Study
Upon acquiring an in-depth comprehension of the brand, our next endeavor involved delving into the establishment of a well-structured production flow—from raw material acquisition through the manufacturing phase to the final shipped product. This intricate process entailed a careful examination of diverse sectors and processes integral to drug manufacturing, testing, and release. The essential purpose behind this thorough exploration was twofold: to construct a seamless and organized production flow and, equally importantly, to foster a deep understanding and empathy for the users actively involved in the critical stages of the pharmaceutical lifecycle.
Requirement Gathering
Given the project's extensive scope, numerous interviews were conducted with people across the world, engaging with more than 50 users. The objective was to gain insights into their workflows, challenges, and requirements. Following these interviews, we proceeded to categorize and group users into larger clusters, as illustrated in the diagram below.
The visual representation of these personas helps us visualize their placement within the project framework and understand their specific roles and responsibilities. This helps ensure that the design meets the needs of all user groups involved in the project.
User persona offering map
DEFINE
Project Scope
Commencing with a well-defined project scope, our initial objective was to develop a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) for thorough testing within the team. This MVP specifically targeted the Manufacturing and Testing personas, with a distinct emphasis on implementing a live batch traceability feature. Encouraged by positive feedback and increased investment, the project swiftly evolved, extending its reach across Operational Units (OpUs), diverse brands, and global sites.
As the initiative gained momentum, additional facets were seamlessly integrated, encompassing functionalities such as shipping logistics, release management, tiered meetings, and Key Performance Indicator (KPI) indicators tailored for a broader user base. The pivotal expansion of the project was meticulously directed towards the creation of a sophisticated web application catering to the diverse needs of internal user groups, spanning planning, assurance, testing, leadership, and management within the enterprise.
User Persona
The project began with a focus on specific user personas, but quickly expanded to include a much broader audience, requiring the development of diverse personas to cater to different user groups. These personas were carefully designed to reflect the various roles and responsibilities within the project, providing a clear understanding of how each group contributes to the overall process.
The user personas tailored for the project include:
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Manufacturing
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Management
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Planning
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Quality Assurance
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Quality Control
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Leadership
Prioritisation
Shifting into the prioritization phase marked a refinement of our design strategy. Building on the meticulous assessment conducted during the Analyzing phase, we pinpointed key design elements that warranted focused attention.
Outlined below are the prioritization maps for the first and second releases. In the initial release, our emphasis was on delivering essential MVP features, ensuring a robust foundation. Subsequently, with the second release, our focus shifted to refining the established platform and introducing select additional features, contributing to a continuous evolution of the design.
Prioritisation Map for Release 1
Prioritisation Map for Release 2
Analysis & Insights Formation
Following an extensive series of user interviews, a comprehensive compilation of information was meticulously gathered and subjected to thorough analysis. This analytical process aimed to distill key insights that would serve as the foundation for designing a global manufacturing, supply chain, and quality unit for our pharmaceutical brand. These insights were organized into distinct categories based on features, providing a nuanced understanding of the current user journey and identifying both pain points and areas of potential improvement. By categorizing these insights, the design team gained valuable perspectives on functionalities categorized as "good to have" and those deemed "must-have."
IDEATE
Information Architecture
Developing an Information Architecture (IA) for such a extensive and diverse user base posed significant challenges. In the initial project release, we had to address the requirements of 10+ user categories. As we engaged with more users over time, the IA underwent iterative refinement. This process was driven by a deeper understanding of user needs and the issues they encountered within their existing journey.
User Flow
An array of user flows were created, each tailored to encapsulate the distinctive features within the platform. These user flows served as comprehensive visual narratives, mapping out the journey users undertake while interacting with the platform. The creation of multiple user flows was a deliberate and strategic endeavor, aimed at providing an intricate understanding of how users navigate through different features and functionalities seamlessly. By intricately aligning each user flow with specific features, the design process gains a nuanced perspective, ensuring that the user experience remains intuitive, cohesive, and optimized for the diverse interactions within the platform's ecosystem.
Low Fidelity Wireframes
In this project, I utilized Figma to craft low-fidelity wireframes, enabling us to evaluate key aspects such as eye movement, visual hierarchy, and overall layout. These wireframes served as invaluable tools for testing and refining our design concepts.
Paper Mockups
In the initial phase of our design journey, we engage in the creation of paper mockups, employing a tactile approach to ideation and exploration. This hands-on process allows us to unleash creativity swiftly, unveiling design patterns organically through rapid sketching.
Our approach to generating paper mockups goes beyond mere sketching; it is an immersive exploration of design patterns. Through this tactile and collaborative process, we uncover the nuances that define user-centric interactions, laying the groundwork for a design language that seamlessly aligns with project objectives.
DESIGN
Logo Design
PIC Logo
Considering the expansive functionality inherent in the platform, we undertook a creative expedition to craft the emblem that would symbolize the essence of the platform. Following the presentation of numerous conceptual designs to the client, a particular concept captured their attention and was subsequently refined to cultivate the overarching brand identity for the platform. The central objective of the design was to visually emphasize on how the tool seamlessly connects each stage of the manufacturing and supply process, highlighting their interdependence and fostering a continuous flow of insights and data across the entire lifecycle.
Design System
We initiated the redesign of the existing design system due to numerous identified areas for improvement. We meticulously examined the current brand guidelines and proceeded to craft an upgraded design system aimed at enhancing standardization, usability, and accessibility. This upgraded system received significant acclaim and was officially adopted as the standard framework for all projects within the brand initiative. It now acts as the cornerstone for all project endeavors, facilitating cohesive and efficient design implementation across the board.
High Fidelity Design
In the final design phase, we crafted high-fidelity screens optimized for efficient data consumption and informed decision-making. Embracing a modern aesthetic, our designs seamlessly align with brand values and guidelines. Handling dynamic, real-time data posed a captivating challenge, inspiring innovative solutions for enhanced usability and visual appeal.
Personalisation
In our project, we developed a highly customizable UI that empowers users to tailor their dashboard to suit their unique tasks, preferences, and requirements.
Onboarding
Crafted an intuitive onboarding experience tailored for a diverse user base spanning across multiple team of the brand.
User Motivation and Achievement
In crafting this platform, we prioritized instilling a sense of achievement to drive user engagement towards our shared goal of reducing lead time in manufacturing. Through badges, ranks, and task completion indicators strategically placed across the site, we encouraged users to progress, develop skills, and conquer challenges, fostering a fulfilling user experience.
User delight & Micro-interaction
Delight is an intense momentary experience of positive emotion. My ideas had interactions and concepts that trigger 'delight'. It gives the feeling of “permission to play” in an otherwise serious domain of lifescience.
Delivery & Enhancement
Usability Testing
To ensure a user-centered design approach, we conducted usability testing throughout the design cycle. During the ideation stage, we leveraged a moderated remote testing session with video interviews and card sorting. This approach provided valuable qualitative insights from end-users. The moderator's guidance kept participants focused on specific tasks and encouraged them to answer follow-up questions, helping us understand their thought processes behind their actions.
Once the final design solution was complete, we conducted an unmoderated test with a high-fidelity prototype that mirrored the final product. This test utilized a third-party application to gather quantitative data on user interaction with different features, including eye-tracking to analyze user focus areas. By incorporating both qualitative and quantitative data, we ensured the solution addressed user needs and optimized performance before development began.
Prototype & Delivery
The high-fidelity prototype played a crucial role not only in our client presentation but also in the development phase. During the final presentation, the prototype served as an interactive tool, allowing us to effectively demonstrate the platform's improved functionality and user flow. Following the successful presentation, we conducted usability testing with the prototype to gather valuable user feedback. This feedback then informed final design refinements before handing the prototype off to the development team. With the high-fidelity prototype serving as a clear roadmap, developers gained a comprehensive understanding of the user experience, interaction flows, and functionalities, ensuring a smooth transition into the development process.
Enhancements
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Predictive Insights and Decision Support: Integrating machine learning capabilities could enable the platform to offer personalized predictions and recommendations, empowering users to make informed decisions.
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Workflow Automation and Error Prevention: Digitizing workflows can streamline processes, minimize human error, and increase overall efficiency.expand_more Implementing data validation and error-handling mechanisms would further strengthen the platform's reliability.
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Standardized Workflows for Consistency: Standardizing workflows across brand, site, and manufacturing stages would ensure a consistent user experience and improve collaboration. This could involve creating unified templates, task management tools, and communication channels.
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Smart Assistance and Automated Reporting: Introducing AI-powered assistance could automate routine tasks like report generation and meeting agenda creation, freeing up valuable user time. This would allow users to focus on more strategic activities.
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Cross-Platform Cohesion for a Seamless Journey: Extending the platform's reach to different devices and digital touchpoints would provide a unified user experience regardless of where users interact with the brand. This could involve developing responsive interfaces for web and mobile, ensuring seamless data synchronization across platforms.
Awards & Recogintion
PROJECT
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OMCA
The GMSGQ program was awarded as 2023s Deloitte North South Europe Outstanding Market Contribution Award
ACCOLADE
02
Applause Award
Awarded for taking ownership, dedication and diligence
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Outstanding Award
Awarded for continuous growth, openness to improve, and commitment to learning serve as an inspiring example
Learnings & Experience
Learnings
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Multifaceted Roles: Wore diverse hats including BXD, Scrum Master, Visual Designer, and UX Designer, enriching skills and gaining a holistic project perspective.
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Strategic Scope Definition: Strategically defined project scope and features for each release, ensuring methodical and phased deployment for overall project success.
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In-depth Pharmaceutical Understanding: Deepened understanding of pharmaceutical industry intricacies, emphasizing the significance of drug manufacturing, testing, and release processes.
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Holistic Platform Connectivity: Recognized the role of a well-designed platform in seamlessly connecting diverse user groups, aligning them toward overarching goals.
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User Interaction and Synthesis: Engaged with an extensive user base, extracting valuable insights that informed actionable design considerations, ensuring alignment with real-world user needs.
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Project Scaling and Stakeholder Management: Managed the 10x expansion of the project and diverse stakeholder requirements, highlighting the importance of effective communication, adaptability, and strategic planning.
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Cross-Platform Cohesion: Navigated complexities of understanding and connecting workflows for users across various platforms, ensuring a seamless and unified user experience in diverse digital landscapes
Experience
I thoroughly enjoyed the vibrant work culture and engaging client interactions throughout the project. Immersed in the experience, I gained valuable insights into the profound impact of UX Design, especially in the context of designing for scale. Witnessing the collective trust and shared understanding within the team as we collaborated towards a common goal was truly inspiring.
I express eternal gratitude for the abundant love, feedback, and appreciation received from the client, managers, and teammates. Their unwavering support and constructive feedback during each presentation played a pivotal role in my growth, not just as a designer but as an individual. This positive environment and collaborative spirit have undoubtedly shaped my professional journey in profound ways.