TRAC Operations App
Micromobility Operations App
TRAC Operations is a mobile companion app for field technicians maintaining shared micromobility fleets. Linked to the TRAC Dashboard, it enables Operators to locate vehicles, manage tasks, perform maintenance, and update specifications in real time.
Secondary Research of Escrow Services
Operator Interviews
User interviews with three Operators from a key client provided valuable insights into the challenges of micromobility fleet management. Their real-world experiences informed the design of the TRAC Operations App, ensuring it addresses pain points, enhances efficiency, and supported workflows. Here are some key takeaways and snippets.
What challenges do you face when managing the fleet operations daily?
How do you currently track maintenance or operational issues?
What features would improve your daily operations?
Understanding Operators
Insights from the three operator interviews have been used to characterise their specific needs, pain points, desires, and identified opportunities. This mapping aids in the creation of the operations app, directly supporting their work in managing micromobility operations.
How might we empower micromobility fleet operators to streamline their daily workflows by consolidating fragmented tools, enabling them to manage tasks, vehicles, and maintenance efficiently and intuitively?
Streamlining Operations: Insights and App Navigation
These diagrams illustrate the key tasks operators perform and how the app supports these activities. By mapping out operator needs and aligning them with app features, the design focuses on making their processes smoother and addressing pain points directly.
Task Map 1: Operator Roles & Responsibilities
This map shows how different micromobility operators work together. By outlining their daily tasks and shared responsibilities, it highlights key touchpoints for collaboration, helping to design an app that facilitates seamless coordination among operators.
Task Map 2: App Structure & Workflow Alignment
This section visualises how the app’s structure supports operator workflows. It breaks down shared and role-specific tasks, pages, actions, and decisions, ensuring the app is easy to navigate and meets the operators’ needs effectively.
Identified Opportunities
2022 Original vs 2024 Refresh
This side-by-side view highlights the operations app’s transformation from its original design (2022) to a refreshed version (2023). The original lacked official Fluent Design resources for mobile (at the time), leading to ad hoc elements. The refreshed version vastly improves visibility, accessibility, navigation, and consistency. This refresh represents a complete overhaul, prioritising operator needs with enhanced usability and seamless navigation.
Task Map Original
The Task Map serves as the home screen for the TRAC Operations app. Operators can select tasks directly from the map, search for tasks, centre their location, scan vehicle QR codes, view the task list, access the side menu, and apply filters to the task map.
New Task Map
The UI has been revamped to enhance usability and efficiency. Core app functions are now located in a new tab bar for clearer navigation. The header has been redesigned, and the side menu has been removed. A swipe-up drawer has also been introduced, allowing Operators to access common actions and shortcuts, such as finding nearby tasks.
Team Messages
Team Messages functions as an internal chat feature of the app, allowing Operators to communicate with other Operators, colleagues, and report in with HQ.
Chat
The Team Messages feature has been updated to Chat. Operators can now filter messages, create and manage groups, view statuses, and access a contacts book with quick filters for better organisation. The UI has been restructured for improved usability.
Task Map
The Task List allows Operators to view pending tasks that need to be completed. It shows who is assigned to tasks, unassigned tasks, whether a task is marked as urgent, and includes filters for vehicle and task type. There is a tab view to see all tasks, My Tasks, and unassigned tasks.
Task Map
The Task List now has enhanced search functionality. Task filters have been redesigned to a draggable filter bar. A new reminder feature notifies Operators when they are assigned new tasks. The Scan QR code button has been added to quickly start tasks. The layout and icons have been improved for better visibility and usability.
Task Process
The Task Process page provides a step-by-step guide to help the Operator complete a task. The Operator must follow the steps in a set order, inputting required data along the way. Each step is slightly different, depending on the task.
Task Process
The Task Process page has been completely revamped. Operators now have access to the status of the vehicle and any previous logs. A breadcrumb trail has been added to track progress more clearly. Each step includes clear visuals and actionable, step-by-step guidance, helping Operators complete tasks more accurately and safely. A new Report button has been added to allow Operators to report issues or mark tasks that cannot be fulfilled.
Side Menu
The side menu interfaces with logistics trucks for loading and transporting micromobility vehicles. Users can log fleet vehicles, reset the truck, or adjust fleet vehicle specifications such as frame or battery numbers.
Vehicle Ops
This functionality has been moved to a new page, Vehicle Ops. Users now access all logistics truck functions in one place, with added context for clarity. The dedicated page enhances visibility and accessibility.
Side Menu > Load Vehicle
The Load Vehicle page is for Operators to physically place vehicles onto logistics trucks for transport to the fleet depot. Vehicles are tracked and logged by scanning the QR code on each micromobility vehicle.
Vehicle Ops > Loading
Logged vehicles are now more clearly displayed, with key specs and product images (if available). A new search bar and help button have been added, along with a more prominent, centred scan button for improved usability.
Side Menu > Reset Vehicle
The Reset Vehicle button allows Operators to communicate with the logistics truck to confirm that no vehicles are loaded onto it. A confirmation screen is displayed before the action is performed.
Vehicle Ops > Reset Service Vehicle
The Reset Vehicle function now includes a more contextual alert with additional details before the reset is performed. This enhances clarity and usability. The UI is still dependent on the device’s OS.
Side Menu > Spec Mode
Specs Mode allows Operators to manually adjust the specifications of a micromobility vehicle by scanning its QR code. This ensures vehicle trackability when hardware changes or special hardware installations are made, typically through a text field.
Spec Mode
Specs Mode has been improved for better visibility. A Vehicle ID title has been added, along with descriptions for each specification. Additional features include a clear text button, as well as report, save changes, and rescan buttons.
Design System
This project utilised the Microsoft Fluent Design System for its well-defined framework and neutral aesthetic, avoiding alignment with any single brand identity. A 2023 personal refresh incorporated Microsoft Fluent 2 iOS UI kit in Figma to address design flaws of the original project, apply new skills, and reflect my transition to Figma.
During the original design process at TRAC Mobility (2022), Adobe XD was used. In the absence of official Fluent files for Adobe XD or Figma, community-created resources were leveraged to ensure adherence to the design system.
Project Thoughts
From the start of the Operations App redesign, a user-first approach was key to solving operational pain points and ensuring tasks were completed efficiently. User feedback drove improvements to navigation, accessibility, and workflows, although balancing diverse input was challenging. The original project posed a unique challenge as it required designing a solution with few existing examples.
This meant pulling inspiration from other, unrelated products like navigation tools, notes, and to-do lists to create something entirely new.
Returning to the project a year and a half later, with fresh skills and perspective, I was able to significantly refine and improve the design. The end result feels more polished, with a focus on the details.
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