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WORK ORDER OPTIMIZATION

WO Optimization Flow

Overall Workflow - Key Areas for Improvement/Pain Points

Status Tracker

Agents monitor Work Orders throughout their lifecycles to ensure that Customers' issues are resolved without incident. However, Work Orders are complex objects with multiple statuses and a multitude of downstream systems sending updates - and that's after they're successfully processed through a rigorous combination of validation services and administrative rules. 

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In order to clarify the current status of a Work Order, and there by reduce the time/effort needed to ensure smooth service, I enhanced the Status module to include visual indicators of progress to tell at a glance the state of the Work Order. I also added informative blurbs to bring downstream information forward and clarify who the action owner is for any problem state, eliminating time previously spent troubleshooting issues that were simultaneously being resolved by escalation teams.

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Status Updates.png
Status Updates.png

Before

After

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Status Example Scenarios.png
Status Example Scenarios.png

Status Tracker 'Problem Status' Examples

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Status Tracker Position within Work Order Layout

Notifications

The current out-of-the-box method of system notifications within Salesforce was found to be ineffective. It was cluttered with information pinged from every system object, at every level of priority. Agents would manually monitor each open Work Order throughout its lifecycle to ensure there was no action needed on their part. It was clear that Work Order process needed an innovative way to convey priority information to Agents about Work Orders which were pending time-sensitive action.

 

After evaluating the requirements and comparing them to feasible options within Salesforce, I designed a Salesforce Utility App that would filter in only Work Orders that met a certain threshold of criteria. Agents can quickly prioritize and action these items. Agents can also pop out the App window to be able to keep an eye on the list throughout the day on secondary monitors.

WO Notifications.png
Cancellations

When there is an unresolvable issue with a Work Order, it often needs to be recreated with some attribute adjusted and resubmitted by the Agent. When these issues arise, a second user with an elevated profile would cancel the Work Order and email the Agent details about what needed to be done to resolve the issue. 

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I streamlined and automated the cancellation process by enhancing the model to allow the Elevated User to enter their feedback directly and mark the Work Order for recreation. The system will then notify (via the above Notifications) the original Agent of the task and provide the details needed to take action. 

Cancel WO.png

Analysis of internal statuses to categorize and visualize the Work Order life cycle.

Also a comparison of internal statuses to equivalent customer facing statuses in order
to align where possible for a seamless customer experiences.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

As the ​Work Order product was in a stable place, having onboarded all user groups and added all of the legacy functionality, a foundation was laid for future improvements. UX worked closely with the business to hone in on areas that could be optimized and improved upon within Work Order. Several independent enhancements were created which serve specific purposes but also create a network of reinforcing benefits, an ecosystem. There were quite a few elements in this project, but I will focus on the most substantial designs for the purpose of this portfolio. 

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GOALS 
  • Improve status discernment

    • What does this status mean?​

    • Do I need to take action?

    • If not, who is taking action?

  • Create effective notifications

  • Reduce time-to-resolve for escalations

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MY ROLE 

I was the lead Designer for this project. The Optimization phase was the first true chance that UX had to have a substantial impact on the product roadmap and scope. We had the chance to propose concepts that weren't simply enhanced/transformed version of legacy functionality. After years of documented user feedback via interviews, shadowing, surveys and reports we had a chance to evaluate pain points within the current system and take action to solution them. 

© 2022 by Megan Connolly

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