Dispatcher.com
Mobile App Redesign
Outcome: 17% Increase in user satisfaction
Project Overview
Objective
When our company acquired Thumbster Connect, a rolloff dumpster hauling software, we set out to rebrand it as Dispatcher.com and enhance the platform to deliver even more value to existing and potential customers. The mobile app was so outdated that updates weren’t even possible, which gave us a unique opportunity to completely rebuild it from the ground up.
My Role
As the lead product designer, I spearheaded the user research, UX strategy, and UI design for the new mobile app. Working closely with my product manager counterpart and our mobile developer, we brought the Dispatcher.com mobile app to life. After the initial launch, I handed off the ongoing improvements to my design team while continuing to support the overall strategy.
Team
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1 Product Manager
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2 Designers
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5 Engineers
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1 Customer Success Rep
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3 Stakeholders
Timeline
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6 months
Discover
User Interviews & Observation
The Monday after we got the go ahead to get started, I was up before the sun and sitting next to our in house dispatcher by 5:00 am. I observed him as he assigned the jobs for the day and sent the 15 drivers out to drop off and pickup dumpsters. I watched as he managed the 87 jobs for the day as the drivers started, updated, and completed jobs in the mobile app which updated the web app he was using.
The next day I was up early again, but this time by 5:00 am I was hopping into the passenger seat of a MACK truck heading out on the job with a driver. As he interacted with the mobile app, I took notes on where he experienced issues, what was most important to him as he completed his jobs, and his feedback on the current app.
I continued interviewing dispatchers and drivers virtually from 5 other current customers.
Surveys
We conducted a product-market fit survey with our existing customers to evaluate the current app's strengths and weaknesses, identify quick-win opportunities, and lay the groundwork for our future roadmap. The insights revealed key areas where the app was falling short in usability and highlighted features that were critical to the day-to-day operations of our users.
Additionally, we surveyed our broker network of over 700 haulers, gathering detailed feedback on their workflows, technology use, pain points, and goals. This feedback helped us prioritize features that would streamline operations and deliver real value, ensuring the redesign aligned closely with the needs of both customers and brokers.
Define
Journey Mapping & Process Flows
Each ticket a driver interacts with in the mobile app follows a journey, with key data needing to be collected at every step. To ensure accuracy and efficiency, we mapped out the entire journey, identifying critical touchpoints and data requirements along the way. This allowed us to create a streamlined process flow that was both intuitive for the drivers and comprehensive enough to capture all necessary information. By carefully designing this flow, we ensured that the app remained user-friendly while supporting the operational needs of the business, reducing the chances of missed data or incomplete tasks.
Setting Design Goals
Before diving into wireframes or designs, I wanted to make sure my efforts were focused on a few key design goals based on the feedback we received from our users. I set two guiding principles for the redesign:
Improve Accessibility
Many users shared that certain parts of the current app were difficult to read and interact with, especially since most drivers use it from a docking station. To ensure seamless, on-the-go usability, it was crucial for our new app to not only follow accessibility guidelines but also provide an intuitive and effortless experience.
Clear, Quick Actions
In the waste hauling industry, time is money. The more jobs a driver can complete in a day the better, so it's important that they don't waste any time messing around with the app. While most apps strive for longer usage, we actually want our users to interact with the app as little as possible while still getting their job done.
Design & Iterate
Improving the Main Ticket Page
The ticket detail page is the main screen our users interact with—it’s where they view job details, add important information, and update the status. We began our redesign here. Keeping our two guiding principles in mind, I focused on ensuring that the information was both legible and well-organized, and that the necessary actions were clear.
I created several wireframes and conducted testing with our drivers to gather their feedback. This involved observing drivers as they responded to the wireframes, noting any confusion or difficulty, and collecting their insights on what worked and what didn’t.
I used the early insights from usability testing to finalize the wireframe and develop the high fidelity page design according to our new brand guidelines. To ensure everything was on track, I spent a day at our hauling partner’s office testing the working prototype. This hands-on testing session provided valuable real-world feedback, and the response from the drivers was overwhelmingly positive. Their input confirmed that the design improvements were effective and met their needs, which was incredibly encouraging as we moved towards the final stages of development.
Streamlining the Navigation
The previous app used a hamburger style menu however, knowing our goal of streamlining actions, our team decided to go with a bottom bar navigation to allow our users to quickly navigate to important pages while putting the less often used items in a "more" menu.
Simplifying the Map
The final key page was the map. We aimed to modernize the UI and enhance its functionality. Beyond simply viewing their jobs, sites, and assets on the map, we introduced features that allowed drivers to quickly jump to their current location or see all their jobs at once. We also incorporated additional settings to toggle between different days and map types, giving users greater flexibility and control over their view. These updates were designed to improve usability and ensure that drivers had all the information they needed at their fingertips.
Deliver
Beta Launch
After about 6 months, we launched the new app in beta to rigorously test its performance in real-world conditions with 4 customers. Our primary focus was to ensure that no critical use cases were disrupted during the transition and that key workflows continued to function seamlessly. Throughout the beta phase, we closely monitored user feedback and performance metrics to ensure user satisfaction remained steady or improved. This process allowed us to address any potential issues early and fine-tune the app for a smooth full release.
Communication Plan
Once the app was ready for the entire customer base, it was imperative that we get the communication and rollout right. Working with our Product Manager, Sales Rep, and Customer Service Manager, we created a detailed rollout plan.
The Outcome
A few days after the release of the new app, we followed up with our users. While we received a few critiques and suggestions that we took back for future updates, the general response was very positive.
17%
Increase in user satisfaction to a 74 NPS
67%
Increase in completed actions by drivers
"It's so much easier to use. I love that we can now see comments from other drivers on the job. That has saved us a ton of time and headaches." - Driver for Dumpsters.com
"More of our drivers are completing the necessary ticket actions, like adding a weight, which is very important for our business and reporting." - Dispatcher for Dumpsters.com