Sync 2.0 - Transforming a Supply Chain Bottleneck into Self-Service Enablement

Home Depot – Supply Chain UX

Role: Staff UX Designer

Read how I helped IT challenge legacy thinking, reduce fear of change, speed up Channel Management, eliminate data errors, enable 30 associates to manage what only two analysts previously could.

Problem

The Quickest Solution Doesn’t Always Empower

While the quickest technology solution for data input is often a spreadsheet template that users can upload in a simple interface or directly to databases, the current Sync data entry process is a great example of where users need a better way that will empower more concurrent users and make tasks simpler. In fact, the process took seven steps for associates to upload a single spreadsheet, with each spreadsheet creating a datapoint

Constraints

Data Model, Legacy Thinking

Outcomes

Exposure is a Catalyst of Discovery

I was able to help users and technology stakeholders truly challenge legacy thinking by reducing their fear of change, an opportunity that seldom comes along in Enterprise Supply Chain organizations. Through this process the team was able to speed up a Channel Management function, eliminate a huge percentage of Sync data errors, and enable an entire team of 30 associates to manage what only two analysts previously could. Users will now be able to accomplish critical tasks that keep the Sync replenishment engine working, which directly impacts Supply Chain, vendors, and logistical expectations.
• Led design for a spreadsheet-dependent process supporting 30+ channel managers.
• Mapped the current state and reimagined a future state that enables self-service vendor management.
• The goal of this design approach was to remove the existing bottleneck of manual workflow limited to a small set of special analysts to manage the data.
• The new user flow would enable many users to handle these requests themselves, saving time for multiple teams, reducing turnaround time for data changes, and increased accuracy in the data. progressing from workflows and wireframes to an interactive prototype for stakeholder evaluation before development.

Learnings

Enterprise is often archaic in data model, thinking, and process flow. Many Enterprise IT are driven by fear of change. Designing better experience for humans is not at all the default thinking in many Enterprise organizations. Many times, they force their users to interact and behave according to the structure of the data, instead of designing intelligent data structures to support experiences that would flow more naturally for end users

By Rina Henderson Key