Product Designer
I created designs that enabled the team to launch on time while also investigating core issues and uncovering better solutions for incremental launches. Additionally, I collaborated closely with our sister team during a period of high tension.
🇺🇸🇨🇦 US & Canada
Product Designers
Senior Product Managers
Principal Engineer
Product Owners
Software Engineer Manager
Developers
Technical Writers
Design – 5 months
Incremental launches – 8 months
AWS SiteWise is a managed service that simplifies the collection, storage, and analysis of industrial equipment data. The value to users lies in its ability to transform raw sensor data into actionable insights, boosting operational efficiency and reducing downtime. During my time with SiteWise, my responsibility was focused on the ensuring users could successfully collect and transform data at the edge.*
* Edge technology involves collecting and processing data close to where it is generated, rather than relying solely on the cloud. This helps reduce latency, retain data during low connectivity, and improve speed for real-time applications.
📦 Bulk storage
Factories generate vast amounts of data and do not need to do real-time monitoring with all of it. Storing all of it in hot tier is generally too expensive for most operations.
🧬 AI/ML use cases
A lot of data is required to train the models, and SiteWise real-time storage is not practical for these use cases.
For SiteWise, gateways are physical devices that centralize data from sensors and other devices in a factory. Installing an AWS digital gateway on the physical device allows data to migrate to the cloud.
The user is responsible for creating the SiteWise gateway, installing the script onto the device, and directing data to the storage. This process tends to be lengthy because the user has to gather the right information for setup and may need to troubleshoot to connect the system to the factory network and systems.
They create industrial solutions and connect machines to the larger factory system and network. However, they do not typically use AWS, resulting it feeling foreign and complicated. This requires design to be proactive with guidance.
These findings were gathered prior to the project when I created personas for our teams through workshops and interviews.
The initial feature request was to add a new cold storage type which only required adding card. I could have gone ahead and received an easy approval.
However, I felt it was a feature not setup for success because of larger product issues impacting it. At this time, I can only share one of the main problems - the gateway creation form itself where the destinations and storage lived.
I started with auditing our current system and identifying core issues.
Bloated creation form
The 5 page form mostly contained fields that are not required to create the gateway. Most fields like data storage are only needed to configure the gateway.
No save option for a 5 page form
Users may not have all the information to complete the form due to the common IT & OT organization structure of factories. They are dependent on others teams for answers, which can take time to receive.
Additionally, this multi-step form follows a design pattern which lacks a save option. Consequently, the design does not permit users to save their progress and return when they are ready. This leads to users abandoning the gateway creation.
Taking this information into consideration, I categorized all the fields based on the tasks required to create and setup a gateway into appropriate pages and forms.
I was able quickly iterate in high-fidelity and find the ideal page layouts by using AWS's design system Cloudscape.
Reduced 5 pages to 1 by only keeping fields required to create a gateway.
After the gateway is created, the user receives steps to complete next.
Configuration tasks received their own pages. This gives users breathing room to focus on each task when it is the right time for them.
I decided to propose adjusting the product roadmap to incorporate the improvements with incremental launches. While I believed I had found a better solution, I understood us pursuing it immediately could jeopardize our ability to launch our original goal on time. It was a critical decision balancing a timely cost-saving feature launch and offering a better experience.
To achieve this, I went to each stakeholder individually with the proposal, addressed their concerns, and earned their buy-in. Additionally, I created a rapid Figma prototype to provide a tangible experience even though it was a concept.
Finally, I organized a meeting with stakeholders to present the proposal and prototype. The conversation was lengthy, but the pitch and support from allies helped secure approval for the vision. We decided to reprioritize engineering tasks to focus on incrementally launching this vision.
The SiteWise Edge team started this project, but technical investigations required us to bring in our cloud sister team to complete it. This expansion doubled our project team, including more designers, and writers. In addition, tensions were high and morale was low due to layoffs. This made it challenging to find a unified voice amidst a sea of opinions during a time of uncertainty.
To keep design’s voice strong in the conversation, I proactively initiated discussions with the design and writing members of the other team. I shared the north star vision, outlined the hurdles, and gathered their thoughts on how to move forward. This helped us build shared goals about tackling the problem together. Through regular one-on-ones and close collaboration, we built trust and stayed aligned in the noise.
Through one-on-one sessions, I guided the intern on the types of questions to ask users, how to manage the project requirements and deadlines, and how to communicate with stakeholders.
The study results showed overall positive feedback and task completion. Improvements were focused on clarifying what the difference and benefits were of each destination type. This was resolved by working with the technical writer on the descriptions and adding info panels for each card.
Launched in Q3 2023
Launched in Q2 2024