Simplifying Freight Brokerage Workflows Highway Directory Redesign
Timeline
16 Weeks
Team
8 members
My Role
Researcher & Designer
Tools
Figma, Miro, Optimal Workshop
Project Overview
Highway's directory overwhelmed brokers with excessive data and inefficiences. We improved information clarity and fraud detection, enabling faster and more informed decisions.
Understanding the Problem
To address the challenges faced by brokers, we adopted a user-centered approach to deeply understand their needs, workflows, and frustrations. This involved multiple research methods to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the problem space:
Complex workflows, mismatched color coding, and unclear terminologies created high cognitive load, making the platform neither efficient nor user-friendly.
Directory allows brokers to access carrier data. However, its overwhelming design and scattered information flow create inefficiencies, hampering quick decision-making.
Challenges identified
Brokers struggled to navigate the Highway directory due to overwhelming data, inconsistent system logic, and poor risk indicator clarity, leading to inefficiencies and missed opportunities for fraud detection.
Challenges and Solutions
Based on our research, we crafted solutions to address key challenges in the Highway directory. The focus was on simplifying workflows, reducing cognitive load, and improving usability for various types of brokers. The solutions targeted 2 main areas:
This section is crucial for brokers as it contains important data that determine a carrier's credibility within the "Verified Users" section.
Challenge 1 - Information Overload
The Highway directory presented brokers with excessive and unorganised data, making it difficult to locate relevant information quickly. This led to cognitive overload, slowing decision-making and reducing efficiency.
Brokers typically focus on several key aspects to assess carrier credibility these are called driving indicators. Currently, there is no visual hierarchy to help brokers view the most important information during the limited time they spend on the directory.
Added Filters and Tabs -
Enabled brokers to quickly find specific contact types like dispatch or billing.
Progressive Disclosure -
Organized risk indicators into collapsible sections, reducing visible clutter.
Improved Hierarchy -
Highlighted essential driving indicators at the top.
Our solution did 3 things to address the issues the brokers were facing -
Filters and Tabs
Contact Card Design
Challenge 2 - Unclear System Logic
The Highway directory’s unclear system logic, with inconsistent indicators and ambiguous terminology, often confused brokers.
Green is used for both yes and no depending on the data point and same for red when typically users associate green with yes and red for no.
Solution 2 - Unclear System Logic
To address this issue, we came with context relevant terminologies instead of yes and no. For instance, we opted for terms like "valid/invalid" for syntax and "likely/unlikely" for bounce likely
Efficiency Gains
Brokers reported a 30% reduction in the time required to vet carriers.
Improved Usability
Streamlined workflows enabled easier access to relevant data various brokers
Fraud Mitigation
Enhanced visibility of risk indicators improved fraud detection rates.
Wins after our project…
Lessons Learned
Think Big, Start Small
Prioritising user needs
Making even small changes to workflows can create a big difference for users. By focusing on manageable, targeted improvements, we were able to address key pain points effectively without overwhelming the system.
Understanding and aligning the system with how brokers naturally work made a huge difference. Addressing their expectations and pain points helped create a solution that felt intuitive and practical.
Iterative Design Process
We relied on multiple feedback cycles and testing rounds to refine our solutions. Each iteration helped us better address user challenges and ensured the designs were practical and effective in real-world scenarios.
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