Project Windshield
Overview
I was tasked with developing a research plan and running a series of design thinking workshops for Project Windshield. It was intended to be a product that would provide real-time statuses for jobs running throughout Kroger's many mainframes and other data systems.
Role Facilitation, Research Planning
Time frame 4 weeks
Tools & method Developed a research plan, including a series of 3 workshops with key stakeholders and users and a forum hosted on confluence where participants could communicate and provide feedback.
Process When tasked with developing a design thinking workshop, I turned to my IBM design thinking training and methods I learned at Nielsen Norman Group's UX Training in New York and LA. The first workshop gathered the technical experts and a few business stakeholders to gain buy-in and assuage fears that can commonly derail these working sessions, as well as gathering specific technical requirements. The following 2 workshops were planned with some of the more supportive business stakeholders as well as the end users. Following this series of workshops, I would collect the products of our co-creation efforts, re-create the end products for testing, as well as a version of my own design utilizing the best ideas and common themes uncovered in the workshops, similar to my work on the Data Quality Scorecard.
However, due to unrelated circumstances, funding for the project had to be diverted to another initiative and I was unable to fully execute this plan.
Hopes & Fears
One of the exercises we completed in the workshop was "Hopes & Fears" where participants were given time to write down their hopes and fears about the product. Anything from how the project will go from a process / delivery perspective to how the app will function or look.
Hopes
I can see what should be & what is, and any difference is raised (exceptions)
I can navigate - drill down etc.
Proactive notification of work
Works better than nagious
Notify when deadlines haven't been met / job failed / etc
Searchable for jobs / streams / details / tasks
Shows what is running, failed, what still needs to run, etc.
Helps to manage mundane work
Grouping of project based jobs
End users know when issues exist & C.A. already is aware
Fears
Timeframe (need to get done by Jan)
Stuff is missing & don't know it
Things not defined in yaml for alerts to work
May be difficult to setup and use
C.A. will have to spend too much time supporting job
Takes too long to develop
Admins will want features before the most basic C.A. Features are complete
Money will run out
Will it work?
I fear that this product will provide redundant and needless information and I will not be able to use it
I fear that this product will be over-engineered
Make it stand out
Designed, printed, and bound a set of custom Sparkbooks for participants to use in workshops including this one, or take for their own use.
