Nebula - Search and Edit OCs

Problem Statement

Nebula is an order code repository used by three different user groups to make amendments to Dell products.

The current process that users go through to find and make changes to order codes is tedious and time consuming. This leads to a loss of efficiency and frustration for users.

Process

Nebula is one tool in a network of tools run by this team that deals with Dell products in the backend. The users for this tool are spread across a range of different time zones.

This project goes into the research, prototyping, and testing of a search and edit function within the tool.

Outcome

After several rounds of research, iterations, feedback and testing, we created a search and edit flow for the tool in line with industry standards and our user's needs. More specifics can be found at the end of the project.

Kickoff

To start with, I had a meeting with my product managers to get a general understanding of the tool and its users.

Some of the asks of the project were -

Users need to be able to export the information as an Excel file.
Users should be able to search by specific codes and also be able to browse the previous codes
A long term goal is to unify Nebula and Nebula DB.
The designs need to be DDS (Dell Design System) compliant.

Stakeholder Map

User Groups

Merchandisers

Create Order Codes (products).
Define pricing.
Write the tagline and short description.
Create documents of the order codes and upload them on Nebula UI and raise a Jet Case

MerchOps

They download the excel document through Jet given by the merchandisers.
Publish the order code data on the website through Nebula database.

Quality

Audit the information on staging and production.

Primary User Research - Qualitative Interviews

Previous Designs

Previous Import Flow

Research Scope and Focus Area

Understand the user's current work flow
Identify any roadblocks or pain points faced by the users.
Understand users' need to search for previous order code based on role.
How do the users perform their tasks in place of this functionality.

Main Interview Topics

Background

An understanding of their role in the company and how they use the tool.

Search and Filter

Why they need to search for order codes, how they currently find this information, overall filters needed.

Pain Points

Roadblocks or errors users face while completing their tasks. Any issues with the user flow.

Additional Thoughts

If there any features they find particularly useful.. Are there any features they want. What do they think of having a search and edit feature.

User Personas

Analyst in CSB Merchandising team

Maria Paul

Location: EMEA Region
Duration of use: 2 years

Main Tasks

As a merchandiser it is her responsibility to create and update pricing docs and order codes. She will import her files into Nebula and enter a go live time for a Jet case that will be assigned to Nebula.
She has to update the information in Nebula for eg. during campaigns when she has to amend money offs she will look through her previous files for the pricing information.
She has to coordinate with the MerchOps team in case of any corrections to be made in the OC files.

Motivations

She wants to be able to search for input docs easily without having to sort through too many files.
She would prefer that only the latest version of the file is shown to her.
She should easily be able to make changes to her order codes in terms of pricing and other content on the timeline that she has decided.

Frustrations

If she has to make changes to the order codes, she has to upload a new file every time which creates a new jet case which creates a Nebula Report. She has to sort through too many files to be able to refer to any of the previous files.

MerchOps team member

Sita Sharma

Location: AMER Region
Duration of use: 1 year

Main Tasks

She has to download the briefing file from the Jet case she is assigned from the merchandiser and then processes it through Nebula DB. If it passes all the checkpoints she then shares it with the rest of the team
In the case of any error with the file they reach out to business or write to admin

Motivations

She wants to be able to find the latest file.
She wants to be able to find specific OCs.
She wants to be able to complete checks on order codes.

Frustrations

There are too many files uploaded by the Merchandising team which makes it confusing to sort through and find the correct file.
She occasionally needs to search for specific order code files for troubleshooting purposes right now for which there is no functionality.

Analyst in CSB Quality team

Kento Oguri

Location: APJ Region
Duration of use: 2 years

Main Tasks

He will access Nebula through the backend API for staging and production audits.
He will upload the document to Pdart which will grab information from Nebula (this will be automated in the future)
He will sometimes download a file for investigation on an ad hoc basis. This will not fall under the regular staging and production.
If OCs have been inactive for more than seven days, he will not consider it in validation anymore.

Motivations

He wants to be able to find the latest file..
He wants to be able to find the coupon conditions.
He wants to be able to complete checks on order codes.

Frustrations

He has to download the entire file from Nebula even if they want the information of just one order code.
If there is a discount in the form of a coupon, the conditions attached to this coupon are scattered and not in one place.

Testing and Iteration

I went through five stages of iteration before I formally created interactive prototypes to test with users. Throughout this process of iteration, I was constantly in touch with my users and making changes based on their feedback. I created tasks for each user group to validate the designs.

Task Flows

The main tasks for Merchandisers were:

The XPS 14 2 in 1 laptop(BN37715) in the business segment is back in stock. Please update this information.
Apply a discount of 15% to all Inspiron 3000 series laptops in the business segment for the second week of August 2021.

The tasks for MerchOps:

Download the order code information for Inspiron 15 3000 Laptop(BN37715) in the business segment in the US.

The tasks for Quality:

Add a comment that tells DMA to ignore the option discount of Inspiron Laptop 15 3000(BN37725) in the business segment in US.

Affinity Mapping

Nebula - Search and Edit OC (VISION) - A

Main Insights and changes from Affinity Mapping

Edit OC Location

Most users assumed that the edit OC option would be in the three dot menu.

Edit option added to the three dot menu of an order code

Interstitial Screens are too similar

Users did not realize that they needed to go ahead to the requests and actually submit the requests to complete the task.

I changed the visual design of the screens to make it appear differently to the Search OC page. Users can also submit requests without having to enter a specific request.

Merchandisers - Requests before_edited.j

Home Screen needed

The Search OC page puts forward a lot of information to the users to digest without any introduction.

I created a home screen that moved the subpages of lines of business from the nav bar to the main page. Users can go to any other line of business through the nav bar in the rest of the pages.

Options bar was not noticeable

Most users did not see the bar as the color was the same as the background and they blended with each other.

Options bar in white and in a slightly darker blue color

User flow is not completed

The success bar was a notification that users didn't read

Merchandisers - Request Created - Success.png

Comments in Quality flyout

Since the comments in Quality are set instructions, the input field is now a dropdown list.

Main Screens

Home Screen

Merchandisers can go directly to their requests, search OCs or Jet Id, or go to their domain through this screen.

LOBs

Merchandisers can further filter into their particular line of business and series to be able to select the category of order codes they are looking for.

Since each merchandiser is assigned to particular line of businesses, they will each have a unique view.

They can also filter by business/consumer segments, DMA statuses, or by the start or end date of the campaign.

Merchandisers - inspiron laptops 2_edite

All Order Codes

Users can search specific OCs and also expand the OC to reveal more information about a specific order code. They can also go to "Show full history" to see the history of edits for that OC.

Edit single OC

Merchandisers can edit the order code details and add the edit to an existing or a new campaign.

Bulk Edit

Merchandisers can bulk edit order code details and add the edit to an existing or a new campaign.

Requests

Merchandisers can view their requests in all stages of the cycle and make edits to their existing drafts. Each submitted request creates a JET ID and is sent to a MerchOps member.

MerchOps/ Quality View

Since these user groups aren't assigned to specific lines of businesses, their search and filter options are different since they mostly need to filter by country and segment.

Flyout

This is non editable view of the OC details for MerchOps and Quality users. Quality members will add comments while editing.

Impact and Feedback

We calculated the impact of our design through A/B testing, as well as by sending out a survey to calculate the net promoter score.

30%

decrease in time on task for users

79%

Net Promoter Score