Chris Rygielski
Chris Rygielski
User Experience Designer
 

Product Sample Management System

Overview

Big Lots wanted to modernize their process for managing product samples they receive from manufacturers.

The solution consisted of a responsive web site for the buyers and a hybird mobile app connected to an RFID and barcode scanning device

Problem

Buyers and merchandisers would receive product samples individually from vendors and store them at their desks & cubicles.

  • The office was cluttered and disorganized

  • Duplicate samples existed

  • No tracking for who currently had samples for photography, copy writing, or general evaluation

 
Overflow of product samples were stored in an adjoining warehouse where each buyer had their own shelf space.

Overflow of product samples were stored in an adjoining warehouse where each buyer had their own shelf space.

Design goal

Create a system for centralized product sample management, like a library, where the librarian = sample coordinator, and the library patrons = buyers & merchandise coordinators.

  • Reduce office clutter

  • Clear tracking of physical items

  • Request/return system for different roles

My role

  • UX Team of One:

    • User research

    • Wireframing & prototyping in Axure

    • Interfacing with product owner and stakeholders

    • Interfacing with development team for agile development cycles

 

Process Highlights

When approaching this project, I used some of the following processes and tools to guide my design.

Observation

Met with and observed the current state where buyers and merchandise coordinators kept physical product samples in the office space.

 
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Concepting

Iterative white-boarding to capture initial thoughts on the potential solution and user flow.

 

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Screen Flow Diagrams

Documenting screen flows to communicate product vision and plan for agile story breakdown.

 
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Storyboarding

Narrative description of future state process with the new sample management system.

 

Outputs

I designed two applications for the two primary personas.

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Website for Buyers

Buyer could search and add samples to their cart to checkout from the shared library.

 
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Hybrid Mobile App

The Sample Coordinators (the librarians) use a hybrid mobile app paired with an RFID/Barcode scanner to perform check-in & check-out processes.

 

Axure Prototypes

I built hi-fidelity clickable prototypes in Axure in order to work out interaction designs, get user feedback, and guide the development team by documenting expected behaviors.

 

Desktop prototype

Used by buyers and merchandise coordinators (library patrons) to make requests from the product sample library.

 

Hybrid mobile App prototype

Used by the sample coordinators (librarian) to find samples, tag them, and perform check-in & check-out.

 
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Reception

When Big Lots completed their move to their new corporate headquarters, each employee received a welcome package that included a reference to the new “state-of-the-art” sample storage and RFID sample tracking system.