GRDF
Designing Optim'able — an intelligent decision-making tool for biomethane injection managers across France.
Supervising
biomethane injection.
As part of the PimpMyApp program, GRDF had us work on biomethane injection.
Biomethane is a natural gas derived from organic waste. To use it in everyday life, its injection into gas networks must be supervised.
Currently, biomethane managers oversee injection centers in their respective regions. There are three consumables that need to be monitored to ensure the gas is properly injected into the network: nitrogen, helium, and THT.
UX/UI Designer
in a team of six.
We were a team of 6 with our Scrum Master, consisting of 5 UX/UI designers and 1 communications officer.
I worked on the interfaces (wireframes and high-fidelity mockups), helped create the interview guide, assisted during stakeholder interviews, and conducted user testing.
We worked with Google's Design Sprint method during the first week. In the second week, we presented our work to GRDF and participated in Vivatech, which was happening at the same time.
Understanding a
technical subject.
As the subject is technical, we started by taking the time to thoroughly understand it and researched how biomethane injection works.
To better understand the needs and frustrations of biomethane injectors, we conducted user interviews with 3 biomethane injection managers at GRDF. We found that they have a significant responsibility as they must ensure the proper operation of injection stations across different regions of France.
- They monitor the levels of various consumables and anticipate stock shortages; for example, if a helium cylinder runs out, the entire station shuts down.
- They identify stations needing material deliveries and instruct our supplier for replacements. They use an Excel file to manage deadlines and levels, manually inputting calculations, indicators, and formulas to handle station supply management. These tasks are time-consuming and require meticulousness to avoid errors.
- Lastly, collaboration is quite challenging because it's a personal tool.
Tools they are using
After several ideation workshops, we identified how we could assist biomethane managers, their main challenges, and what our obstacles would be.
Next, in a second phase, we began conducting conceptualization workshops, which helped us formalize a shared solution.
Finally, between V1 and V2, we conducted user tests that allowed us to drastically improve our interfaces.
Optim'able —
decision-making, assisted.
After 5 days of design sprint, our team envisioned Optim'able, a unique and user-friendly tool that is intelligent and adaptive, designed to assist managers in decision-making. We also considered the economic aspect, including the annual budget and potential cost savings.
Our goals were to propose a tool that:
- Is common to all biomethane managers
- Is visual and clear, much easier to use than an Excel file
Optim'able helps anticipate, optimize, and prioritize your orders while considering all constraints: safety, quality, logistics, and financial. With assisted decision-making and informed arbitration, Optim'able allows biomethane managers to make the most of their work time and leverage their expertise.
The importance of user testing, whether it involves experts in the subject matter or daily users of the service or product, truly helps in understanding deep frustrations and finding the best possible solutions.