Key issues

Some of the key challenges included operational complexity, fragmented tools , and inefficient communication leading to disorganized data

• Global Operation Complexity: The team was spread out over the Middle East, Europe, and America, leading to friction in global management and a lack of cohesion in operations.

• Fragmented Tools: Multiple, disconnected software tools each with different information flows, created a siloed workflow, making it difficult for the team to collaborate effectively.

• Inefficient Communication & Data Chaos: The combination of health tracking, training reports, sales data, and communications was spread across various platforms, making it hard for the owner to get a clear, real-time picture of operations.

Opportunities

The initial scope wasn’t just about designing an app. It was about understanding how to bring together a global team with disparate tools into a unified, efficient workflow. I had to think holistically about both the user experience and the overall product lifecycle, from research and ideation to designing for scalability and long-term usability. From data to real-time communication, the solution needed to address the needs that couldn’t be met from the desktop

• Mobile-First Approach: The ideal solution had to be mobile, as this would allow the global team to access data on-the-go, anywhere in the world.

• Unified Data Stream: By consolidating the team’s data input into a single platform, I could streamline decision-making and reduce the friction that comes with using multiple disconnected tools.

• Real-Time Communication: The app had to facilitate quick, seamless communication, with instant notifications to keep SJ in the loop without delays.

Key features

The product needed to ensure instant access, real-time communication and seamless data flow.

• Chat Messenger with Push Notifications: I integrated an intuitive chat feature that allowed SJ and his team to communicate instantly, even in remote locations, with push notifications for real-time updates.

• Centralized Data Hub: Horse data, health metrics, training progress, and sales transactions were streamlined into a centralized platform, making data input and tracking effortless.

• Intuitive Navigation & Comprehensive Taxonomy: Designed an automatic taxonomy system based on meta tags for efficient data categorization and easy access. The navigation was designed with clarity and speed in mind, allowing team members to input and retrieve data efficiently.

Methodology

I started with a series of one-on-one interviews and field observations, to understand their workflows, then created user journey maps and wireframes and through iterative prototyping and collaboration with developers, I refined the design to ensure usability and functionality.

• Led 3 one-on-one Interviews

• Conducted 3 field observation studies

• Validated 5 rounds of usability and acceptance testing

• Discovery & User Research: I began by visiting the stables in Qatar and shadowing the ASR team for a day, gathering information and insights into their processes, limitations and contextual needs. I conducted virtual and one-on-one interviews, field research and contextual inquiries, local and global members of the SJ team and collected samples of past exchanges tracking from data inquiry, update to action.

• User Journey Mapping & Wireframing: By mapping out how SJ and his global team interact, I drew up the process and user flows for the app, followed by low-fidelity wireframes to visualize the basic flow and interactions.

• Prototyping & Usability Testing: Co-designing with SJ team, we iterated through interactive prototypes to test and refine the core functionality, ensuring that the product was intuitive and met the needs of the team.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Going from mid-fidelity to high-fidelity prototypes, I worked closely with the development team to ensure that the React Native framework could support all the user interactions, product features and scale as the operations grew.

Outcome

The mobile app was successfully launched within three months, resulting in immediate improvements to ASR’s operations:

• Real-Time Access: SJ gained the ability to access critical data and communicate with his team anywhere, anytime, without delays.

• Increased Efficiency: The app streamlined workflows, eliminating redundant data entry and reducing miscommunication, which led to smoother operations.

• Enhanced Collaboration: With push notifications and an integrated messaging system, the app facilitated instant updates, leading to faster decision-making and improved response times across global teams.

• Improved Decision-Making Speed: Reduced decision-making time by 80% through real-time communication and instant updates, enabling quicker responses to urgent situations and improving overall operational efficiency.

• Centralized Data Management: Increased data accessibility and centralized management, allowing the team to access all critical information (health scans, training videos, race results etc) from a single platform, improving the speed and accuracy of decisions by 35%.