GroundHog app
Fleet and Mining Management Apps for Underground Miners
2017 - 2019
Fleet and Mining Management Apps for Underground Miners
2017 - 2019
Embedded Files
2017 - 2019
OVERVIEW
When it comes to creating and maintaining design systems. I recently created two highly detailed and robust design systems
Digital Communications Group at TIBCO builds a design system. I designing re-usable components for the visual consistency of TIBCO Products content. I created part of elements such as Charts / Tabs / Switch, Checkbox, and Radio / Text Area / Multi select and Dropdown / Date Picker / Buttons.
TEAM
Independent Contributor
ROLE
Product Designer, GroundHog Apps
PROJECT DURATION
6 Months (Feb - Aug 2017)
SCOPE OF WORK
User Interaction, UI Research, Interaction Design, Visual Design.
Underground Mining process
Before getting to know our users and kicking off the project, we reached the mining site in Nevada, USA
and learned how mining happens. We passed a Mining license exam (a mandatory one) in which the mining
process and Health & Safety Administration in Underground mines were explained.
A Mining Operators spraying concrete to reinforce the tunnel walls at 8000 feet below the surface level
The Problem and the need for digitization
The Problem and the need for digitization
GENERAL CHALLENGES
GENERAL CHALLENGES
— Mining efficiency is low
— Mine Production couldn't be tracked accurately
— Admin fatigue from communicating over the radio
— Work Progress and support couldn't be addressed timely
— Navigating inside an underground mine is difficult
— Communicating to operators via radio is challenging
— Operators getting lost underground
TEDIOUS INSPECTIONS AND SAFETY CHECKS
Workplace Inspection used to be conducted using the cards shown in the picture. Miners carry these cards along with a pencil. The drawbacks of the inspection cards are:
— Cards are small in size
— The font sizes were too small to read on Inspection cards
— Poor lighting conditions inside the tunnel
Understanding the users
Mining Operators
24 - 60 years of age
Works on Day/ Night shifts in alternative weeks
Operates different pieces of equipment that have different workflows
About 20% with Visual Impairments like color blindness
Safety above everything else, One accidental death can shut down the mine.
Operations Admin
40 - 60 years of age
Works on Day/ Night shifts in alternative weeks
Produces Mining plan
Supports Miners who are working underground with Supplies and information
Primary Research
We started observing and documenting about 20+ mining activities that happen 10000 feet underground at the Gold mine in Nevada, USA.
User interviews and Focus Group interviews were conducted after the initial observation. Concepts were made along with the actual users' involvement.
Underground mines are very dark environments that need a specialized UI with low color contrast. Users are miners who wear safety gear and gloves all the time. Conventional usability guidelines like buttons with 48 px height wouldn't work in this scenario. I developed a new set of UI guidelines for underground environments that are later published as scientific papers in conferences.
Underground Mine as a workplace
Samples of Equipment and Workplace Inspection Cards with about 30 Boolean questions
Conceptualization
We validated our concepts with various focus groups and stakeholders and course-corrected
few workflows. We have also created UI to check the usability of our app in an underground environment
followed by a series of A/B tests to validate the interfaces.
The Solution
User friendly Equipment and Workplace Inspections
Miners use an iPad to log in and start their work by inspecting their Equipment and Workplace. Compared to Inspection cards, our solution has better readability, accessibility, and spontaneity.
User's view their Work schedule and navigate to an Ore Heading using in-app mine maps
Users can plan their work schedule and Navigate to their workplace from the app.
User's view their Work schedule and navigate to an Ore Heading using in-app mine maps
Users can plan their work schedule and Navigate to their workplace from the app.
User can request Supplies without calling the admin over the radio
All consumables can be requested on the fly without calling the Admin over the radio. The balance amount of consumables can also be seen in the app.
Webtool for Admins
As a part of the solution, Work Scheduler, Map power Utilization Dashboards, and Request Approval Dashboards were designed for Supervisors and Admins who operate from the office space located on the surface (not underground).
Usability Testing
Usability testing is an essential task as mine safety was a prime concern. Tests were conducted with the Focus groups on the below aspects:
The intuitiveness of the application
The color contrast of the UI
Usability of Elements like buttons and controls
UI Guidelines for underground environments were formulated which was later published as a research paper at a conference.
Product Reception
Seeing results
Digitization helped Barrick Gold in bringing effectiveness to the mining process. Below are a few key results:
8.4/10 CSAT score from the Mining operators
7/10 CSAT score from Admin
Improved production planning and work allocation
Better Communication and faster turnaround times
And, about 2% increase in Gold production (Annual production is ~ 500 Kilo Ounces)
Project Learnings
Design intervention where no research reference exists
How to perform Focus group interviews
Understanding the value of primary research in creating a new product
Understanding a different set of users and their pain points
The purpose of interfaces and how to break the standard rules
Let's Connect!
Feel free to reach out for Non-profit collaborations or just to say 'Hello'
rajeshdesign01@gmail.com
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