Tier, Spare Parts Tracking
A tool for Tier mechanics to track repairs, manage parts, and reduce waste.
Jun 1, 2021
Company
Tier Mobility
Company
Tier Mobility
Role
Junior Product Designer
Role
Junior Product Designer
Service
Research, UI Design
Service
Research, UI Design
Duration
6 weeks
Duration
6 weeks
Business Context
Business Context
Tier runs micro-mobility operations across 100+ cities, with Mechanics repairing in depots and Rangers moving vehicles in the field. The Shelter App is the warehouse tool to record damages, track repairs, and clear vehicles back to the streets. Leadership needed operational transparency inside depots: where vehicles stall, which parts get used, and how long each step takes, so managers can remove bottlenecks and keep availability high.
Tier runs micro-mobility operations across 100+ cities, with Mechanics repairing in depots and Rangers moving vehicles in the field. The Shelter App is the warehouse tool to record damages, track repairs, and clear vehicles back to the streets. Leadership needed operational transparency inside depots: where vehicles stall, which parts get used, and how long each step takes, so managers can remove bottlenecks and keep availability high.
Problem
Problem
Managers could see when a vehicle entered and left the warehouse, but not what happened in between. If a scooter sat idle, no one had clear visibility into why (e.g., waiting for parts, diagnosis incomplete). Spare-parts usage wasn’t tied tightly to repair steps, and delays weren’t codified. The result: blind spots, unclear accountability, and slower redeployments.
Managers could see when a vehicle entered and left the warehouse, but not what happened in between. If a scooter sat idle, no one had clear visibility into why (e.g., waiting for parts, diagnosis incomplete). Spare-parts usage wasn’t tied tightly to repair steps, and delays weren’t codified. The result: blind spots, unclear accountability, and slower redeployments.
Impact
Impact
Field research in Berlin, Stockholm, Lahti, Helsinki mapped real flows and exposed consistent themes:
Work happens in three phases: Diagnose → Repair → Health Check + Deploy—but the app only reliably bookended the process.
Traceability gaps: parts usage and reasons for delay were not systematically captured, masking true bottlenecks.
Ergonomics & microcopy affected speed and confidence (thumb reach for critical actions; “Confirm” felt like personal liability).
Teams wanted transparency without extra tools, integrate, don’t add another app.
Field research in Berlin, Stockholm, Lahti, Helsinki mapped real flows and exposed consistent themes:
Work happens in three phases: Diagnose → Repair → Health Check + Deploy—but the app only reliably bookended the process.
Traceability gaps: parts usage and reasons for delay were not systematically captured, masking true bottlenecks.
Ergonomics & microcopy affected speed and confidence (thumb reach for critical actions; “Confirm” felt like personal liability).
Teams wanted transparency without extra tools, integrate, don’t add another app.
Approach & Rationale
Approach & Rationale
I aligned Product/Ops around a principle: traceability before optimization. Rather than building a new tool or timing mechanics, we’d embed a task system inside Shelter that mirrors how mechanics actually work: log the repair task, attach parts, and, crucially, capture a reason code whenever progress stalls (e.g., waiting for spare part). This serves both sides: managers get visibility; mechanics get clarity without extra bureaucracy.
I aligned Product/Ops around a principle: traceability before optimization. Rather than building a new tool or timing mechanics, we’d embed a task system inside Shelter that mirrors how mechanics actually work: log the repair task, attach parts, and, crucially, capture a reason code whenever progress stalls (e.g., waiting for spare part). This serves both sides: managers get visibility; mechanics get clarity without extra bureaucracy.
Execution
Execution
Task system & IA: Introduced a per-vehicle repair task spanning the three phases, with states for on hold + reason codes, and structured parts usage.
Critical actions redesign: Moved high-frequency controls (Ring, Eject Battery, Unlock, Start/Resume Repair) into one-hand reach to match real posture (tools in the other hand).
Language: Reframed microcopy to reduce implied personal liability (e.g., toning down “Confirm”).
Usability testing: Prototype sessions with mechanics validated flows; surfaced needs like bulk damage registration in Diagnose and reinforced the value of the No Damage fast path.
Task system & IA: Introduced a per-vehicle repair task spanning the three phases, with states for on hold + reason codes, and structured parts usage.
Critical actions redesign: Moved high-frequency controls (Ring, Eject Battery, Unlock, Start/Resume Repair) into one-hand reach to match real posture (tools in the other hand).
Language: Reframed microcopy to reduce implied personal liability (e.g., toning down “Confirm”).
Usability testing: Prototype sessions with mechanics validated flows; surfaced needs like bulk damage registration in Diagnose and reinforced the value of the No Damage fast path.
Outcomes
Outcomes
End-to-end visibility: Managers see where and why vehicles stall (task state + reason), enabling targeted interventions instead of guesswork.
Parts traceability: Usage tied to tasks improves stock planning and reduces “mystery inventory.”
Faster redeployments: Ergonomic tweaks and clearer flows shorten hands-on time; “No Damage” accelerates clean passes.
Team alignment: Mechanics felt the tool matched reality; managers gained the bottleneck data they lacked without adding extra software.
End-to-end visibility: Managers see where and why vehicles stall (task state + reason), enabling targeted interventions instead of guesswork.
Parts traceability: Usage tied to tasks improves stock planning and reduces “mystery inventory.”
Faster redeployments: Ergonomic tweaks and clearer flows shorten hands-on time; “No Damage” accelerates clean passes.
Team alignment: Mechanics felt the tool matched reality; managers gained the bottleneck data they lacked without adding extra software.
Learnings
Learnings
Visibility beats surveillance: Capturing reason codes created transparency without micromanagement earning adoption.
Small UX moves, big ops gains: Thumb-reach and neutral microcopy reduced friction and stress in a tool used all day.
Design the data model, not just screens: The task + parts + reasons structure is the real product—it unlocked reporting and action.
Next: Add bulk damage entry, SLA timers per state, and parts-stock hints (suggest alternative parts/vehicles) to further cut dwell time.
