Internal Communication Tool for Steelcase
Overview
Steelcase Map is a solution created to address information gaps between internal team members in Steelcase. The tool helps to track the progress of projects and enables efficient communication, thereby improving the overall workflow and coordination within the team. It ensures all team members are on the same page, reduces misunderstandings, and improves overall productivity. Steelcase Map is helping to bring transparency to the communication process and fostering a more efficient and coordinated work environment.
Client
Steelcase
(Sponsored Project)
Team Project
Eunji, Yanshu, JieAn
Role
Research, ideation,
interface design, prototype, presentation
Timeline
Sep - Dec 2022
(4 months)
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Lack of support for customization in sales process
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Results in communication and collaboration difficulties between departments
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Causes widespread confusion
Design Intent
'Steelcase Map' improves communication and collaboration by visualizing project progress through a timeline, motivating team members with key progress markers, and keeping complex projects on track by marking upcoming tasks as waiting on others. It eliminates the need for additional tools, making it the only tool you need for efficient project management.
1
Progress Visualization
Clear and efficient visualization of progress through a timeline enhances communication and project management.
2
Milestone Motivation
Key markers of progress serve as motivation for team members.
3
Task Management
Keep complex projects on track by marking upcoming tasks as waiting on others.
Research
User Interview with Steelcase
Lisa
Leaders Wood Solutions
“For every opportunity, I have a OneNote tab and I add drawings, mockups, notes, it’s so powerful. I would often send myself emails of text messages that I later add to OneNote”
JoAnn
Customer Experience Manager
“Majority of the communication goes through emails, but a five-minute phone conversation solves 20 emails worth of questions.”
John
Specials Solutions Guru
“I think the process works best when we can get with the sales team and the dealership all together and kind of decide a direction. That doesn't always happen!”
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Information can be stored and searched with keywords
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Synchronize in different communication tools
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Widely used internally & reminder for every stakeholders
Role of Current Communication Tool
Insights
Key Takeaways from Interview
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OneNote is a powerful tool for capturing and organizing information related to opportunities.
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Communication through phone calls can be more efficient and effective than email communication.
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In-person collaboration with sales teams and dealerships is ideal for making decisions and solving issues, but not always possible.
How might we
provide a productive workspace and enhance internal team communication clearly and efficiently?
Assumptions
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If stakeholders know the progress of a project, it helps to communicate clearly.
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Visualization of progress help stakeholders has better communication.
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Tracking previous projects help to estimate the duration and staff pool for future projects.
Service Ideation
Steelcase Map
By providing a visual representation of the project's progress, team members can quickly see where the project stands and who is responsible for certain tasks. This helps to promote accountability, clear communication, and improved collaboration.
Value Proposition
'Steelcase Map' is a tool that combines all different communication tools to provide a centralized view of project progress. It helps organizations track project progress, improve collaboration, and increase accountability. It provides a clear view of each project's status, making it easier to prioritize and,manage resources effectively.
Information Architecture
Design - Prototyping
Ideation
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Familiar design: Steelcase Map's metro map design is easily recognizable, reducing the learning gap for users.
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Project tracking: The map tracks the progress of a project by treating each "stop" as a task.
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Encourages teamwork: The interactive design with stops can motivate and encourage teams to work efficiently and complete tasks, improving collaboration and overall project success.
Testing
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In Steelcase, projects tend to be large in size and can last for a year or more.
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Effective information prioritization is essential to manage these projects successfully.
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The timeline is a critical aspect as it involves many stakeholders and must be tracked accurately.
Iteration
1. The dashboard should be sorted by time and split up by department.
It is crucial to divide tasks by team to ensure effective communication with other teams, as the timeline is a vital aspect, and projects may span up to a year.
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2. Project should break down into smaller parts like subprojects and tasks
By having different levels of view, team members can prioritize information and focus on what is essential to achieve the overall project objectives.
Final Design
Dashboard by Project and Team
Steelcase Map allows for tracking of all ongoing and completed project progress by team and timeline, enabling checking of project status. Access to completed projects provides leaders with the ability to estimate project duration and identify team members for future projects with ease.
Task
Tasks are displayed in a visual "metro map stop" style, and employees can easily track progress by checking the status of each task. This allows for real-time updates and improved project management.
