ESVS was a legacy system processing over $27 billion in revenue but had become outdated, requiring a transition to a new platform, OrderUp. However, when ESVS was retired, users were frustrated with the loss of familiar workflows, particularly the workbin system they had relied on for managing orders efficiently.
The MyView platform, designed for in-store associates to complete tasks and view sales performance, was asked to bridging the gap by recreating the workbin experience and integrating seamlessly with OrderUp.
Upon joining the MyView team, I was soon asked to head the UX efforts on this initiative. I led a hybrid kickoff of remote and in-person stakeholders, facilitating exercises were we aligned on priorities and the initial roadmap for the project.
Over 10 months, I led UX Design and Research, conducting user interviews, usability testing, wireframing, and prototyping to ensure a seamless transition for associates. I worked closely with my Product Manager and team of engineers to create iterative experiences across our several key personas.
Users had decades of experience working within ESVS. OrderUp, though functionally similar, lacked the familiar workbin structure, leading to user frustration and workflow inefficiencies.
To address this, I took the following steps:
Conducted extensive user research (both in-persona and remote) with new and veteran associates to understand pain points.
Developed an iterative design process, incorporating weekly usability testing to validate improvements one persona at a time.
Recreated the workbin experience in MyView while ensuring a smooth transition into OrderUp for task execution.
The OrderUp team was hesitant about the MyView team’s involvement, fearing redundancy and added complexity.
To address this, I took the following steps:
Built trust and transparency through regular checkins with OrderUp and syncs with subject matter experts.
Ensured design alignment by working closely with both MyView and OrderUp to avoid redundant features, aligning UI patterns, and resolving bugs collaboratively.
Established a unified user journey, integrating MyView’s workbin experience as a launching point into OrderUp.
Each of our iterations focused on a specific persona:
We started with our Selling Specialists, those who create and follow up on quotes in the store specialty departments (i.e. kitchen, lumber, etc). These users had the most straight forward workflow, as their quote process was linear, and allowed us to experiment with lower risks.
We moved then to our Customer Order Specialists (COS), who identify and troubleshoot issues with customer orders. Their workflow is much more dynamic, and required a deeper understanding of the resources they needed to effectively do their jobs. Researching their persona helped us identify gaps in the ESVS system, and allowed us to enhance their search parameters for orders, and provide pertinent information earlier in their process.
Our Service Desk and Deliveries associates didn't need much more than what we provided, but were using ESVS to perform outdated duties. We were able to create a compromise solution for their perceived needs by giving them visibility into these areas of antiquated responsibility, without the need to take direct action.
We wrapped our development in October 2023, and the company celebrated the retirement of ESVS in April of 2024. The workbin solution works well within the MyView Tasking framework, and I have been a part of continued enhancements as a knowledgeable resources.
Overall, we completed the following:
Restored the workbin experience, providing associates with a familiar and efficient way to manage orders.
Implemented universal search, with newly included search parameters, reducing time spent navigating the system.
Streamlined workflows, allowing associates to prioritize accounts effectively, leading to improved task completion rates.
Enhanced cross-team collaboration, fostering alignment between MyView and OrderUp for a more seamless associate experience.
User expectations matter. Even with improved functionality, removing a familiar workflow can lead to frustration. In-person interviews and remote conversations helped us gain a better understanding of the experience users were seeking. Reading through online comments and social media posts gave us an extra, uncensored, take on their anxieties about losing such a legacy system. We weren't able to accommodate all requests, but we delivered on the essential needs, and quite a few nice-to-haves.
Transparency and trust-building are crucial when working across teams with different priorities. The kickoff exercises helped to air grievances and concerns early, so we were able to account for those as we were researching, designing, and ultimately building out our MyView solution.
Incremental, user-driven design reduces resistance to change and leads to stronger adoption. The small wins ended up being the most valued. By identifying the gaps in the ESVS legacy system, we were able to incorporate enhancements to the overall quotes and orders management experience (more parameters for searching, more visibility into notes on orders, quick access to important links, and more). By including these small wins to our scope, we found more embrace from both associates and the OrderUp team and built a holistic workflow that is in effect today.
