Work Management App
for Tradespeople
Company
Trabr
Project type
Mobile application
Role
Concept design suggestion
Overview
The mobile application aims to streamline project management processes and enhance productivity for trades professionals by providing an intuitive, user-friendly platform that enables efficient task organization, communication, and collaboration throughout every stage of construction and trade projects
Problem
In the construction trades industry, professionals often face challenges related to frequent location changes and travel time estimations. The dynamic nature of projects, coupled with unpredictable weather conditions, further complicates project schedules. As a result, tradespeople are struggling to efficiently manage their time, resources, and tasks, leading to potential delays, reduced productivity.
Hypothesis
Persona
Two personas could be identified.
Builder
Name: Michael Thompson
Occupation: Builder
Age: 30
An experienced builder with a diverse background in residential and commercial construction. He is skilled in various aspects of the construction process, including foundation work, framing, roofing, and finishing. Michael works as an individual contributor on construction sites that are often sensitively impacted by weather conditions.
Pain points
Adapting Construction Plans to Unpredictable Weather: As a builder, you find it challenging to adjust construction plans and schedules due to unpredictable weather conditions. Last-minute cancellations of tasks disrupt your workflow, and you struggle to schedule alternative tasks that are not impacted by the weather. This uncertainty leads to inefficiencies and delays in project completion.
Estimating Travel Time to Different Locations: You face difficulties in estimating travel time when you have to move to different project locations. Currently, you have to rely on multiple applications, such as Google Maps and messaging tools, to calculate travel time. This manual process is time-consuming and can result in inaccurate scheduling, affecting your ability to plan tasks efficiently.
Manager
Name: Sarah Miller
Occupation: Construction Project Manager
Age: 40
She is responsible for planning, organizing, and coordinating teams of tradespeople and subcontractors in such challenging conditions. She prioritizes the well-being of her team and implements weather contingency plans to mitigate disruptions caused by adverse weather conditions.
Pain points
Resource Management and Productivity: Weather-induced schedule changes can lead to suboptimal resource utilization and reduced productivity. Efficiently reallocating resources and maintaining productivity levels amidst weather uncertainties is a constant concern.
Communication and Information Sharing: Communicating weather-related updates and changes to team members and subcontractors in a timely manner can be difficult. Ensuring that all stakeholders are aware of the latest developments is crucial to minimizing project delays.
How might we
questions
How might we optimize task scheduling for tradespeople affected by unpredictable weather conditions?
How might we provide accurate and real-time travel time estimation for tradespeople moving between different project locations?
How might we enhance communication between tradespeople, subcontractors, and project managers on weather-affected construction sites?
Final Design Suggestion
The home screen provides tradespeople with weather information and a monthly calendar showing scheduled tasks.
This combination empowers workers to manage and rearrange work schedules based on weather conditions.
The weather information includes current conditions and predictions for extreme weather events, enabling informed decisions and proactive adjustments.
It helps workers plan around weather fluctuations, reducing downtime, and increasing project productivity.
The calendar view for managing mid-to-long-term plans and handling unexpected disturbances. On the other hand, the timeline view offers a detailed breakdown of daily tasks schedule, detailing each task along with its respective location.
For projects with tasks in different locations, the app integrates a map application to estimate travel time accurately. By utilizing GPS data and traffic information, tradespeople can seamlessly navigate between sites, optimizing travel routes and maximizing productivity. This feature allows tradespeople to stay organized, make informed decisions, and efficiently manage their daily activities, leading to improved project execution and time management.
Upon clicking on a specific task, users can access comprehensive details about the associated projects, including Category, Title, Date, Time, Location, Managers, Participants, Project Status, Booking, Photos, and Notes.
Furthermore, the app provides real-time notifications to keep users informed of any updates to the task or project information, ensuring seamless follow-up and efficient project management.
The Project View offers a comprehensive overview of individual projects, allowing users to understand the project's scope, timeline, and dependencies.
Tradespeople, in particular, benefit from the overall project timeline, which ensures they are aware of critical deadlines. This awareness empowers them to plan and execute tasks efficiently, minimizing the risk of missing project milestones.
The Inbox offers centralized communication for all project-related messages, updates, and notifications, allowing users to stay organized and respond promptly.
It provides real-time updates on schedule changes, new tasks, and project milestones, enabling faster decision-making and responses to project needs.
