Use Case #2: COA Generator
*Unfortunately, due to the strict NDA of my current employer, I cannot share the actual customer journey maps that we designed here. But below is a brief summary of the project.
Introduction
Problem Statement:
In the fall of 2022, the government requested the removal of a manual decision step early in the Air Refueling (AR) Short Notice workflow (after our development team had delivered the original workflow that was planned the previous two years). The goal was to streamline the process, as this step was deemed cumbersome and inefficient for users. While this appeared to be a straightforward change, the solution required a complex and robust functionality that pushed the limits of the team's previous work on the program.
Solution:
To address this, we eliminated the manual decision step and replaced it with an automated process that calculated how many tanker assets could fulfill specific refueling requirements. The automation needed to be flexible, allowing users to modify calculations as needed, which required implementing sophisticated algorithms and logic capable of handling updates throughout the workflow, even at later stages.
This foundational work led to the development of the Course of Action (COA) Generator Tool. This tool automatically calculates the optimal tanker unit(s) to support each request based on factors like availability, distance to the AR track, and fuel efficiency.
Team
• Collaboration with 3 Solution Architects, Product Owner and Requirements Manager
• Integral collaboration with the Subject Matter Expert
Role and Responsibilities
As part of the team, I focused on developing low- to mid-fidelity workflows and prototypes in collaboration with a Subject Matter Expert (SME). Our primary goal was to create the best user experience (UX), centering around a map visualization that displayed the routes and distances between tanker units and AR tracks. As users reviewed various "Courses of Action" suggested by the system, the map dynamically updated to show the potential impact of their decisions.
We also incorporated customization features, enabling users (Tanker Barrels) to modify calculations based on knowledge not yet integrated into the system, such as upcoming high-priority missions. Throughout the project, we worked closely with architects and iterated on the design based on user feedback in an agile process.
Context: Air Refueling Short Notice
The Air Refueling Short Notice line of business requires the Air Force to support refueling requests for aircraft in flight, centered around AR tracks (essentially "gas stations in the air"). The Tanker Barrel is responsible for allocating tanker assets to fulfill these requirements, considering factors like distance, availability, and ongoing commitments.
Conclusion:
The Customer Journey Maps produced were so effective and successful, the material was handed over to TRANSCOM in order to be briefed up the chain of command to the Secretary of Defense exemplifying specifically how CAMPS Inc. 1 is saving the military money & time optimizing their workflows over manual Legacy processes.
Future Steps:
The COA Generator Tool is currently being beta-tested in the AR’s Operational Evaluation Process, testing real-world Air-Refueling Missions. It has significantly reduced hundreds of hours of manual data input into complex spreadsheets as well as reduced the high cognitive burden that is required of the users in order to analyze which units are best suited for all types of AR missions.
The final future goal is to gather actual data points from the users when the COA Generator Tool has been officially transitioned off of all Legacy applications for those users (which is any week now).
Future data points would include:
• Time on Track (TOT)— in comparison to previous legacy workflows
• Customer Journey Mapping
• Audit on new workflows that COA Generator provides (oftentimes this include pre-positioning
to be “safe” to support high priority missions. This strategy gurantees success of the mission but
also uses a Tanker for multiple days when the tail might be more efficient elsewhere before or for
sure after that mission. Analysis on Tool providing this type of data so that the users can make
better informed decisions and be “efficient” as well as “effective.”
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Visualize Conversations:
The first responsibility of UX designers is to visualize conversations, ensuring that key team members are aligned and on the same page. This also involves capturing the dynamic feedback loops between all stakeholders, providing a clear and shared understanding of the project’s direction.Ask Questions:
Our second priority is to identify and formulate questions. The more questions we generate, the better. Questions are crucial as they reflect the critical thinking skills of the designer and help uncover gaps in understanding. These gaps can then be addressed by consulting the right individuals or exploring aspects that may have been overlooked. This process significantly enhances overall analysis.Optimize System Functionality:
Finally, the system must excel in its core functions—processing data, housing real-time information, and automating tasks. It should perform these functions so effectively that it provides the best possible information to users, enabling them to analyze data and make the most informed decisions.
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My perspective on UX, draws from my art background. Here are some highlights showcasing some profound insights around the soft skills of empathy, intuition, adaptability, and curiosity (which are all crucial in creating meaningful user experiences):
Empathy and Intuition: Just as an artist must understand and convey emotions through their work, a UX designer needs to deeply empathize with users and stakeholders. This goes beyond just understanding needs; it involves feeling and predicting reactions and responses to design elements.
Adaptability and Confidence: Artistic processes often involve embracing change and uncertainty. In UX design, being adaptable and confident in the face of incomplete information allows for agile iterations and adjustments. This approach helps in navigating through evolving project requirements and unexpected challenges.
Iterative Process: The circular, iterative nature of art-making parallels the UX design process, which is rarely linear. Constant self-evaluation and iterative improvements are key to refining designs and ensuring they meet user needs effectively.
Living with the Unknown: Just as artists work through abstract concepts and evolving ideas, UX designers must be comfortable with uncertainty, especially when pioneering new solutions. Embracing the unknown until the pieces fall into place is part of pushing boundaries and innovating.
Curiosity and Innovation: Artistic creativity thrives on curiosity and the willingness to explore and experiment. This same spirit fuels UX innovation—constantly questioning, reimagining, and discarding previous iterations in favor of new, more effective solutions.
Detachment from Your Work: In both art and UX design, feedback and critiques are essential. Being open to having your ideas challenged and being willing to revise or discard them based on stakeholder input ensures that the final product is the best it can be.
Navigating Complexity: The process of making sense of dense information in UX can be akin to the challenge of creating a coherent piece from chaotic or abstract ideas in art. It requires skillful synthesis and organization.
Breaking the Rules: Just as artists might bend or break conventions to achieve a desired effect, UX designers sometimes need to deviate from established norms or guidelines to address unique project requirements or user needs.
My art background seems to offer a rich, holistic approach to UX design, emphasizing that it’s not just about creating functional interfaces but also about fostering deep connections and driving innovation through a nuanced, iterative process.
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Specifically for CAMPS Inc. 1:
UX is challenging (especially in complex apps) because of the level of domain knowledge one has to acquire in order to discover solutions. (Especially true in my job working for the military)
Solutions that were acceptable 6 months ago are no longer adequate based on turnover of team members, customers or more knowledge & understanding gained by both.
Support highly trained users with specialized knowledge with overlapping & dynamic workflows
Support a single workflow that allow multiple users to do certain task (or “mini-workflows”) simultaneously and/or dynamically
No workflow is “happy path” — almost all workflows have some customization to them
Support problem-solving & decision-making with complex data structures and real-time data
Required handoff or collaboration among multiple roles, tools and platforms.
Mitigate risks of executing high-impact (or high-value) tasking where high loss is at stake
Help users through actions andd thought process
Eliminate extra “clutter” without reducing capability
Ease transition between Primary & Secondary information for all users
Know when to “bend the rules” of UX
““Pay attention to where you are going because without meaning you might not get anywhere.””
Skills I’ve learned
Human Centric Systems Thinking
Complex App Design (DOD space)
Complex User Design (In-depth Legacy app analsyis)
UX Maturity
UX Education
““Think it over. Think it under.””
““Design is intelligence made visible.””