The approach to manufacturing’s digital transformation often sets the focus of the new technologies, devices and applications. However, for the actual users of the digital solutions, are their needs being met?

In this project, we conducted qualitative research at Ford plants and helped Manufacturing teams rethink their digital solutions at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center (REVC) plant, mainly the in-plant communications that ensure final assembly line work flow. Our recommendation and proposed solutions were planned to be further iterated and implemented across all Ford plants in the future.

Organization
Advanced Manufacturing + D-Ford, Ford Motor Company

Duration
Oct 2020 - Feb 2021, minus holidays season break

Additional team member
Lynne Mangan (project management)

+ Our proposed human-centered digital solutions were well-received and successfully implemented at Rouge Electric Vehicle Center, the manufacturing home of the new F-150 Lightning.

+ Proposed automation has significantly saved time and increased productivity

+ Unified assembly plants’ processes and communication protocols

+ Ford Manufacturing’s organizational change: human-centered design!

“We need to adapt from the way things are today to the way things could be, based on our customer’s (plant personnel) actual requirements and needs. ”

– a quote from our internal manufacturing client

SENSE MAKING + RESEARCH

• Stakeholder workshop

• Final assembly line field studies

• Qualitative data analysis

DESIGN + PROTOTYPING

• Ideation workshops (co-design)

• Paper and digital prototyping

• Video demonstration

ENGAGEMENT

• Stakeholder/ client engagement and continuous supports

• Leadership reviews

How might we elevate the work experience of manufacturing plant personnel by providing straightforward ways to access and communicate information in a timely manner?

User-centered Digital solutions for In-plant communications

We proposed the digital solutions for the three primary user groups with low-fidelity digital and physical prototyping, considering the connected ecosystem. Having to minimize in-person interactions in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we recorded our interactions with prototypes and demonstrated the user experiences through the three videos, one from each role’s perspective.

The videos I made have become critical communication pieces to, and across, Ford Manufacturing, serving as experience guidelines for their design and development.

Learn more about our research approach, findings and prototyping process here (password protected).

Personal Reflection

Choose the right methods and approach. One sensitive factor we had to manage well in our research was the UAW relation (United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America). Even though our role is to design from their perspective, for their well-beings in the work environment, we had to be very careful with our research approach, our discussion and framing with the union and the plant, while still managed to deliver meaningful results with work-arounds.

Always advocate for humane design. Different stakeholders will always have different perspectives on what’s most important when deploying new technologies to working level personnel. As a design researcher, I should always advocate for humane design, be the voice for users and stand by the side of the most needed.