Power Outage Reporting Tool
PORT Project Overview
PORT is a comprehensive tool designed to monitor power outage details in the jurisdictions of Massachusetts and New York.
The application includes 12 major roles, with the potential for additional sub-roles to cater to various responsibilities. Users may be assigned to both jurisdictions, work on partials, or be exclusively dedicated to a single jurisdiction based on factors like outage load and planned working schedules.
Because National Grid provides power to everyone in these areas, including crucial facilities and life support units, the company must legally fix power problems within a set timeframe. This commitment extends to customers in critical care units relying on life support.
The application includes 12 major roles, with the potential for additional sub-roles to cater to various responsibilities. Users may be assigned to both jurisdictions, work on partials, or be exclusively dedicated to a single jurisdiction based on factors like outage load and planned working schedules.
Because National Grid provides power to everyone in these areas, including crucial facilities and life support units, the company must legally fix power problems within a set timeframe. This commitment extends to customers in critical care units relying on life support.
UX Designer
UX Researcher
User Research
UX Strategy
User Interviews
Usability Testing
Lo-Fi & Hi-Fi Prototyping
Figma
Figjam
Miro
July 2022 – July 2023
Team Size: 40Challenges
The current Outage Management tools are outdated, making it difficult for users to navigate, especially on modern browsers. The legacy FocalPoint and some standalone applications pose challenges in user training. The existing setup lacks a clear and comprehensive view of power outage data. Additionally, manual management of certain user groups with Excel spreadsheet introduces inefficiencies and the risk of errors.
Even though users are assigned to specific areas, they often get irrelevant information from other places, causing confusion and slowing down daily tasks. Also, the user interfaces are overloaded with information, making it hard for new users to figure things out. Training senior staff on these apps is tough.
In storm scenarios, when support is crucial, the systems struggle due to the high volume of outages, resulting in delays and frustration for customers. To effectively address these challenges, we need to enhance the user experience, simplify the outage management process, and ensure smoother operations during critical situations.
Even though users are assigned to specific areas, they often get irrelevant information from other places, causing confusion and slowing down daily tasks. Also, the user interfaces are overloaded with information, making it hard for new users to figure things out. Training senior staff on these apps is tough.
In storm scenarios, when support is crucial, the systems struggle due to the high volume of outages, resulting in delays and frustration for customers. To effectively address these challenges, we need to enhance the user experience, simplify the outage management process, and ensure smoother operations during critical situations.
Solutions
PORT seeks to address these challenges by creating a unified view of power outages in both New York and Massachusetts jurisdictions. It offers users a tailored view, focusing on relevant tasks and responsibilities. The UX team conducted thorough user research, actively participated in brainstorming sessions, created detailed personas, and developed comprehensive user journey maps. Low-fidelity and high-fidelity wireframes were meticulously designed to ensure that application screens are not only visually intuitive but also facilitate quick learning and usage. Through clear and effective communication, the UX team collaborated seamlessly with diverse professionals, including PowerBI experts, React JS developers, Quality Assurance specialists, and product managers, playing a pivotal role in creating successful deliverables.
Research Strategy
Unveiling User Insights: Navigating the PORT Application Journey
The project kicked off with a thorough analysis of requirements and discussions with business leads and stakeholders. In the user research phase for the PORT application, we connected with users to uncover the issues and challenges they currently encounter. We explored how they manage outage details in other applications and mapped out the existing user journey.
Information Architecture
Low Fidelity Prototypes
High Fidelity Prototypes
UI, Components, and Hand -off
Where we left off
PORT's release was planned in multiple phases, allowing for iterative design and development. The agile methodology employed proved beneficial in identifying and addressing early failures. Initially planned for PowerBI, the team recognized that React JS offered a more suitable solution, with PowerBI reports seamlessly incorporated to enhance the overall user experience. The UX team crafted end-to-end flows for each user persona, including user journey maps, information architecture, and navigation design.
The successful launch of Phase 1 garnered positive feedback from users in both jurisdictions, highlighting the seamless accomplishment of day-to-day tasks. The team remains dedicated to further releases, continually working towards achieving objectives and refining the tool based on user feedback and evolving needs. The commitment to user-centric design and collaboration across diverse expertise ensures that PORT continues to be a valuable asset in effectively managing power outages for National Grid.
The successful launch of Phase 1 garnered positive feedback from users in both jurisdictions, highlighting the seamless accomplishment of day-to-day tasks. The team remains dedicated to further releases, continually working towards achieving objectives and refining the tool based on user feedback and evolving needs. The commitment to user-centric design and collaboration across diverse expertise ensures that PORT continues to be a valuable asset in effectively managing power outages for National Grid.
