Designing the user experience for the next generation of agricultural technology.
Introduction
Precision Farming utilizes advanced analytics and controls. To ensure efficient practices, farmers need these controls to be usable and understandable.
My focus was on the in-cab tractor display system and the display & vehicle simulator Windows program, used for development and marketing purposes.
The brands that are/will utilize this NextGen technology are Case IH, New Holland, and Steyr Agriculture.
Position
UX/UI Designer, Research & Development for the NextGen Agricultural Equipment
Environment
Central UX team with designers who worked between several different development teams, each team owning a different feature in the ecosystem.
Responsibilities Included
Requirements Gathering
Competitive Analysis
Use-Case Identification
Information Architecture
Writing Acceptance Criteria
Branding & Style Guides
Stakeholder Reviews
UX/UI Sprint Management
UX Spec Documents
Task Management
Site Maps
Design QA
Wireframes
Hi-Fi Comps
Pixel Specs
User Flows
Mentoring
Projects at a Glance
In-Cab Display System
Led the design on several of the most complex features on the in-cab display system, including file management, software installer, auto-guidance, vehicle & implement management, à la carte activation management, and user profile management.
Virtual Vehicle & Display Simulator
Led the design of the desktop simulator app and collaborated with an outside vendor for development. Intended uses included: replace hard setups for development, marketing campaigns, dealer demos, and training purposes.
In-Cab Display
The in-cab display is a comprehensive, custom ecosystem that controls, records, and analyzes every action the vehicle and its attached implement(s) make. The system is modular, so standard and à la carte features can be customized by the user for their specific crops.
Through an online portal, the farmers may keep a virtual eye on their fleet, connecting to each in-cab system for stats, location, on-the-field assistance, and more.
The agriculture community is fiercely loyal to their chosen brand's personality. The in-cab display system was built to scale with brand specific settings, which provides a unified experience across all equipment while still paying homage to each brand's classic traits.
UXUI Feature Lead
I led the experience design on some of the most technical features of the in-cab display system. I took point on design direction, user flows, use-case identification, interviews with agriculture experts, requirements gathering, wireframing, high-fidelity comps, stakeholder review, asset generation, pixel perfect specs, and detailed interaction documentation.
File Management
Complex data files are created, stored, and transferred from the in-cab system. These are fundamental to the practice of precision farming. The file management system needed to be intuitive and easy to use.
Software Installer
Complex systems require SW updates. These bundles of data need to be installed wirelessly or through USB in a way that is accessible to both farmers and dealers, based on the kind of support needed.
Auto-Guidance
Guidance keeps the vehicles in the fields, safe from in-field obstacles, and on planting and harvesting lines. Farmers depend on the accuracy and usability of their guidance systems for safety and productivity.
Vehicle & Implement Management
The vehicle and any attached implement(s) are monitored through multiple on-board systems, viewed through in-cab display. All data from this monitoring is recorded in the file management system.
Activation Management
Depending on the user's needs, farmers can purchase à la carte activations for some advanced features. With or without these features, the system needs to be informative, functional, and accessible.
User Profile Management
User permissions on the machine is a high priority. Farmers and fleet managers have the ability to lock the system, create separate profiles for each driver, and limit specific user permissions.
Display & Vehicle Simulator Windows Program
The production in-cab display only functions to its fullest when physically connected to a vehicle and all its systems. This makes it impractical for travel, training, or general in-door use. This need is filled by the virtual display & vehicle simulator program able to run on Windows tablets, laptops, and desktop machines.
This simulator program runs the actual system code, and can be used with or without the armrest controls and other external hardware, making it a powerful, flexible, and fully portable tool for both development, internal and external training, and marketing purposes.
I spearheaded the competitive analysis, benchmarking, UXUI project management, requirements gathering, use-case identification, user flows, wireframes, and high-fidelity coms. I was an advocate for the usability of the product, not just the powerful functionality, and worked closely with the development team to provide feasible experiences that met the business, development, and user needs.
