Plan-T
PlanT is a landscaping management solution that streamlines project planning, client communication, and inventory tracking. With a comprehensive plant catalog, customizable project plans, real-time cost estimates, and efficient inventory management, it helps businesses reduce inefficiencies, deliver high-quality services, and boost profitability.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
The landscaping industry faces inefficiencies in client management, project planning, and inventory tracking, creating an opportunity to develop a solution that enhances operational efficiency and profitability.
Landscaping businesses face challenges in maintaining smooth workflows due to fragmented processes, manual tracking, and a lack of integrated systems. These issues result in wasted time, difficulty meeting client expectations, and challenges in managing resources effectively, ultimately hindering overall business performance.
The PlanT project began with a conversation about the common struggles landscapers face in managing client requests, pricing, inventory, and project timelines. One of our classmate shared firsthand insight from his experience in the landscaping business, where disorganized client requests, fluctuating plant prices, and inefficient project management led to miscommunication, time waste, and profitability issues. Landscaping professionals often find it challenging to stay on top of seasonal plant costs, track inventories accurately, and meet the evolving preferences of clients.
Recognizing the opportunity to streamline these processes, our team set out to design a comprehensive platform that would not only address these pain points but also provide a practical solution for improving day-to-day operations in landscaping businesses.
Our Solution: Tailored to Landscapers' Needs
PlanT is an all-in-one system that helps landscaping professionals create customized, cost-effective, and efficient outdoor spaces. By leveraging a detailed client database and plant inventory, landscapers can craft personalized landscaping plans for each client, aligning with their preferences and seasonal requirements. PlanT supports landscapers in managing plant stock efficiently, balancing pricing, and optimizing plant procurement. The platform also provides clear and accurate pricing estimations, streamlining the process of creating and delivering proposals to clients.
Understanding the Market and Laying the Foundation
In the initial stages, our team focused on understanding the needs of our target market. Through in-depth interviews with landscaping professionals, we gathered crucial insights that shaped the design of PlanT. With this knowledge, we defined the core problem, identified opportunities for improvement, and brainstormed the features that would make the platform unique. By the end of week 3, we had a clear vision for the project, and roles were assigned to each team member to start the design and development phases.
Design and User Flow Development
As the design phase began, we focused on creating user flows and wireframes that reflected the streamlined experience we envisioned. The primary goal was to ensure that users could navigate the platform intuitively, from managing client data to tracking plant inventory. We also developed high-fidelity mockups and prototypes that would showcase how the platform would look and interact.
Userflow
Competitor Analysis
During this stage, we conducted competitor analysis to see what similar platforms were offering. We found that many competitors lacked customizable pricing and inventory management features. Our solution set PlanT apart by offering a detailed, regularly updated plant catalogue, real-time cost estimations, and the ability to prioritize high-stock or high-profit plants.
Personas
With these user personas, we were able to start to ideate and proceed with our userflow.
Persona #1
- Age: 35-50
- Role: Owner of a landscaping company.
- Goals:
- Improve operational efficiency
- Increase client satisfaction
- Streamline project management and business operations
- Challenges:
- Difficulty managing client preferences and expectations
- Struggles with fluctuating plant prices
- Inefficient inventory management
- Seasonal plant costs and procurement issues
- Behavior:
- Manages multiple projects at once
- Frequently communicates with clients to ensure their needs are met
- Needs a clear system to track inventory and manage client preferences
- Needs:
- A comprehensive system to streamline business operations, track inventory, and provide accurate cost estimates
- Technology Use:
- Regularly uses mobile apps and web tools to communicate with clients and manage team schedules
- Comfortable with software solutions that help with inventory and pricing
- Key Pain Points:
- Lack of a centralized system for managing client requests, inventories, and costs
- Difficulty keeping track of inventory across multiple suppliers
- Inability to offer transparent and accurate pricing based on real-time market fluctuations.
Persona #2
- Age: 30-45
- Role: Project Manager responsible for overseeing landscaping projects and teams.
- Goals:
- Deliver landscaping projects on time and within budget
- Improve team coordination and productivity
- Create clear and accurate visual designs for clients
- Difficulty managing multiple projects and timelines
- Coordinating with various team members and contractors
- Handling evolving client preferences and changes to project plans
- Collaborates with the sales team, design team, and clients to ensure project requirements are met
- Ensures the smooth flow of work on-site and keeps projects on track
- Regularly communicates with clients to refine project details
- A tool to streamline communication with clients, track project progress, and manage costs effectively
- Frequently uses project management software and communication tools for team coordination
- Needs a platform that integrates client preferences and real-time updates for ongoing projects
- Lack of integration between design, pricing, and inventory
- Difficulty adjusting project timelines when client preferences change or new tasks are added
- Manual tracking of project components leads to inefficiencies and errors.
Wireframes & Iterations
During the design process for PlanT, we conducted user testing with both stakeholders and potential users to gather feedback on the wireframes and prototypes. This helped identify pain points in the user flow and areas where the platform could be more intuitive. Based on the feedback, we refined the wireframes, adjusting layouts, simplifying navigation, and improving key interactions to enhance usability. The testing allowed us to validate the design decisions and ensure that the final product would meet user needs effectively, resulting in a smoother and more efficient user experience.
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Components & branding
Refining the Brand Identity and Design System
At this point, the team began working on refining PlanT's visual identity. The brand was centered around the idea of sustainability and efficiency, reflected in the logo design, a stylized leaf representing both the plant aspect of the business and the letter "T" for PlanT. The green color palette was carefully chosen to align with the landscaping industry and evoke feelings of growth and sustainability.
Our team then proceeded to develop the design system, including icons, buttons, and typography, ensuring consistency across all elements of the platform. This system would provide the foundation for developers as they began the final development stages.
Bugbash and issue tracking
Alpha and Beta Testing
As we moved into the alpha and beta phases, the design team conducted rigorous quality assurance tests, identifying bugs and errors. We used Jira to track progress and collaborate effectively with the developers. By the time we reached the final presentation, all major issues had been addressed, and the platform was ready for launch.
Final Wireframes
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Post-Mortem: Key Lessons Learned
After the project was completed, our team reflected on the entire process. One key lesson learned was the importance of effective communication, particularly when it came to sharing updates on new features or design changes. This project demonstrated how critical it is to maintain consistency throughout a large-scale application, especially when working under tight deadlines. Despite the challenges, the PlanT team successfully built a platform that met the needs of landscaping businesses and laid the groundwork for future improvements.
