EMS Inventory App
This inventory-checking app gives EMS workers the ability to check their ambulances and backstock quickly and effectively. After checking the inventory, the list is sent to management for supply tracking.
Problem Statement
There is a lack of available software that can catalog supply inventory successfully to meet the needs of an ambulance company. Currently, the software and apps in the existing market are for sales, larger warehouses, hospitals, or ambulance companies with multiple stations, like in large cities. Companies often resort to using checklists on paper, which can be time-consuming, costly, and harm the environment. Additionally, when items need to be ordered, the data from the paper checklist needs to then be manually entered into each supplier's website, increasing the probability of user error, which can lead to insufficient supplies ordered or too many supplies ordered. Both of these can be a costly mistake for many smaller companies.
Process
Interviews
A series of 5 interviews were conducted to discover the target audience's current pain points. EMS professionals were chosen to participate in the study. Interviews were used as the method of research because they allowed me to gain greater qualitative data than other methods would. This type of information gathered was especially useful in the early stages of the design process.
How often do they have to check ambulance and back stock inventory?
How long does it take to complete each checklist?
How does management get notified about completed checklists and track inventory?
Questions Summary
Findings
Goals
The goals of users were obtained during the interviews and the goals of the business were based on goals of similar platforms found during the discovery phase of research.
Sitemap
Features
Easy navigation to reduce confusion and time consumption for users
➜
Simple layout to assist with ease of navigation
➜
Clean layout to help users focus on necessary content
➜
Mobile first design to prioritize usage for small screens
➜
Sketches and Wireframes
I began outlining potential pages that users might require, which included a homepage, an ambulance section, and a supply closet section. Within the ambulance section, there are two distinct pages. The first page is where the user selects the type of equipment they are checking, while the second page displays all the items on the checklist. The same structure is followed for the supply closet section.
Homepage
Ambulance
Supply Closet
Style Guide
This logo is the Star of Life with a checkmark in the center. The Star of Life is commonly used globally to symbolize Emergency Medical Services. The checkmark is representative of the checklists being completed within the app.
Helvetica Neue was used as the font because it is easily readable and has a clean look.
I chose the two primary colors, orange and blue because they are the primary colors of the ambulance company I work with and they were what I had in mind while designing this app.
Prototype
A prototype was created on Figma and UsabilityHub was used to conduct remote user testing.
User Testing Results
100% task completion rate
Testing time < 3 minutes
All successfully navigated to appropriate pages
None of the testers reported navigation issues.
Final Thoughts
Results Summary: My findings from the interviews showed the pain points faced by EMS professionals when checking ambulance supplies and backstock. Additionally, I was able to discover what features may be beneficial to these users when using a mobile app to check inventory.
Challenges and Assumptions: Because only 5 people were interviewed, there were some limitations on the results of the research since those interviewed may not be completely representative of the entire target audience. Another concern is that not all EMS companies may have the ability to implement this software for their organization. Examples of these barriers could include funding issues regarding the purchase of the software or the availability of technology.
Final Thoughts: For future iterations, I would like to add a QR code scanning feature to the app to further streamline the checking process. Additionally, I would like to incorporate an automated inventory order placement system so management does not have to manually order additional supplies.