Through a sustained collaboration with a leading mining equipment manufacturer, we have gained unique insights into how modern maintenance and reliability strategies directly influence the performance of complex mining sites.
The integration of advanced sensors and predictive algorithms has opened the door to a major transformation. Moving beyond the traditional OEM part supply, our partner is evolving into a reliable performance partner, delivering time-sensitive data through mobile interfaces to mining operators worldwide. While this shift offers incredible potential for innovation, it also presents significant technical and design challenges.
Challenge
Mining sites all operate a little differently. It's highly technical and heavily dependent on resources - but in a nutshell, mining staff need to know exactly what their equipment's health status is, how it’s performing and when to schedule equipment maintenance to keep their production lines running optimally and sustainably.
Our partner has worked tediously to develop, build and infuse new technologies - transforming what was once their customers dream into something viable. But, as tech often does, it’s not quite packaged as nicely as wanted, requiring a deep user journey and technical requirement investigation to understand when, how and to whom crucial data needs to be presented on an interface for time sensitive decision making.
Solution
To tackle technical and design challenges head on, we set to first understand, map and critique what the new customer experience would be and how we can maximise value to our users - miners on the ground. We then aligned this journey against technical considerations, internal processes and mining procedures to determine what a feasible experience entails. Lastly, we designed complex interfaces while expanding upon an outdated design system and new branding material.
On completion, we also assisted in creating animation awareness videos that captured our partners' new value offering.
Understanding the new customer journeys
We first highlighted gaps and pain points in current journeys across different types of mining operations. Then we created new customer journeys that alleviate those pain points and deliver additional value through technological innovations.
Strategic and Technical workshops
With our new customer journeys, we mapped our partners’ internal processes, new tech innovations and mining ground users operational tasks. Working with cross-functional teams, we delivered a feasible experience delivering equipment performance and diagnosis, crucial notifications for optimised maintenance scheduling and advanced OEM part ordering within existing systems and adapting new technological constraints.
App and Dashboard solutions
We created wireframes and prototypes with features, functionality and user flows aligned with our Service Blueprint map. Working with cross-functional team review and feedback (including our partners development team), we established an MVP App experience, future phase feature and functionality roadmapping and concept dashboards for comprehensive reporting.
Accessible, robust design
We expanded upon design system components that stay true to our partners' new branding. Crucially, these meet WCAG 2.2 standards, are reusable within the product ecosystem, and ensure optimal device interaction for all users - including for on-site miners wearing protective gear in areas that lack reliable internet coverage.
Rebranding and marketing assets
We provided additional branding support for our partners' new logo, crafted video animation materials for marketing and awareness, and essential assets for the Google Play and Apple App Store.
Results
Prioritising user experience above technological integration delivered an updated App that transcends our partner beyond just a mining equipment and OEM part provider to a mining operation partner. Through smart research and design processes and tight collaboration with our partners development teams, product teams, marketing teams and customer service teams, the impact has been clear:
Skyrocketing app engagement and uptake.
Robust design system enables rapid continuous innovation.
A significantly strengthened position against competitors.
Measurable improvements to their spare part distribution chain.
Moving forward together
By transforming complex technical requirements into accessible, user-focused digital experiences, we haven't just modernised an application - we've helped secure our partners place as an innovative, trusted company in the mining sector.
Need to design for scale?
If you’re looking for a partner to untangle your most complex user journeys and design a dynamic system ready for expansion, get in touch.
Let's talk