Work
About
Resume
Designing for social good.
A purpose that has always been my guiding compass, and when this project came along, I knew I had to give it my best shot.
Optimizing food pantry operations through UX research, human-centered design to improve inventory management and volunteer efficiency
Summary
We identified inefficiencies in food pantry operations and designed practical, user-friendly solutions to streamline inventory management and enhance the volunteer experience.
Timeline
September 2024 - May 2025
Team
Team Lead, UX Designer & Researcher (me)
3 Other UX Designers
Responsibilities
Leading UX research, stakeholder collaboration, and user testing.
Designing wireframes, prototypes, and synthesizing insights.
Defining project scope, timeline, and managing expectations.
Presenting findings, documenting processes, and delivering solutions.
IMPACT CENTER
Jamie Bonini, President of the Toyota Production System Support Center (TSSC), visited the IMPACT Center to assess our research and provide expert insights.
With extensive experience in production management and efficiency-driven problem-solving, his visit aimed to validate our findings, refine our proposed solutions, and align our approach with proven methodologies from the Toyota Production System (TPS).
Validation of Research: He confirmed that our problem statement accurately captured the core inefficiencies in inventory management and operational workflows, reinforcing our project’s direction.
Iterative, Data-Driven Problem-Solving: He advocated for a flexible approach where solutions evolve through rapid testing, stakeholder feedback, and continuous refinement rather than being fixed from the outset.
Emphasizing Metrics & Baseline Data: He stressed the need for quantifiable success measures, urging us to establish baseline data on current operations to effectively track improvements over time.
Key Insights from Jamie Bonini:
Leveraging Toyota’s Expertise to Strengthen Our Approach
A Pivotal Milestone
“.........” ~quote from Jamie
I led this 9-month long project from research to design to understand operations, uncover pain-points and optimize the food pantry operations at the IMPACT center.
So, how did we solve that?
well, with a detailed plan and thorough execution...
Sept - Nov ‘24
Dec ‘24 - Jan ‘25
Feb - Mar ‘25
Apr - May ‘25
Research & Discovery
Conducting on-site contextual inquiries to observe inventory tracking, volunteer coordination, and client interactions.
Interviewing key stakeholders, including the warehouse manager and volunteers, to identify gaps in existing systems.
Distributing surveys to volunteers, revealing challenges with labeling and task assignments.
Reviewing existing tools like SmartChoice and PantrySoft, identifying opportunities and barriers for implementation.
Problem Definition & Ideation
Synthesizing research insights through affinity mapping, revealing dependencies on key personnel and inconsistent inventory practices.
Developing personas to reflect key users: older, non-tech-savvy volunteers and administrators requiring real-time data.
Ideating solutions prioritizing cost-efficiency, usability for volunteers, and scalable designs suitable for the nonprofit environment.
Prototyping & Design
Synthesizing research insights through affinity mapping, revealing dependencies on key personnel and inconsistent inventory practices.
Collaborating with stakeholders to refine features like visual aids for volunteers and a role-based inventory system.
Creating prototypes focusing on intuitive workflows for non-tech-savvy volunteers to minimize learning curves.
Testing & Refinement
Planning usability tests with volunteers to validate design concepts and identify improvements.
Iterating designs based on feedback to address challenges like navigation and task clarity.
Preparing final prototypes and detailed documentation for implementation, ensuring scalability and ease of adoption.
During COVID-19, Toyota Mobility Foundation identified operational inefficiencies in food banks, shifting focus to transform internal systems
Stakeholders Involved
Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF): Initiated the project, focusing on mobility and logistics solutions to improve food distribution.
Volunteers: Assist with organizing supplies, client support, and day-to-day activities.
IMPACT Center: Operates the food pantry, providing essential resources to families in need and coordinating community support.
Center Administrators: Oversee operations, manage volunteer schedules, and ensure smooth functionality.
Right from the beginning of the project, we we aware of some constraints that would have an impact on our decisions moving forward
Challenges
4
Maintaining Dignity
Sensitivity was key to ensure no one felt stigmatized, shaping how we spoke, researched, and presented.
1
Undefined Scope
No clear project boundaries were provided, so we had to define the focus and deliverables ourselves.
2
Budget Constraints
As a nonprofit, the center required cost-effective, sustainable solutions.
3
Volunteer-Led Operations
Many volunteers, mostly older adults, struggled with technology, making simplicity a priority.
We Met
Steve Saunders
Pastor
Jason Bratina
Warehouse & Inventory Manager
Amber Clark
Coordinator
We conducted an on-site visit to observe pantry operations firsthand, uncovering inefficiencies in workflows, volunteer coordination, and client navigation, which shaped our research focus and eventually helped us define the problem
Contextual Inquiry & Participatory Shadowing
Logistics: Focused on food movement and challenges in inventory tracking.
Volunteers: Assist with organizing supplies, client support, and day-to-day activities.
Volunteer Roles: Observed check-in, scheduling, and support for daily tasks.
Client Interaction: Reviewed registration processes and identified areas for improvement.
We focused on:
We met:
New volunteers needed 3–4 task clarifications per hour, straining Jason and disrupting workflow for both.
Informal systems, like verbal updates and whiteboard task tracking, led to dependency and confusion, making warehouse operations inefficient.
Jason also mentioned that he would like to have a way to measure the impact the the pantry is creating.
Takeaways:
Contextual Inquiry: We observed real-time operations and asked clarifying questions with management as needed.
Participatory Shadowing: We performed volunteer tasks to gain hands-on insights.
Our methodology:
Steve Saunders
Pastor
Amber Clark
Coordinator
Jason Bratina
Warehouse Manager
We narrowed down the problem space to the inventory management domain due to evident disorganization, heavy dependency on a single individual, and the need for measurable impact metrics.
But, we were still far from defining a concrete problem statement, as this required further in-depth research and analysis.
1
We began our research by evaluating platforms like SmartChoice, PantrySoft, and PantryCheck to assess their features and limitations.
2
While these platforms excel in advanced functionalities like real-time tracking and spoilage alerts, they are better suited for larger organizations.
3
Their high costs and complexity make them impractical for smaller, community-led food pantries.
Our approach:
With a clear domain, we began our six-step research journey with a competitive analysis, uncovering why platforms like SmartChoice and PantrySoft, despite their advanced features, fail smaller food pantries, highlighting the need for affordable and simpler solutions.
Competitive Analysis
The biggest takeaway emerging from this analysis was the need for a solution that is well-tailored to the specific needs of IMPACT center and serves as an aid to their existing operations, rather than causing disruption by forcing the adoption of a new system.
⭐
1
Optimizing Food Pantry Logistics
Food banks face irregular donations, limited storage, and logistical inefficiencies.
Optimizing inventory tracking and resource allocation can increase efficiency by 32% (Dutch Food Bank study).
Real-time tracking systems and digital tools improve inventory stability and reduce waste.
3
Leveraging Technology for Efficiency
42% of pantries struggle with inventory tracking, 49% need better scheduling tools.
Adoption barriers: Technical complexity, lack of IT support, and volunteer accessibility.
User-friendly, scalable digital solutions are key to overcoming these challenges.
2
Reducing Waste through Smarter Inventory Control
Poor inventory tracking leads to excessive waste, especially for perishables.
Demand forecasting and "date received" tracking ensure better stock rotation.
We reviewed 10+ academic papers and industry reports on food pantry operations, waste reduction, and digital tools to deepen our understanding of best practices and challenges in inventory management.
Desk Research
We interviewed Jason, the inventory coordinator, to uncover gaps in operations, reinforcing critical pain points like the absence of formal systems and over-reliance on key personnel and a need for quantifying the impact that this pantry is making.
Interview
Explore Jason’s system preferences for a practical, low-complexity solution.
Identify opportunities to improve inventory tracking, training, and impact measurement.
Frequent stockouts and tracking issues highlight the need for a predictive inventory system to improve supply planning.
Inventory sourcing and management are inconsistent, while major donors provide tracking receipts, other donation sources lack a formal system, leading to incomplete records.
Volunteer training gaps and inconsistent tracking create inefficiencies, many volunteers struggle due to a lack of structured onboarding.
Current tracking is informal and focused on quick distribution, logging items is impractical as pallets often contain 20+ mixed products, making a structured system feel too complex and time-consuming.
Impact tracking is nonexistent, limiting the center’s ability to report food distribution outcomes to stakeholders and donors.
Key Findings:
Understand inventory management challenges and identify inefficiencies in tracking and distribution.
Assess volunteer coordination issues and the impact of inconsistent processes on daily operations.
Interview Goals:
Implementing a predictive inventory system could reduce stockouts and improve donation tracking.
A simple, structured onboarding system would help volunteers work independently and reduce inefficiencies.
A scalable, low-complexity tracking system should balance efficiency with ease of use, ensuring it integrates with the center’s current workflow.
Adding basic impact tracking capabilities would allow the center to quantify its reach, strengthen donor relations, and improve reporting
Opportunities:
We found:
Instructional clarity is inconsistent, with only half of the volunteers finding restocking instructions always clear.
Labeling and organization issues were the most commonly cited challenges, highlighting a need for better storage solutions.
Volunteers want structured training and regularly updated inventory lists to work more independently and reduce reliance on others.
At this point, it was importat to seek the colunteers’ perspective as well, we conducted a survey to gather insights on their experiences with locating items, restocking, and following inventory procedures—revealing key issues in organization, clarity, and training that impact efficiency.
Volunteer Survey
What stood out:
Volunteers also told us what they needed:
We analyzed research findings through affinity mapping to identify recurring challenges, user needs, and opportunities, helping us translate our detailed findings into actionable insights guiding our solution that improve inventory management, volunteer coordination, and client experience at the IMPACT Center.
Affinity Mapping
Gathering Insights: Key observations were documented on sticky notes, covering issues like inventory inefficiencies, volunteer challenges, and client interactions.
Thematic Grouping: Notes were clustered into broader themes, such as Challenges, User Needs, and Potential Solutions, through iterative discussions.
Categorization by Source: Insights were grouped by research type (e.g., surveys, interviews) and operational focus areas (e.g., Inventory Management, Volunteer Coordination).
Methodology:
Inventory tracking relies on key individuals, creating bottlenecks when they are unavailable.
Task assignments are informal and inconsistent, leading to confusion and duplicated efforts.
Volunteers struggle to locate items, requiring frequent assistance and slowing down workflows.
Uncovered challenges:
A centralized inventory system to reduce reliance on individuals and improve accessibility.
Better labeling and navigation tools to help volunteers locate items independently.
A structured task coordination system to provide clear responsibilities for volunteers.
Identified user needs:
To address user needs, we brainstormed a three-fold solution that improves inventory management, volunteer coordination, and storage organization, which served as the foundation for gathering feedback from stakeholders like the Toyota Mobility Foundation and Jason at the IMPACT Center
Ideation
1
Physical Pantry Optimization
Improved shelving layout, clear labeling, and color-coded categorization to enhance accessibility and reduce search time.
2
Digital Inventory Management System
A web and mobile platform offering real-time stock updates, expiration alerts, and a simplified interface to reduce reliance on staff like Jason.
3
Volunteer Management System
A digital tool enabling check-ins, task allocation, and training modules to improve coordination and onboarding.
1
Feasibility of Barcode Scanning for Inventory Management
A category-based barcode system (one barcode per product type) was more practical than scanning individual UPC codes for every item.
Volunteers could scan a category barcode and manually enter quantities, making tracking more efficient.
3
Refining Storage and Item Categorization
Inventory arrives in various containers (pallets, bulk bins, collapsible crates), making structured organization essential.
Jason preferred tracking inventory by broad categories rather than specific brands, reinforcing the need for color-coded categorization to streamline sorting and retrieval.
4
Tracking Stock Movement and Expiration Dates
Expiration dates are often unreliable, so Jason preferred a "date received" tracker for managing stock rotation.
A system to monitor stock movement and send alerts for older inventory would improve efficiency.
5
Integrating Volunteer Task Management for Clarity
Volunteers should be able to self-select tasks and log completed work digitally, reducing dependency on Jason.
Task overlap needed to be minimized, ensuring smooth coordination and clear role assignments.
2
Volunteer Experience and Accessibility Considerations
Many volunteers are older adults with limited technical experience, meaning the system had to be intuitive.
A complex interface would create usability barriers, so the design needed to be simple and easy to navigate.
We refined our solution by collaborating with key stakeholders at the IMPACT Center, conducting a concept validation meeting with Jason, the inventory coordinator, to assess feasibility, usability, and impact, ensuring our design effectively addresses inventory tracking, task management, and accessibility challenges.
Stakeholder Collaboration
Based on Jamie’s feedback on measuring project success, we recognized gaps in our approach, addressing this, we established a baseline success metric by testing inventory search efficiency, identified key challenges, implemented a structured categorization system, and validated its impact, reducing search time by over 70%.
Success Metric
To measure the effectiveness of our solution, we first established a baseline success metric: the time taken to locate inventory without Jason’s assistance.
We reorganized two shelves using a structured categorization system. A different team member then repeated the task with a new 11-item list, reducing search time to just 4 minutes and 8 seconds, that’s a 70% improvement.
In our initial test, one of our team members searched for 11 items in the warehouse under the existing system, taking 14 minutes and 12 seconds.
Our approach:
Storyboard
Error State – The Challenges of an Unstructured System
Recovery State – A Structured & Efficient System
Initial Sketches
We structured the Information Architecture to streamline inventory management and volunteer coordination, ensuring real-time tracking, reducing manual inefficiencies, and making tasks more accessible for both administrators and volunteers
Information Architecture
Impact Center Logo
Admin
Dashboard
Data Visualization
Stock Alert (Expiration)
Volume
Volunteer Onboarding
Stock Availability
Task Management (List)
Volunteer Awards/ Birthdays
Profile
Product Management
Name
Serial/Barcode No.
Color
Category
Date
Quantity
Weight
Add/ Edit/ Delete Product Button
Filters/Search/ Sort By/ Export
Attendance
Partners
Settings
Volunteer Check-in
Volunteer Name Search
Check-in Button
Check-out Button
Task Management
Task Description
Volunteer Name
Status
Not Done
In Progress
Completed
Done Button
Volunteer Registration Form
Volunteer Name
Address
Phone Number
Age
Date of Birth (D.O.B)
Gender
Date of Joining (D.O.J)
Add Volunteer Button
Task Management
All Task Description
Assign By
Status
Date
Calendar
Add/ Edit/ Delete Button
Search/ Sort By/ Export/ Filter
Volunteer Information
Name Listing
Address
Date of Birth
Phone Number
Marital Status
Date of Joining
Add/ Edit/ Delete Button
Search/ Sort By/ Export
Information
Some Low-Fidelity Wireframes
Paper Prototype
my team and I are currently working on the prototypes, expect an update soon...
Designing for social good.
A purpose that has always been my guiding compass, and when this project came along, I had to give it my best shot.
Optimizing food pantry operations through UX research, human-centered design to improve inventory management and volunteer efficiency
Summary
We identified inefficiencies in food pantry operations and designed practical, user-friendly solutions to streamline inventory management and enhance the volunteer experience.
Timeline
September 2024 - May 2025
Team
Team Lead, UX Designer & Researcher (me)
3 Other UX Designers
Responsibilities
Leading UX research, design cycle, stakeholder collaboration, and user testing.
Designing wireframes, prototypes, and synthesizing insights.
Defining project scope, timeline, and managing expectations.
Presenting findings, documenting processes, and delivering solutions.
IMPACT CENTER
Jamie Bonini, President of the Toyota Production System Support Center (TSSC), visited the IMPACT Center to assess our research and provide expert insights.
With extensive experience in production management and efficiency-driven problem-solving, his visit aimed to validate our findings, refine our proposed solutions, and align our approach with proven methodologies from the Toyota Production System (TPS).
Validation of Research: He confirmed that our problem statement accurately captured the core inefficiencies in inventory management and operational workflows, reinforcing our project’s direction.
Iterative, Data-Driven Problem-Solving: He advocated for a flexible approach where solutions evolve through rapid testing, stakeholder feedback, and continuous refinement rather than being fixed from the outset.
Emphasizing Metrics & Baseline Data: He stressed the need for quantifiable success measures, urging us to establish baseline data on current operations to effectively track improvements over time.
Key Insights from Jamie Bonini:
Leveraging Toyota’s Expertise to Strengthen Our Approach
A Pivotal Milestone
I led this 9-month long project from research to design to understand operations, uncover pain-points and optimize the food pantry operations at the IMPACT center.
So, how did we solve that?
well, with a detailed plan and thorough execution...
Sept - Nov ‘24
Dec ‘24 - Jan ‘25
Feb - Mar ‘25
Apr - May ‘25
Research & Discovery
Conducting on-site contextual inquiries to observe inventory tracking, volunteer coordination, and client interactions.
Interviewing key stakeholders, including the warehouse manager and volunteers, to identify gaps in existing systems.
Distributing surveys to volunteers, revealing challenges with labeling and task assignments.
Reviewing existing tools like SmartChoice and PantrySoft, identifying opportunities and barriers for implementation.
Problem Definition & Ideation
Synthesizing research insights through affinity mapping, revealing dependencies on key personnel and inconsistent inventory practices.
Developing personas to reflect key users: older, non-tech-savvy volunteers and administrators requiring real-time data.
Ideating solutions prioritizing cost-efficiency, usability for volunteers, and scalable designs suitable for the non-profit environment.
Prototyping & Design
Collaborating with stakeholders to refine features like visual aids for volunteers and a role-based inventory system.
Creating prototypes focusing on intuitive workflows for non-tech-savvy volunteers to minimize learning curves.
Testing & Refinement
Planning usability tests with volunteers to validate design concepts and identify improvements.
Iterating designs based on feedback to address challenges like navigation and task clarity.
Preparing final prototypes and detailed documentation for implementation, ensuring scalability and ease of adoption.
During COVID-19, Toyota Mobility Foundation identified operational inefficiencies in food banks, shifting focus from the delivery front to transforming internal systems.
Stakeholders Involved
Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF): Initiated the project, focusing on mobility and logistics solutions to improve food distribution.
Volunteers: Assist with organizing supplies, client support, and day-to-day activities.
IMPACT Center: Operates the food pantry, providing essential resources to families in need and coordinating community support.
Center Administrators: Oversee operations, manage volunteer schedules, and ensure smooth functionality.
Right from the beginning of the project, we we aware of some constraints that would have an impact on our decisions moving forward.
Challenges
4
Maintaining Dignity
Sensitivity was key to ensure no one felt stigmatized, shaping how we spoke, researched, and presented.
1
Undefined Scope
No clear project boundaries were provided, so we had to define the focus and deliverables ourselves.
2
Budget Constraints
As a nonprofit, the center required cost-effective, sustainable solutions.
3
Volunteer-Led Operations
Many volunteers, mostly older adults, struggled with technology, making simplicity a priority.
We Met
Steve Saunders
Pastor
Jason Bratina
Warehouse & Inventory Manager
Amber Clark
Coordinator
We conducted an on-site visit to observe pantry operations firsthand, uncovering inefficiencies in workflows, volunteer coordination, and client navigation, which shaped our research focus and eventually helped us define the problem.
Contextual Inquiry & Participatory Shadowing
Logistics: Focused on food movement and challenges in inventory tracking.
Volunteers: Assist with organizing supplies, client support, and day-to-day activities.
Volunteer Roles: Observed check-in, scheduling, and support for daily tasks.
Client Interaction: Reviewed registration processes and identified areas for improvement.
Our focus:
We met:
New volunteers needed 3–4 task clarifications per hour, straining Jason and disrupting workflow for both.
Informal systems, like verbal updates and whiteboard task tracking, led to dependency and confusion, making warehouse operations inefficient.
Jason also mentioned that he would like to have a way to measure the impact the the pantry is creating.
Takeaways:
Contextual Inquiry: We observed real-time operations and asked clarifying questions with management as needed.
Participatory Shadowing: We performed volunteer tasks to gain hands-on insights.
Our methodology:
Steve Saunders
Pastor
Amber Clark
Coordinator
Jason Bratina
Warehouse Manager
We narrowed down the problem space to the inventory management domain due to evident disorganization, heavy dependency on a single individual, and the need for measurable impact metrics.
But, we were still far from defining a concrete problem statement, as this required further in-depth research and analysis.
We narrowed down the problem space to the inventory management domain due to evident disorganization, heavy dependency on a single individual, and the need for measurable impact metrics.
But, we were still far from defining a concrete problem statement, as this required further in-depth research and analysis.
1
We began our research by evaluating platforms like SmartChoice, PantrySoft, and PantryCheck to assess their features and limitations.
2
While these platforms excel in advanced functionalities like real-time tracking and spoilage alerts, they are better suited for larger organizations.
3
Their high costs and complexity make them impractical for smaller, community-led food pantries.
Our approach:
With a clear domain, we began our six-step research journey with a competitive analysis, uncovering why platforms like SmartChoice and PantrySoft, despite their advanced features, fail smaller food pantries, highlighting the need for affordable and simpler solutions.
Competitive Analysis
The biggest takeaway emerging from this analysis was the need for a solution that is well-tailored to the specific needs of IMPACT center and serves as an aid to their existing operations, rather than causing disruption by forcing the adoption of a new system.
⭐
1
Optimizing Food Pantry Logistics
Food banks face irregular donations, limited storage, and logistical inefficiencies.
Optimizing inventory tracking and resource allocation can increase efficiency by 32% (Dutch Food Bank study).
Real-time tracking systems and digital tools improve inventory stability and reduce waste.
3
Leveraging Technology for Efficiency
42% of pantries struggle with inventory tracking, 49% need better scheduling tools.
Adoption barriers: Technical complexity, lack of IT support, and volunteer accessibility.
User-friendly, scalable digital solutions are key to overcoming these challenges.
2
Reducing Waste through Smarter Inventory Control
Poor inventory tracking leads to excessive waste, especially for perishables.
Demand forecasting and "date received" tracking ensure better stock rotation.
We reviewed 10+ academic papers and industry reports on food pantry operations, waste reduction, and digital tools to deepen our understanding of best practices and challenges in inventory management.
Desk Research
We interviewed Jason, the inventory coordinator, to uncover gaps in operations, reinforcing critical pain points like the absence of formal systems and over-reliance on key personnel and a need for quantifying the impact that this pantry is making.
Interview
Explore Jason’s system preferences for a practical, low-complexity solution.
Identify opportunities to improve inventory tracking, training, and impact measurement.
Frequent stockouts and tracking issues highlight the need for a predictive inventory system to improve supply planning.
Inventory sourcing and management are inconsistent, while major donors provide tracking receipts, other donation sources lack a formal system, leading to incomplete records.
Volunteer training gaps and inconsistent tracking create inefficiencies, many volunteers struggle due to a lack of structured onboarding.
Current tracking is informal and focused on quick distribution, logging items is impractical as pallets often contain 20+ mixed products, making a structured system feel too complex and time-consuming.
Impact tracking is nonexistent, limiting the center’s ability to report food distribution outcomes to stakeholders and donors.
Key Findings:
Understand inventory management challenges and identify inefficiencies in tracking and distribution.
Assess volunteer coordination issues and the impact of inconsistent processes on daily operations.
Interview Goals:
Implementing a predictive inventory system could reduce stockouts and improve donation tracking.
A simple, structured onboarding system would help volunteers work independently and reduce inefficiencies.
A scalable, low-complexity tracking system should balance efficiency with ease of use, ensuring it integrates with the center’s current workflow.
Adding basic impact tracking capabilities would allow the center to quantify its reach, strengthen donor relations, and improve reporting
Opportunities:
We found:
Instructional clarity is inconsistent, with only half of the volunteers finding restocking instructions always clear.
Labeling and organization issues were the most commonly cited challenges, highlighting a need for better storage solutions.
Volunteers want structured training and regularly updated inventory lists to work more independently and reduce reliance on others.
At this point, it was important to seek the volunteers’ perspective as well, we conducted a survey to gather insights on their experiences with locating items, restocking, and following inventory procedures, revealing key issues in organization, clarity, and training that impact efficiency.
Volunteer Survey
What stood out:
Volunteers also told us what they needed:
We analyzed research findings through affinity mapping to identify recurring challenges, user needs, and opportunities, helping us translate our detailed findings into actionable insights guiding our solution that improve inventory management, volunteer coordination, and client experience at the IMPACT Center.
Affinity Mapping
Gathering Insights: Key observations were documented on sticky notes, covering issues like inventory inefficiencies, volunteer challenges, and client interactions.
Thematic Grouping: Notes were clustered into broader themes, such as Challenges, User Needs, and Potential Solutions, through iterative discussions.
Categorization by Source: Insights were grouped by research type (e.g., surveys, interviews) and operational focus areas (e.g., Inventory Management, Volunteer Coordination).
Methodology:
Inventory tracking relies on key individuals, creating bottlenecks when they are unavailable.
Task assignments are informal and inconsistent, leading to confusion and duplicated efforts.
Volunteers struggle to locate items, requiring frequent assistance and slowing down workflows.
Uncovered challenges:
A centralized inventory system to reduce reliance on individuals and improve accessibility.
Better labeling and navigation tools to help volunteers locate items independently.
A structured task coordination system to provide clear responsibilities for volunteers.
Identified user needs:
To address user needs, we brainstormed a three-fold solution that improves inventory management, volunteer coordination, and storage organization, which served as the foundation for gathering feedback from stakeholders like the Toyota Mobility Foundation and Jason at the IMPACT Center
Ideation
1
Physical Pantry Optimization
Improved shelving layout, clear labeling, and color-coded categorization to enhance accessibility and reduce search time.
2
Digital Inventory Management System
A web and mobile platform offering real-time stock updates, expiration alerts, and a simplified interface to reduce reliance on staff like Jason.
3
Volunteer Management System
A digital tool enabling check-ins, task allocation, and training modules to improve coordination and onboarding.
1
Feasibility of Barcode Scanning for Inventory Management
A category-based barcode system (one barcode per product type) was more practical than scanning individual UPC codes for every item.
Volunteers could scan a category barcode and manually enter quantities, making tracking more efficient.
3
Refining Storage and Item Categorization
Inventory arrives in various containers (pallets, bulk bins, collapsible crates), making structured organization essential.
Jason preferred tracking inventory by broad categories rather than specific brands, reinforcing the need for color-coded categorization to streamline sorting and retrieval.
4
Tracking Stock Movement and Expiration Dates
Expiration dates are often unreliable, so Jason preferred a "date received" tracker for managing stock rotation.
A system to monitor stock movement and send alerts for older inventory would improve efficiency.
5
Integrating Volunteer Task Management for Clarity
Volunteers should be able to self-select tasks and log completed work digitally, reducing dependency on Jason.
Task overlap needed to be minimized, ensuring smooth coordination and clear role assignments.
2
Volunteer Experience and Accessibility Considerations
Many volunteers are older adults with limited technical experience, meaning the system had to be intuitive.
A complex interface would create usability barriers, so the design needed to be simple and easy to navigate.
We refined our solution by collaborating with key stakeholders at the IMPACT Center, conducting a concept validation meeting with Jason, the inventory coordinator, to assess feasibility, usability, and impact, ensuring our design effectively addresses inventory tracking, task management, and accessibility challenges.
Stakeholder Collaboration
Based on Jamie’s feedback on measuring project success, we recognized gaps in our approach, addressing this, we established a baseline success metric by testing inventory search efficiency, identified key challenges, implemented a structured categorization system, and validated its impact, reducing search time by over 70%.
Success Metric
To measure the effectiveness of our solution, we first established a baseline success metric: the time taken to locate inventory without Jason’s assistance.
We reorganized two shelves using a structured categorization system. A different team member then repeated the task with a new 11-item list, reducing search time to just 4 minutes and 8 seconds, that’s a over 70% improvement.
In our initial test, one of our team members searched for 11 items in the warehouse under the existing system, taking 14 minutes and 12 seconds.
Our approach:
Storyboard
Error State: The Challenges of an Unstructured System
Recovery State: A Structured & Efficient System
Initial Sketches
We structured the Information Architecture to streamline inventory management and volunteer coordination, ensuring real-time tracking, reducing manual inefficiencies, and making tasks more accessible for both administrators and volunteers.
Information Architecture
Impact Center Logo
Admin
Dashboard
Data Visualization
Stock Alert (Expiration)
Volume
Volunteer Onboarding
Stock Availability
Task Management (List)
Volunteer Awards/ Birthdays
Profile
Product Management
Name
Serial/Barcode No.
Color
Category
Date
Quantity
Weight
Add/ Edit/ Delete Product Button
Filters/Search/ Sort By/ Export
Attendance
Partners
Settings
Volunteer Check-in
Volunteer Name Search
Check-in Button
Check-out Button
Task Management
Task Description
Volunteer Name
Status
Not Done
In Progress
Completed
Done Button
Volunteer Registration Form
Volunteer Name
Address
Phone Number
Age
Date of Birth (D.O.B)
Gender
Date of Joining (D.O.J)
Add Volunteer Button
Task Management
All Task Description
Assign By
Status
Date
Calendar
Add/ Edit/ Delete Button
Search/ Sort By/ Export/ Filter
Volunteer Information
Name Listing
Address
Date of Birth
Phone Number
Marital Status
Date of Joining
Add/ Edit/ Delete Button
Search/ Sort By/ Export
Information
Paper Prototype
my team and I are currently testing our prototype with the users, expect an update soon...
This website is optimized for desktop view, sorry for the inconvenience.
But stay tuned, I'm working on the mobile version.
This website is optimized for desktop view, sorry for the inconvenience.
But stay tuned, I'm working on the mobile version.