🏗️ Trimble Unity Field

Trimble Unity Field is a configurable mobile solution designed to support role-based, GIS-centric, and project-centric workflows. It extends the capabilities of Trimble Unity's asset lifecycle management to field users, including inspectors, project managers, contractors, and maintenance teams. The app facilitates data collection, task management, and real-time decision-making through intuitive, action-driven interfaces.

The Challenge

Streamlining diverse and complex workflows into a single app presented significant UX challenges:

• High configurability: Field users from different roles and regions have unique workflows and data collection needs, making it essential to provide a flexible yet cohesive interface.
• User efficiency: Balancing complex functionalities with simplicity and speed for non-technical users in the field.
• Offline ease of use: These users often worked in rugged environments with poor connectivity and minimal training.

The key challenge: how do we simplify essential workflows without sacrificing the depth of functionality?

🔍 Approach

To address these challenges, I collaborated closely with product teams, conducted user research, and facilitated iterative design cycles to optimize and test the UX design.

1. User Research and Workflow Mapping

• Conducted interviews and field observations with various user personas, including inspectors, contractors, and project managers, to understand their unique needs and pain points.
• Mapped current workflows across different roles, identifying commonalities and customizable points.

2. Information Architecture and Wireframes

• Developed a role-based navigation system that adapts to user needs, prioritizing key workflows while maintaining configurability.
• Created wireframes focusing on key user tasks like viewing project documents, creating and progressing work activities, and accessing geospatial data.

3. Usability Testing and Iteration

• Conducted multiple rounds of usability testing with field users to ensure the simplicity and effectiveness of task workflows.
• Iterated prototype designs based on feedback, optimizing task flows for efficiency and reducing cognitive load.

Discovery & Aha Moments

In early user research, one technician told us:

“I spend more time figuring out the form than actually doing the inspection.”

That quote reframed the problem. It wasn’t about feature parity—it was about removing friction in the field. Our “aha” moment came when we realized that users didn’t need more features—they needed smarter defaults, clearer hierarchy, and fewer taps.

We also uncovered that many users used gloves, which influenced tap targets and gesture choices.

🔧 Key Flows & Solutions

1. Restructuring Activity Details Screen

Problem:
The original tab-based form swipe navigation in the Activity Detail Screen was cumbersome, requiring users to swipe through multiple tabs to access relevant information. This design increased the time spent navigating through the app, negatively impacting user efficiency and satisfaction.

Solution:
Redesigned the Activity Detail Screen from a tab-based form swipe to a section-based list view accompanied by a quick action menu. This restructuring prioritized ease of access to key information and reduced navigation time by allowing users to interact with all sections from a single screen without the need for excessive swiping.

Outcome:

• Positive Sentiment: Increased from 70% to 92% after the redesign, based on qualitative feedback surveys.
• Efficiency Gains:
  • 37.5% reduction in task completion time.
  • 40% reduction in navigation interactions.
• Improved Feature Usage: Usage of quick action buttons (e.g., Attachments, Directions) increased by 50%, indicating better discoverability and ease of access.

2. Automating Weather Data Entry

Problem:
Manual entry of weather data was time-consuming and prone to errors, affecting the accuracy and efficiency of field reports.

Solution:
Led the design and implementation of an automated weather data feature:

• Conducted AI-driven competitive research to identify best practices in real-time weather integration.
• Designed a dynamic weather widget that automatically captures and inputs weather data based on the user's location, reducing manual entry friction.

Outcome:

• Enhanced Efficiency: Streamlined the process of logging weather conditions, saving time for field users.
• Improved Accuracy: Reduced errors associated with manual data entry, leading to more reliable field reports.

🪞Results & Reflection

• Reduced task completion time by 75% in usability testing.
• Field teams reported feeling more “in control” and “less frustrated.”
• Trimble leadership approved fast-tracking the rollout due to early success metrics.

This project taught me how to:

• Design for non-digital-native users without compromising feature depth
• Treat offline UX as a first-class constraint, not a fallback
• Use AI tools to synthesize user interviews and spot patterns faster

I also partnered closely with engineering to scope feasible solutions, ensuring high fidelity prototypes matched real-world constraints. This project deepened my skills in designing under constraint, understanding edge-case user behavior, and driving clarity in high-stakes environments. ‍By continuously testing and refining the interface, we were able to deliver a MVP product that balanced configurability and usability. We continue to enhance features providing long-term value for both field users and Trimble’s asset lifecycle management ecosystem.