Designers
Anjuli Acharya, Dide Sevinçok, Lin Wang, Hanxiong Zhang
Year
2024
Category
New Talent
Country
Sweden
School
Umeå Institute of Design
Teacher
Catharina Henje
Three questions for the project team
What was the particular challenge of the project from a UX point of view?
A key UX challenge was addressing the isolation of documentation and data silos among mechanics. Knowledge transfer relies on formal training and on-the-job learning, making it difficult to preserve the nuanced insights from senior mechanics. Our goal was to implement AI that integrates human experience with technology, ensuring engagement rather than isolation. We needed to create an interactive, intuitive user flow suitable for harsh physical environments. The challenge was designing a system that captures valuable experiential knowledge and ensures usability in rugged conditions, enhancing efficiency and knowledge retention.
What was your personal highlight in the development process? Was there an aha!-moment, was there a low point?
Our 'aha' moment occurred in the field during ethnographic research when a mechanic mentioned how valued and empowered they felt knowing their knowledge and insights were appreciated. This inspired us to think about how we might leverage the tacit knowledge of field mechanics and ensure they feel heard. A significant challenge was figuring out how to use AI and ML in a way that engages rather than isolates and de-skills the mechanics. Implementing AI in industry workflows can cause friction, as AI often feels like a threat to the workforce. It was crucial to develop a solution that breaks this notion, using human insight to empower the intelligent system.
Where do you see yourself and the project in the next five years?
We aim to revolutionize the forestry sector by seamlessly integrating big data insights with human experience and intuition. By leveraging big data's analytical prowess while preserving the nuanced understanding of seasoned professionals, we envision a future where decision-making is both data-driven and deeply informed by practical expertise. With human experience at its core, the project engages individuals with technology rather than isolating them. We provide the scaffolding structure of the service, especially focusing on the preparation phase before mechanics enter the field. Our goal is to offer full lifecycle support, exploring opportunities for assistance during fieldwork and reflection or documentation afterward.
