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Analysis of dealers, customers, fleet managers and equipment
operators to understand their view of their work.
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Redesign web-based system to enhance end user experience
as well as to attract potential customers.
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Rapid prototyping to convey new design ideas.
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Performance Centered Design to enable Deere to be the
first to market with a well-designed system.
Check
out DeereTrax™ online!
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Founded
in 1837, Deere & Company, grew from a one-man
blacksmith shop into a worldwide corporation that today
does business in more than 160 countries and employs approximately
37,000 people worldwide. DeereTrax supports the company's
heavy equipment division by tracking use and location real-time
using global positioning and cell phone technologies. The
company wanted to be not only first to market with such
a system, it wanted it to be world class.
When
Deere first contacted Ariel, its DeereTrax™ system
was in a rough text- and data-centric proof of concept phase.
The company knew that in order to be successful, they needed
to design a front end that supported the work, needs and
abilities of their end users. What they wanted was more
than an online makeover - Deere wanted a radically different
presentation of its system's capabilities.
Ariel's rapid engagement commenced with interviews of Deere
dealers, customers, fleet managers and equipment operators.
Moreover, Ariel spent time with Deere's IT staff to establish
the company's technical preferences and constraints. As
data gathering progressed, Ariel formulated a performance
support map outlining all of the known obstacles to the
desired end user performance. A number of metaphors and
design ideas were validated prior to the development of
a rapid prototype. Again, the prototype was validated in
field tests.
Since
the completion of Ariel's engagement, DeereTrax™
has gone live. A significant number of Ariel's designs and
recommendations are a part of this strategic system.
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