Design Roles

UX Design
Visual Design
Brand Consistency
Architecture
Vision Planning

Design Deliverables

User Surveys
User Interviews
User Stories
User Flows
Paper Prototype
Wire-Frames
User Testing
UX/UI Design
Specifications for Engineering

Specifications

Duration
Continuing

Tools & Software
Figma
Adobe Illustrator

Team Size
6 Engineers
1 Product Manager
1 UX Researcher
1 UX Designer (that’s me!)

What is Nutrien?

Nutrien Ag Solutions is a prominent agricultural retail company with 1,500 retail stores and a workforce of over 20,000 employees. Listed on both the Toronto Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange, the company offers a wide array of agricultural products, services, and solutions to farmers worldwide. This specific case study originates from the retail headquarters located in Loveland, Colorado. They strive to provide farmers with the tools and expertise to optimize crop yields and adopt sustainable agricultural practices.

The challenge

Nutrien is at the forefront of pioneering efforts by developing an innovative online experience tailored for salespeople (Crop Consultants) and growers. The company's primary objective is to assist growers in maximizing their yield by establishing a seamless and immediate communication channel with their salesperson, accessible at any time.

The journey to address these unique pain points has been both challenging and gratifying. Nutrien remains committed to overcoming these challenges to deliver a rewarding and transformative user experience.

For this specific case study, our focus lies in enhancing visibility into Nutrien's extensive stock of seed products and facilitating their easy availability for purchase. By delving into this aspect, we aim to showcase the significant impact and value that Nutrien's online platform brings to growers and salespeople alike.

The solution

Our primary goal was to develop a seamless experience that caters to both novice and expert seed purchasers. For version 1, we focused on creating a product flow optimized for react-native mobile and tablet platforms. Additionally, we have plans to expand this experience to accommodate desktop users with a web version.

Versatility was at the forefront of our design process. We wanted the app to cater to all seed and soil types, ensuring it meets the diverse needs of our users. By establishing a consistent pattern in which users could duplicate orders, we streamlined the process of booking a seed order, allowing for a quicker and more efficient user experience.

Through these efforts, we aim to provide a user-friendly platform that empowers both newcomers and seasoned professionals to make informed seed purchasing decisions, regardless of the device they use or the type of seed they require.

Discovery Phase

User Interviews

To ensure a thorough understanding of how crop consultants (salespeople) and growers would interact with the app, we conducted interviews, posing several key questions, including:

• What information is essential for you to input before placing a seed order?

• What aspects of the current seed process bother you the most?

• What aspects of the current seed process do you appreciate and find valuable?

• When do you typically start considering seed orders throughout the year?

• In your seed decision process, do you prioritize price or performance?

In total, we interviewed 32 users from diverse regions across the United States and Canada. The insights gathered from these interviews have been instrumental in shaping our app to better meet the needs and preferences of our valued users.

Competitive Analysis

Custom Icons

I collaborated with various departments, including marketing, product, and engineering, to design these icons. This joint effort ensured that we could implement consistent and cohesive icons throughout the entire website.

User Flows and User Stories

When starting the project it was important to come up with the most important user stories to address for the most viable product (MVP). I made a spreadsheet with all of the user stories and then put them in order of importance to help define the scope of the project.

MVP Customer (grower) Stories
As a customer I would like to be able to see a comparison chart about why the seed product my salesman is recommending is the best option for me.

As a customer I would like to view my seed options on my desktop, tablet, and mobile

MMP Customer (grower) Stories
As a new user I want to keep track of what seeds and how much i paid for them in a budgeting system

MVP Sales-person User Stories
As a sales-person I would like to be able to filter by trait, relative maturity, brand, and seed number.
As a sales-person I would like to create a professional comparison chart to print or email to the customer.
As a sales-person i would like to be able to add the seed they pick to the customers crop plan or contract.

MMP Sales-person User Stories
As a sales-person I would like to be able to place the seeds chosen by the customer on a map in ‘plantings’.
As a sales-person i would like to be able to see inventory for seed available in the warehouse.
As a sales-person I would like to be able to get recommendations on seed based on the science of the field. (soil type, enviro-type, and seed trails.)

Lo Fi Mockups

Hi Fi Mockups

User Research

User research was conducted on-site in all six regions where Nutrien operates in the US and Canada. We closely observed various aspects, such as seed storage practices and how salespeople documented information using notebooks or Post-it notes. Witnessing the paper trail left behind during seed movement from the warehouse or upon order completion proved invaluable. Conducting this type of on-site research allowed us to cultivate empathy for the users and gain a deep understanding of their daily work environment. Such insights have been crucial in shaping our approach to better serve the needs of our users.

Synthesis of Seed Ordering

Our research synthesis involves various methods, but the "Rose, Bud, Thorn" exercise is the most impactful. With this approach, we categorize the received feedback into Rose (positives), Bud (opportunities), and Thorns (negatives). Additionally, we compile noteworthy quotes and action items for our report out deck, which we share with stakeholders. This process enables us to analyze and communicate the key findings from our research effectively.

Deliverables

Takeaways

As we began implementing the insights gathered from the seed ordering project, we discovered that users wanted additional features beyond just seed product types. In response to this valuable feedback, we significantly enhanced our product catalog. The accompanying prototype video demonstrates the improvements we have implemented based on the findings from the seed research.

Furthermore, our user research unveiled an important aspect: users preferred this feature to be optimized for tablet usage, as employees often handle order filling on a tablet while simultaneously using their phones for other tasks. By tailoring the feature to work seamlessly on tablets, we aim to enhance the user experience and boost efficiency for our valued users.

With these updates in place, we are confident that our product catalog will offer a more comprehensive and user-friendly experience, aligning with the needs and preferences of our users. We look forward to continuing to refine and optimize our offerings based on user feedback and cutting-edge technology.

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