2020 - 2022
Strategy, Research & UX Design
Data & visuals restructed due to NDA
SGS, India
Replace manual data entry with a connected workflow — field teams submit test results on-site using mobile, and managers review them instantly on desktop.
At SGS India, I designed app features that helped teams check product quality on-site, report updates quickly, and follow safety rules using mobile devices.
CONTEXT
Over 800 SGS Quality Inspectors and Auditors in Oil & Gas and Steel Plants use Paper forms and Excel spreadsheets to record readings, monitor production processes, and report findings.
Problem
Using paper forms and Excel sheets often led to delays, mistakes, and inefficiencies.
Opportunity
Digitizing the workflow to streamline reporting, improve accuracy and enable real-time decision making.
Approach
Discovery → Research → Mapping → Prototyping → Testing → Improving → Evolving → Recommending
Understanding the Problem
Current Scenario
Why this sytem?
01
Familiarity
02
Limited access to Technology
03
Simplicity
04
Lack of Urgency
Why it needs a Change?
Engineer had to write data on paper, then re-enter it into Excel, and finally email it to managers.
Manual entries and validations from printed reports stretched engineers hours and caused delays.
Remembering real time data entry once their back at office, increased cognitive load and missing crucial observations
Understanding the Users
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To design the right solution, we first stepped into the users’ world.
Engineer had to write data on paper, then re-enter it into Excel, and finally email it to managers.
Empathizing
Could reports be faster? Are phones safe to use? Does the environment hold them back?
The Big Questions
Turning messy notes into patterns, highlighting pain points & spotting area of improvement
Making Sense of It All
User Persona
"How interested would you be to switch from current system to an Enterprise application?"
32 out of 40 users agreed to this statement
System Blueprint
Think of ConOps as the game plan for our enterprise app. It answers the big questions: Who’s using it? What’s it for? Why does it matter? It’s the bridge between understanding user needs and creating a solution that works for everyone.
- What questions are answered in ConOps?
- What the app does and why it's essential?
- Mapping roles of employees and clients
User Flow (Supervisor - Inspector - Supervisor)
Use Case and Impact Canvas
I began sketching alternative interaction models to reimagine the portal’s navigation, aiming for a system shaped by user needs and work environments. The goal was to give both managers and field staff information at a glance, while reducing decision fatigue and making navigation effortless across desktop, tablet, and mobile.
Simplifying the Experience - Wireframes
SOLUTION
1. INSPECTION APP (INSPECTORS).
Designing the visual system for the inspection app required careful consideration of the users’ environment—factory floors, field sites, and high-pressure industrial settings. The interface needed to feel lightweight yet durable, with every element serving a clear purpose.
1. Dark primary palette for focus areas that can work in any environment, indoors or outdoors.
2. Single step flows for value input for quick, precise observations.
3. Summary report for submission to the supervisor
INSPECTOR HOMEPAGE
App focus was purely on priority features and no extra clutter information outside use. This page gives access to upcoming inspections with basic information, prioritizing due date as well as access to submitted documents and reports.
INSPECTION OBSERVATIONS
Each step in the inspection flow focuses on one data point at a time—like API Gravity or Sulphur Content—to reduce cognitive load and allow for focused input. Tolerance ranges are clearly indicated beneath each field to help inspectors validate measurements in real-time. This eliminates second-guessing or the need to refer to external documents.
REPORT SUMMARY AND SUBMISSION
Report summary with clear representation of tolerance values to show "pass" and "fail".
2. SUPERVISOR PORTAL.
While the mobile interface is tailored for on-site inspectors, the desktop experience is purpose-built for supervisors, managers, and operations leaders working from the office. It provides a comprehensive overview of ongoing inspections, assigned tasks, and invoice-related data — all in one place.
SUPERVISOR LANDING PAGE (CLIENT LISTS AND STATS)
Client list dashboard helps supervisor to get overview of each client contacts, revenue received, number of inspections scheduled and industry.
CLIENT PAGE
Diving deep into client inspections to see Ongoing, Upcoming and Completed ones, with assigned Inspectors or reassigning inspectors. A key feature of the desktop dashboard is the “Runway” — a dynamic, right-hand panel that opens on click, providing deep context for each inspection without disrupting the user’s flow. This allows supervisors and managers to quickly access files, checklists, and observations tied to a specific record while staying anchored to the broader inspection list.
Outcome
This project was a turning point in my design journey. Designing for field inspectors pushed me to think beyond screens and account for real-world conditions — gloves, motion, safety, and accuracy.
I realized how small choices, like button size or color contrast, could directly impact trust and compliance. Working closely with engineers, product owners, and end users taught me that design is more than visuals — it’s about creating tools that truly support the work at hand.
Most importantly, I walked away with a stronger sense of systems thinking, empathy-driven design, and a belief that enterprise tools should not just function, but empower people and create impact at scale.
Société Générale de Surveillance
Client
2020 - 2022
Year
Location
Mumbai, India (Hybrid)
Team
Omkar Kadam & Dr. Punkaj Kumbhare
Rakesh B
Quality Inspector
Rakesh Bhandiwadekar, a 35-year-old field inspector with 8 years of experience, works in remote locations with limited connectivity. He needs an easy-to-use mobile app that allows real-time reporting, offline functionality, and efficient task tracking. His goal is to complete inspections accurately and on time, with quick access to critical data and task updates, even in low-connectivity areas.
Bio
Age
Location
Year of Service
Industry
Education
Age
Mumbai, Maharashtra India
8 years - QC and field inspections
Steel, Minerals, Oil & Gas
Bsc Metallurgy
Tech Proficiency
Challenges
-
Limited access to Laptop’s or PC.
-
Shift change communication
-
Images getting mix with personal data
-
Mobile app and desktop
-
Phone - Android/IOS
Preferred Features
Schedule Check and Task Tracking
Offline functionality
In-built Image capturing and upload
Real-time reporting
I’d be happy with just 15 extra minutes. Instead of finding a computer and re-entering everything, I could submit it all directly from an app.
So what device works best for our users?
ORIGINAL
Manual paper data entry on-site while validating from a printed document then reentering data onto an excel sheet and sending it via email to supervisor
Inspectors
Mobile device app with a single functionality to input data entry on-site and submit via the app.
IDEAL
-
Personal device app to avoid additional business costs of device.
-
Don’t need to have 2 devices on hand when at work.
-
Easy small device to use when on-site.
-
Single functionality to focus on primary tasks.
ORIGINAL
Assign inspectors to each inspection requirement via email and then review emails from each inspector with attached excel sheet and report documents to match and validate entries
Supervisor
IDEAL
Desktop enterprise app to assign inspectors, track inspection progress and approve reports while also tracking department progress and analytics.
Key User Tasks and System Interactions: Basic Use Case
Identifying Use Cases
Mapped actors, processes, and events to create functional scenarios
Selecting Task
Focused on tasks, covering a range of difficulty from simple to complex.
Defining Effective Tasks
Focused on tasks, covering a range of difficulty from simple to complex.
Assignment submitted successfully!
Can also assign multiple requests to a single inspector
Workflow
Supervisor assigns an inspector to a request
Once assigned, the inspector receives the request in their ToDo queue
Inspector app
Start an inspection when they reach on-site
Enter each parametric value
After all entries, last step will show a summary sheet with legends to show how many matched the tolerance level and how many didnt. Depending on that, the inspector can accept or reject and the submission will go to the supervisor.
Inspection Report submitted successfully!
Once submitted by the inspector, it reflects as completed on the supervisors portal where they can review the report and approve it.
