Digital Transformation: Wholesale Market Management System

Client: Wholeseller

Overview

We transformed a complex pen-and-paper wholesale market operation into a fully digital ecosystem. This comprehensive solution addressed the inefficiencies of traditional manual processes in a high-pressure, fast-moving environment where precision directly impacts profitability.

The existing system

Wholesale markets for fresh produce manage substantial quantities from farmers and cooperatives, selling to vendors with complex documentation requirements including debt monitoring for recurring customers. The entire system operated on paper, compromising precision and resulting in frequent revenue losses.

Main Challenge

Digitize all processes, considering the environment: high-pressure, fast-moving, and physically demanding.

The process I led

+ Research

+ Task analysis

+ System architecture

+ Prototyping

+ Testing

+ Full UX design

+ Product development support

+ Continuous improvements

Research & Discovery: Task Analysis

Seller - on site sell

Identify the customer
Take the order
Physically collect ordered produce
Write items, amounts, and prices on slip
Send customer to cashier with slip

Teller - on site payment

Identify the customer
Receive payment or write up in customers book
Handwrite receipt

Device Placement Strategy

Initial Consideration: Handheld Device

We initially considered a pocket device that could replace the seller's phone for taking orders while moving around the warehouse.

Alternative: Weight Stand Attachment

Client suggested attaching the device to the weight stand, but field observation revealed this was often far from the seller's location.

Field Research Insights

Direct observation showed that with heavy loads, carrying any additional device was uncomfortable, and sellers moved constantly with weights on carriages.

Optimal Solution: Carriage-Mounted Tablet

Since sellers move throughout the market with their carriages, we identified carriage-mounted secure stands as the ideal solution. After researching the available options, we sourced and purchased specialized secure stands that could withstand the mobile nature of the market environment. Carriage-mounting the tablets kept them accessible and protected, while remaining detachable as needed.

System Architecture

The data schema and system analysis documents were crafted by the product manager and system analyst. Leveraging my ability to read technical documentation, including database schemas and system architecture diagrams, I reviewed these documents and provided design-informed feedback.

Through close collaboration with both Product and Development teams, we refined the system architecture to ensure optimal user experience integration. The development team then utilized these refined documents to construct the system, with ongoing cross-functional collaboration throughout the design and development phases.