As a Senior UX Designer at Kraft Heinz, I was tasked with redesigning and optimizing critical Power BI & Tableau dashboards to enhance visibility into our supply chain metrics and KPIs. The aim was to create a cohesive, data-driven user interface that empowers teams to make informed decisions quickly, based on real-time insights. Each dashboard had its own set of specific requirements, targeting various operational areas, such as sales, logistics, and transportation planning.
User Research
One of the most impactful user research projects I conducted involved the Nucleus dashboard for Kraft Heinz’s supply chain. The goal was to design a dynamic, user-friendly solution that would serve as the primary reporting tool 80% of the time.
Through moderated interviews, I gathered insights into user challenges, such as:
– The lack of customization and adaptability in existing dashboards.
– Overwhelming email chains and inefficiencies in integrating actionable insights.
– Specific pain points, such as the need for baselining, trend analysis, and better visualization of KPIs.
Key Insights
1. Customization: Users wanted dashboards tailored to their specific needs, including features like dynamic KPI selection and filtering options.
2. Automation: Many requested automated alerts for critical issues, minimizing reliance on manual tasks.
3. Visualization: Over 60% highlighted the need for visual trends and segmentation to focus on high-impact areas.
4. Integration: There was a desire for smoother integration with existing tools like disruption monitoring systems.
Design Artifacts
– Personas: Created to represent diverse user roles and their unique needs.
– Wireframes: Developed for the three dashboard levels (Executive, Pod Map, Detailed KPIs), prioritizing customization and trend analysis.
– User Flows: Designed to simplify daily interactions, enabling quick decision-making.
– Prototypes: Interactive models tested with users for feedback, driving iterative improvements.
This research and design process led to a highly adaptable and actionable dashboard that directly addressed user pain points and business needs.
Color Guides & Consistency
One of the core objectives of this project was to maintain consistent brand identity across all data visualizations. I developed a comprehensive color guide (Qualitative, Sequential, and Diverging) aligned with the Kraft Heinz brand to ensure visual coherence. This allowed users to interpret data consistently across different dashboards, whether they were reviewing sales, operational performance, or transportation disruptions. These guides, optimized for light mode, provided a visual hierarchy that improved the user experience by aiding in the quick identification of trends and exceptions.
Nucleus | Deep Dive Level
The “Nucleus” dashboard is one of the key performance monitoring tools for Kraft Heinz. This dashboard gives executive-level insights into critical metrics such as Customer Fill Rate (CFR), Plant Performance, and Sales by Product. I focused on creating a clear layout that places the most important KPIs front and center, allowing stakeholders to track changes at a glance. The dashboard was designed with interactive filtering options that provide flexibility for various departments to dig into the data relevant to their role. For example, trends and comparisons by product, customer, and plant are easily accessible through well-organized, color-coded bar charts.
Logistics Map
Another essential dashboard was the “Logistics Map,” which visualizes the past performance of shipments using a geographic overlay. This design integrated map-based data views with performance KPIs, enabling the logistics team to track shipment health across regions. Interactive filters allow users to toggle between regions, categories, and KPIs, ensuring they can always focus on the specific insights needed. Health indicators like color-coded performance markers quickly signify areas of concern, improving response times in addressing potential logistical issues.
ORDD EDM
The ORDD EDM dashboard is critical for tracking warehouse operations. The interface provides a live overview of key operational statistics such as Picking, Loading, and Projected Delivery Misses. I created an interactive table where users could prioritize loads based on warehouse or customer needs, with additional drill-down capabilities for deeper analysis. Alerts and notifications for critical issues, such as missed pickups or incomplete loading, were made more prominent, ensuring that the team could address issues as they arise in real time.
Transportation Planning & Disruption Monitoring
The “Trans Planning | Disruption Monitoring” dashboard was designed to provide actionable insights into the transportation logistics of the company. It highlights unplanned or uncovered loads, as well as potential alerts related to delivery appointments and pickups. I focused on creating an intuitive, alert-driven interface where users could drill down into specific disruptions. The dashboard allowed for the identification of trends across regions and shipment types, ensuring that transportation teams could act on disruptions with a clear understanding of their root causes and potential resolutions.
Conclusion
The redesign of these dashboards optimized the decision-making process across various departments within Kraft Heinz. The dashboards are now not only more visually cohesive but also more functional, providing actionable insights with minimal friction. By focusing on ease of use, data clarity, and brand consistency, these dashboards have become essential tools in driving operational efficiency within the organization.