Redesigning a Factory Dashboard for Maximum Clarity from a Distance
When your dashboard is viewed from 5 meters away, clarity isn't optional—it’s critical. Here’s how I redesigned one for the factory floor
My Role
I led the design execution from early scoping to high-fidelity delivery within a tight timeline. My responsibilities included defining product goals, structuring key information, designing layouts tailored for TV screens, and ensuring visual clarity for both operators and managers on the factory floor.
While the project moved fast without prior wireframes or usability testing, I evaluated the existing dashboard, identified key usability issues, and made iterative design decisions to improve readability, focus, and overall user experience.
Duration
4 Weeks
Clients Category
Manufacturing company specialize in automative parts production
Introduction
This project was a collaboration with a Automotive parts company that needed a real-time dashboard to help their operators and managers monitor production metrics efficiently. The dashboard was intended to be displayed on a large TV screen placed on the production floor, so clarity, speed, and ease of use were key priorities.
The client needed a quick turnaround, so the design process had to be fast, focused, and intentional resulting in a direct jump to high-fidelity design work.
Problem Statement
The client’s dashboard was displayed on a large TV screen in the production floor to help both operators and managers monitor real-time metrics. However, the design was cluttered, making it difficult to quickly locate key information.
Operators and managers needed to monitor performance data and make fast decisions, but the interface wasn’t intuitive or user-friendly. The layout was inconsistent, key metrics were buried, and the visual hierarchy wasn’t optimized for quick scanning.
With the dashboard critical to daily operations, it was essential to improve clarity, speed up decision-making, and make it easy to read at a glance.
Why Redesign Was Needed
The previous dashboard provided functional data, but the visual layout wasn’t optimized for quick glance especially when displayed on a large TV in a noisy, fast-paced production environment. Some key issues included:
Design Process
Given the urgency of the request, I had just 4 days to design a production dashboard that would be displayed on a large screen for operators and managers. With limited time, I skipped the wireframing stage and jumped straight into high-fidelity design.
Understanding The Context of Use
This dashboard will be installed on a large TV on the production floor, used by operators and managers to monitor machine efficiency in real-time. This means the design must be easy to read from a distance and quick to understand.
Quick Evaluation of Existing Design
Before starting the design, I reviewed the previous design to understand its shortcomings like layout, colour and typography
Goals
The goal of the redesign was to create a dashboard that prioritized clarity, focus, and visibility operators and managers could immediately identify performance issues and take action without needing to step closer or squint.
Design Execution
Due to time constraints, I jumped straight into the visual design phase using a design-by-doing approach. I reorganized the layout using a grid, simplified elements, and refined the colors and typography to create a more informative and friendly look for large displays.
I reorganized the layout using a grid, simplified elements, and improved colors and typography to create a more informative and friendly look for large displays.
Clarity at a Glance for the Factory Floor
The end result of this dashboard redesign puts readability and clarity of information as the top priority. With a cleaner layout, a more intuitive color system, and visual elements that highlight important data, the dashboard is now effectively used by operators and managers in daily production activities.
Whats Improved?
these the improvement of dashboard
Impact and Reflection
Although there has been no formal feedback from the client, the redesigned dashboard was immediately implemented and used in the production area, displayed on a large TV screen. This shows that the design has met the urgent needs of the operational team.
This project is a reflection that even without a lengthy process, well-targeted design can still deliver real value especially when the need arises in a short time frame and in a specific user environment, such as a factory floor.