Reconstruct, 2024

Web Design
Mobile Design
User Research
UI Design
Visual Design
Prototyping & Testing

Reconstruct helps construction teams improve project management, increase efficiency, and reduce costs. The platform focuses on visualizing and analyzing construction data, allowing teams to track progress, monitor quality, and ensure that projects stay on schedule. Using machine learning and computer vision, Reconstruct turns photos and videos from the job site into actionable insights, creating detailed 3D models and real-time progress reports.

Users need a way to track inspection/construction issues, but there was no intuitive way for users to do that in our existing tools. We needed to create an MVP for issue management, so users could quickly track and resolve issues in real time.

The Problem

Non-existing workflow

Non-existing workflow

We do not offer a key construction workflow and users are frustrated with having to use multiple softwares for their workflows

Existing tools do not meet user needs for issue management

Existing tools do not meet user needs for issue management

Our pins tool is limited and an unintuitive userflow for users to track issues

Business Problem

Less time spent on Reconstruct apps

Less time spent on Reconstruct apps

Users are having to rely on non-Reconstruct products to meet their issue management needs

Less opportunities to win customers

Less opportunities to win customers

Losing out on sales opportunities and potential customers because we are missing out on a key construction workflow

Goals

User goals

User goals

Track and resolve construction and inspection issues on-the-field.

Easily create, sort through, edit, and resolve issues.

Integrate Reconstruct issue management with Aconex.

Business goals

Business goals

Increased usage of the Web and Capture app.

More consistent experiences across our product through intuitive user flows.

Offering important workflows to stay competitive in the market.

Constraints

This project included many constraints than any other project I've worked on. This made it a bit difficult when collaborating and designing.

Reconstruct app must be integrated with Aconex

Reconstruct app must be integrated with Aconex

Our client was required to use Aconex, so we had to integrate our web app with Aconex. Users would be able to create, edit, and resolve issues in Reconstruct, but also in Aconex and any updates had to be reflected on either side in real time.

Hard deadline with limited resources

Hard deadline with limited resources

We had a contractual hard deadline (August 2024) to meet. At the time, we had already gone through a few layoffs and key team members were no longer part of our company. With a small team and a hard deadline quickly approaching, all hands were on deck for months.

Limited access and lack of communication on client's end

Limited access and lack of communication on client's end

Although we had a contractual hard deadline to meet, there was limited access to the client. Only a handful of team members in our company were in contact with the client and when we did reach out, there was a lack of communication, making it difficult to quickly receive feedback.

Constantly changing requirements

Constantly changing requirements

Requirements were constantly changing after key decisions had already been made. This made the design process even more difficult, on top of the already demanding and long list of requirements for the project.

Design

The main user flows for issue management are:

  • Create new issues

  • Edit issues

  • Resolve issues

  • View issues

Issue Panel

Issue Panel

The issue panel was important to design as users needed a way to access all user flows while in their project (viewer). Being able to virtually "walk through" while inspecting their site was a key way for users to save on time and their resources.

Issue Manager

Issue Manager

The issue manager was necessary for users to have a larger format to view issues without having to be in the viewer. Users needed a way to quickly search and sort through a long list of issues.

Capture App

Capture App

Having the ability to track issues on-the-field was absolutely necessary. Users are not always sitting at their desks and are usually walking the site. Being able to quickly access issue management was needed, so we added issue management workflows to the capture app as well. Below are a few examples of some key user flow screens.

Takeaways

Summary

Summary

Using a prototype, I tested my designs to receive feedback on ease of use, intuitiveness, and overall visual design and consistency. After receiving feedback, I iterated on and finalized the designs. All aspects of the projects went through countless iterations and we were able to successfully meet our hard deadline and deliver an MVP of issue management to our client.

Lesson Learned

Lesson Learned

This was the biggest project I had worked on during my time at Reconstruct. Handling not only web, but also mobile projects ongoing at the same time as a design-team-of-one definitely came with its challenges. I worked alongside talented senior PMs and senior developers to help deliver this huge project on time. Communication proved to be a key important aspect during this project. During our daily stands, communicating any needs, questions, and concerns quickly was crucial. I had a great time working on this project and as months have passed since the launch, it is amazing to hear positive feedback from the client on how this project met their needs and how more projects are being signed on due to the success of this feature!