Guy Tension Form
Redesigning charts to digital list documentation
DEFINE
Project Details
When I first joined PG&E, the company was going through a huge digital overhaul, having shifted over most of the users recording their data on paper to an internal application on an iOS device.
This new change, while more accurate and lower margin for error, came with many challenges, primarily for users who had been working at PG&E for 20 to 25 years inspecting these towers using paper forms and were reluctant on new tech. While the adoption of our new inspection lists has been steadily increasing amongst inspectors, new technology presents new problems.
In a space where, it is easier to write notes in the margins and clerks having to interpret and input the data. How can we make this process less complicated and even easier for these users?
Our form for Guy Tensions quickly became the solution to just that.
UX SOLUTION
Provide only necessary information to expedite process
Based on our interviews, we presented findings to the business and stakeholders, focusing on aligning the form with the inspection process and optimizing workflow:
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Ensuring the form mirrors the inspection process for seamless integration.
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Streamlining complex workflows to enhance efficiency.
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Minimizing incorrect value inputs to improve accuracy.
IDEATE: EXPERIENCE 1
Pre-Cursor before inspections
There is an overall form that inspectors must go through before inspection, making sure that all general information about the tower is correct and if the user is properly equipped to handle their work. With that in mind, I designed a set of questions that would allow users to bypass certain sections of the form.
In the overall form, users are presented with the type of tower they are inspecting, whether it is a standard tower or a specialty tower (those require custom inputs), and whether the tensions on the guy wires needed adjustment.
Project Overview
Problem:
Enhancing our inspector's ability to digitally document towers and poles across California has been at the forefront of PG&E's mission for safety of their internal employees. Our team tackled how to facilitate properly documented workflows across their suite of apps.
Solution:
A revised workflow that mirrors how users inspect a tower. Quality of life changes such as allowing users to prefill standard information using previously recorded data from last year and the ability to skip over certain sections if there are not changes needed.
Impact:
A 60% reduction in inspection times that led to other teams adopting similar workflows and a 15% increase in overall user satisfaction scores through integrated feedback mechanisms in the application.
My Role:
User Research, Field Research, UX/UI Design, Prototyping, User Testing
UX CHALLENGES
Rebuilding a comprehensive inspection form
Creating a new subform on an existing framework requires alot of outside of the box thinking with a very limited toolbox. I had to consider the how the design in its current paper form would affect the way we would design the form in our "list like" app, which meant either designing or redesigning existing patterns that users were already familiar with.
Additionally, the existing digital form that we were handed did not improve upon the inspection process users were accustomed to. Bad UX, or miscommunication due to COVID restrictions left a sour note on our users when they rolled out this feature. Beyond that, our team spent a lot of time brainstorming how we could improve their documentation, from autofill options, to hiding sections that were unnecessary for users to fill out for specific situations.
RESEARCH + PLANNING
Problem space definition
Based on what we were hearing from business and training teams about the paper form and the existing digital form, my team and I developed a comprehensive question guide and conducted 4-5 group interviews with stakeholders and inspectors. We also conducted 3 field visits in various locations to interview the inspectors in the field and observe their work on the different types of structures. During these visits and interviews, we concentrated on:
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Identifying strengths and weaknesses of both the paper and current digital forms.
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Exploring personal preferences for form features that could expedite the process.
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Gathering insights on potential enhancements to improve user experience, including features, quality of life updates, and functionality.
IDEATE: EXPERIENCE 2
Reformatted Inspection Process
A team of inspectors typically follows a specific sequence to check the wire tensions. They record the standard tension, measure the current tension on the wires, and adjust the pressure to ensure it meets the specified standards. I designed the workflow to mimic their sequence using a chart they provided for each tower.
IDEATE: EXPERIENCE 3
Autofill Function, Disable States
On one tower alone, a user might be filling in as much as 48 numerical text boxes per leg, which on some towers, can have at least 3, minus the external and internal wires. On paper, it took at least 3 diagrams to fill out all of these values.
My team and I designed a function at the end of each section to allow users to autofill various tensions that did not need any modification. This would save alot of time and taps on the iPad, cutting down their work because the values would already be filled in from the backend.
PROJECT KICK-OFF
How effective were the changes in data input?
After sending the form into production, we ran a user survey and user test that showed:
60% in reduction in inspection time (from the old template)
15% increase in user satisfaction
OUTCOMES
Where do we go from here?
Our workflow design saw a 60% in reduction time and will be rolled out to all inspectors across California.
This project was one of my first independent projects at PG&E, and I’m proud of how I aligned our expectations with our teams from our users, make quick revisions, and facilitate progress at every step. Collaborating closely with both developers and users, I ensured open communication to identify and resolve potential edge cases or engineering constraints before they became big issues.
Ultimately, this experience taught me the importance of being a strong facilitator, collaborator, and communicator. I firmly believe that impactful products come from challenging the status quo, and I’m proud to have played a key role in creating a solution that added real value to the team.
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Want to reach out?
Pop me an email at andyk517@gmail.com
I’d love to hear from you!
📍 Currently based: San Francisco and chronically on the internet
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