SiteCore
Digitalizing Manufacturing Operations
Link
NDA
Timeline
2024 – 2025
My role
User Experience Lead
SiteCore is a digital solution designed to streamline tier meetings across manufacturing sites by enabling real-time performance tracking, issue management, and cross-tier collaboration. As the UX Design Lead, I was responsible for designing intuitive workflows, scalable dashboards, and a modular interface that supports over global sites.
I learned that the most impactful improvements often come from seemingly small changes – reducing clicks, clarifying visual indicators, and streamlining common tasks can have enormous effects on daily operational efficiency when multiplied across global manufacturing sites.
Most importantly, this project reinforced the importance of designing for the specific rhythms and constraints of operational environments. Manufacturing tier meetings happen quickly and require immediate access to accurate information. Any design decision that doesn't support this fundamental need will ultimately fail, regardless of how sophisticated or visually appealing it might be.
The Problem We Faced
Tier meetings across global sites were fragmented across whiteboards, paper logs, and disconnected digital tools. When an issue was identified in Tier 1, it might take hours or days to cascade properly through Tier 2 and 3, creating blind spots that could impact production schedules, quality metrics, and ultimately patient access to critical medications.
The challenge was clear: How might we digitize these essential operational rhythms while preserving the collaborative energy and quick decision-making that makes tier meetings effective?
Core Problems:
- Fragmented tools and manual processes causing delayed issue resolution
- Limited visibility across departments and operational tiers
- High administrative overhead from paper-based tracking systems
- Inconsistent escalation processes between manufacturing sites
Understanding Manufacturing Rhythms
I began by immersing myself in the daily operational cadence of manufacturing sites. Through workshops with site leads, meeting facilitators, and Senior Leadership Team members, I discovered that tier meetings weren't just about sharing information – they were about creating organizational alignment and rapid problem-solving capabilities.
One site lead explained: 'Our Tier 1 team can identify a quality deviation in minutes, but it takes us hours to make sure the right people across all tiers know about it and can take action. By then, what could have been a small adjustment becomes a major production impact.'
Key Research Insights:
- Navigation complexity: Users struggled with multi-level filtering across different operational tiers
- Status ambiguity: Existing indicators didn't clearly communicate issue urgency and ownership
- Personalization needs: Different roles required customized dashboards and KPI views
- Collaboration gaps: Limited tools for cross-tier problem escalation and resolution tracking
Designing for Operational Excellence
I envisioned OnSite DTM as more than just a digital replacement for whiteboards – it would be an intelligent operations platform that could enhance the natural flow of tier meetings while providing the visibility and coordination that global manufacturing demands.
I focused on reducing cognitive load during fast-paced tier meetings. Every interface element needed to support quick decision-making rather than requiring extensive navigation or complex data interpretation.
Design Strategy:
- Workflow Preservation: Maintain natural tier meeting rhythms while adding digital intelligence
- Click Reduction: Minimize navigation complexity for time-sensitive operational decisions
- Visual Clarity: Redesign status indicators for instant understanding during fast-paced meetings
- Role-Based Personalization: Customized dashboards reflecting individual responsibilities and authority levels
Results & Impact
The impact became visible within weeks of deployment. Teams that had struggled with fragmented information flows were now conducting tier meetings with complete visibility into cross-departmental issues and performance metrics. The digital transformation preserved the collaborative energy that made tier meetings effective while adding capabilities that weren't possible with whiteboards and paper logs.
The modular design approach proved its value as different sites could customize their DTM implementation to reflect local operational needs while maintaining consistency with global standards.
Quantitative Impact:
- 15+ global sites successfully onboarded with comprehensive hypercare support
- 11 to 3 click reduction in common filtering operations during tier meetings
- Multi-tier coverage across Tier 1-3 operations with role-based access controls
- 2-4 week enhancement cycles ensuring continuous improvement based on user feedback
Qualitative Results:
- Enhanced visibility: Cross-departmental awareness of issues and performance trends
- Improved escalation: Streamlined problem resolution with clear ownership and timelines
- Operational continuity: Digital audit trails supporting compliance and knowledge transfer
- Cultural adoption: Manufacturing teams embraced digital tools without losing collaborative dynamics
Future Vision
SiteCore success validated the approach of enhancing rather than replacing existing operational rhythms. We're now exploring mobile-first designs that would allow tier meeting participants to access information and update issues directly from manufacturing floor locations.
Next Steps:
- Mobile optimization: Field-accessible design for manufacturing floor use cases
- Conversational UX: Integration with Copilot Studio for voice-activated information access
- Predictive analytics: AI-powered insights for proactive issue identification and resolution
- Extended integration: Deeper connections with broader platform capabilities