albatross

Challanges

Technology standpoint

UX Standpoint

01

Understanding and catering to the diverse needs and preferences of users across different roles and industries.

01

Integrating and consolidating data from various sources and systems to provide comprehensive analytics and monitoring capabilities.

02

Designing an interface that effectively presents complex data and analytics in a visually appealing and easily understandable manner.

02

Ensuring the scalability and performance of the cloud-based solution to handle large volumes of data and concurrent user interactions.

03

Ensuring seamless integration and smooth user experience across multiple devices, including desktop and mobile platforms.

03

Implementing robust security measures to protect sensitive data and ensure compliance with relevant regulations.

04

Balancing the need for comprehensive functionality with simplicity and ease of use to prevent cognitive overload for users.

04

Integrating with existing IT, Network, and IoT infrastructure and devices, ensuring seamless connectivity and interoperability

Oppourtunity

01

Improved Operational Efficiency: By leveraging Albatross, businesses can gain insights into their operations and identify areas for improvement. This can lead to optimized processes, reduced downtime, and increased productivity.

02

Enhanced Decision-making: The availability of near real-time and historical analytics empowers businesses to make data-driven decisions. They can proactively address issues, allocate resources efficiently, and prioritize tasks based on actionable insights.

03

Cost Savings: The Albatross project can help organizations reduce costs associated with operations management. By streamlining processes, minimizing downtime, and optimizing resource allocation, businesses can achieve cost savings in their operations.

Design ProcessThe process
Our process based on the Double Diamond Theory and Lean UX process. We aim to incorporate the key phases of Discovery, Definition, Ideation and Implementation in all of our projects.

Research Questionner

What are the current pain points and challenges faced by organizations in their operations management lifecycle?
How do organizations currently detect and address problems in their IT, network, and IoT environments?
Are organizations using separate monitoring solutions for IT, network, and IoT, or do they prefer a unified platform?
What are the specific requirements and expectations of organizations when it comes to application monitoring?
How long does it typically take for organizations to deploy and start utilizing a new operations management solution?
What are the factors that contribute to the total cost of ownership (TCO) of existing operations management solutions?
Are organizations of different sizes (small, medium, large) facing unique challenges in their operations management, or are there common pain points across all sizes?
What are the preferred platforms or devices for accessing and managing operations management solutions?
How important is mobile accessibility in an operations management solution, and what specific features or functionalities are desired in a mobile app?
Are organizations currently leveraging rules engines or correlation capabilities to identify and resolve issues across IT, network, and IoT domains?
What are the key decision-making factors for organizations when evaluating and selecting an operations management solution?
What are the perceived benefits and drawbacks of cloud-based operations management solutions?
What level of security and compliance measures are organizations seeking in an operations management solution, particularly when handling sensitive operational data?
How do organizations measure the success and effectiveness of their operations management solutions?
Are there any industry-specific requirements or regulations that need to be considered in an operations management solution?

Research Insights

Organizations face challenges due to fragmented monitoring tools and lack of visibility

Siloed monitoring tools make it difficult to correlate and manage data across IT, network, and IoT domains.
Limited visibility hampers problem detection and resolution, leading to increased downtime.

Organizations prefer a unified platform for operations management

A centralized solution that covers IT, network, and IoT domains is favored to streamline operations and reduce complexity.
Managing multiple standalone solutions is costly and inefficient, driving the preference for a unified platform.

Specific requirements and expectations for application monitoring

Comprehensive application monitoring capabilities are desired, including performance, availability, and user experience insights.
Real-time alerts, customizable dashboards, and integration with other monitoring data are important for effective application monitoring.

Rapid deployment is essential for organizations

Quick deployment within days is preferred to minimize disruptions and realize the benefits of the solution promptly.
Lengthy deployment processes are seen as a barrier to adoption and hinder operational improvements.

Factors contributing to the total cost of ownership (TCO) of operations management solutions

Licensing costs, infrastructure requirements, integration complexities, training and support expenses, and maintenance overheads impact TCO.
Organizations seek cost-effective solutions that reduce TCO and deliver long-term value

Common pain points across organizations of different sizes

Streamlining processes, efficient problem resolution, and cost-effective solutions are common pain points.
Large organizations face additional challenges related to scale, complexity, and multiple locations.

Preferred platforms and devices for accessing and managing operations management solutions

Desktop/laptop computers are preferred for in-depth analysis and administration.
Mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, are valued for remote access, real-time alerts, and notifications.

Importance of mobile accessibility and desired mobile app features

Mobile accessibility is highly important for remote monitoring and issue management.
Desired mobile app features include real-time status updates, push notifications for alarms, intuitive dashboards, and incident acknowledgment/escalation

Recognition of rules engines and correlation capabilities for issue resolution

Organizations acknowledge the value of rules engines and correlation capabilities to identify patterns and relationships across domains.
These capabilities enable faster problem resolution and proactive management.

User Persona
The IoT Technician is a user type who specializes in managing and maintaining IoT devices within an organization. They are responsible for monitoring, troubleshooting, and optimizing the performance of IoT devices and their associated systems. IoT Technicians have a deep understanding of IoT technologies and protocols, as well as the ability to integrate IoT devices into the overall IT infrastructure.
Demographic Detail:
Name: David Goath Age: 35 yrs Oppupation : IoT Technician Education: computer science
Bacnground
David working in IT industry for over 10 years. David is highly skilled in troubleshooting and resolving technical issues related to networks, systems, and applications. Hhe is known for her attention to detail and problem-solving abilities.
Goal
Effective IoT device management: The IoT Technician aims to ensure the smooth operation and performance of IoT devices, including sensors, actuators, and gateways. Their goal is to monitor and manage these devices efficiently to minimize downtime and maintain optimal functionality. Seamless integration with existing systems: The IoT Technician strives to integrate IoT devices seamlessly with the organization's existing IT systems and network infrastructure. They aim to establish secure and reliable connections between IoT devices and backend systems. Proactive issue detection and resolution: The IoT Technician wants to identify potential issues with IoT devices and systems before they impact operations. They seek to proactively monitor device health, analyze data for anomalies, and resolve issues promptly to maintain uninterrupted functionality.
Wants
Centralized IoT device management: The IoT Technician desires a unified platform that allows them to monitor and manage all IoT devices from a single interface. They want access to comprehensive device information, such as device status, data usage, and firmware updates. Real-time analytics and insights: The IoT Technician wants access to real-time analytics and insights about IoT device performance, data trends, and anomalies. They aim to leverage this information to make data-driven decisions and optimize IoT device operations. Seamless device provisioning and configuration: The IoT Technician seeks simplified processes for device provisioning, configuration, and onboarding. They want intuitive workflows and tools that enable quick and efficient setup of new IoT devices. Integration with IoT protocols and standards: The IoT Technician wants the Albatross IoT app to support a wide range of IoT protocols and standards, ensuring compatibility with various types of IoT devices. They aim for seamless integration and interoperability across different IoT ecosystems
Frustrations
Access to a comprehensive and unified platform: David wants a single platform that integrates IT, network, and IoT management, along with application monitoring. This would allow her to have a holistic view of the organization's IT infrastructure. Real-time visibility: David desires real-time visibility into network health and performance metrics. She wants to proactively identify and address potential issues before they impact end-users. Efficient problem resolution: David wants to minimize mean time to repair (MTTR) by quickly identifying the root cause of issues and having access to relevant information and resources to resolve them effectively. Simplified workflows: David seeks streamlined workflows that enable her to efficiently handle IT tasks, including ticket management, collaboration with cross-functional teams, and documentation.
Device and Channel
David primarily primarily uses a mobile device, such as a smartphone or tablet, to access the Albatross IoT app. They rely on the app's mobile interface to monitor device status, receive notifications, and perform device management tasks. The IoT Technician may also use a desktop computer for more in-depth analysis or configuration tasks related to IoT devices.

User Empathy Map

Emily

Says

"I wish IT systems were easier to use."
"I need IT to work smoothly so I can focus on my tasks."
"It's frustrating when IT issues disrupt my work."

Thinks

Wants IT systems to be intuitive and user-friendly.
Values efficiency and wants to complete tasks quickly.
Seeks reliability and stability in IT systems.

Does

Relies on IT systems for daily work tasks.
Seeks help from IT support when encountering issues.
Provides feedback on IT systems to improve usability.

Feels

Frustrated when IT issues disrupt her workflow.
Appreciative of user-friendly IT solutions.
Reliant on IT systems for productivity and efficiency.

User Scenarios - Iterative Methods

David, interacts with the Albatross platform to monitor and address operational issues in her organization. The user flow outlines the general steps involved in using the platform, while the scenarios provide specific instances and use cases for David's interactions.

Scenario 1: Proactive Problem Detection

1. David logs into the Albatross platform and notices a sudden increase in network latency in the network monitoring section.
2. David investigates the issue further and discovers that it is caused by a misconfigured network switch.
3. David assigns the issue to the network team and sets up automated alerts to notify them of similar issues in the future.

Scenario 2: Application Performance Monitoring

1. David accesses the Albatross platform and navigates to the application monitoring section.
2. David notices a significant increase in response time for a critical business application.
3. David drills down into the application metrics and identifies a database bottleneck as the cause.
4. David escalates the issue to the IT team and provides them with the necessary information to investigate and resolve the problem

Scenario 3: Remote Monitoring on the Mobile App

1. David is attending a conference and receives a push notification on his mobile phone through the Albatross app.
2. The notification informs him about a server outage in the IT domain.
3. David opens the app, views the status of the server, and acknowledges the incident.
David assigns the issue to the IT team for immediate resolution and monitors their progress remotely.

Scenario 4: Multi-Domain Correlation

1. David logs into the Albatross platform and navigates to the correlation section.
2. David sets up rules to correlate events and metrics across IT, network, and IoT domains.
3. David receives an alert that indicates a possible correlation between a network device failure and a drop in IoT device connectivity.
4. David investigates the issue, validates the correlation, and takes proactive measures to resolve both issues simultaneously.

Information Architecture - Card Sorting

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IOT

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Network

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Resolved

Working

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Impact

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Service

Application

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User Journey Map

Stage	Action	Emotion	Thinking	Doing
Alert Notification	Technician receives alert notification	Curiosity	Wondering about the nature of the issue	Receives notification on Mobile/ Pad
	Notification provides basic information
	Technician acknowledges notification	Engagement	Recognizing the need to address the issue	Opens operations management app
Ticket Assignment and	System assigns ticket based on location and skills	Readiness	Prepared to respond to the assigned ticket	Receives ticket notification
Acceptance	Technician receives ticket notification	Focus	Focused on understanding the issue and its impact	Reviews detailed information about the outrage
	Technician accepts ticket	Determination	Committed to resolving the issue	Accepts ticket and proceeds to user's location
On-Site Observation and	Technician observes the outrage situation	Assessment	Assessing the severity and impact of the issue	Arrives at user's location and begins observation
Assessment	Technician assesses the severity of the issue	Analytical	Analyzing the impacted systems and infrastructure	Assesses impacted systems, devices, and infrastructure
	Technician accesses historical data and reports	Review	Reviewing past resolutions and incident reports	Uses app to access historical data and reports
	Technician determines resolution approach	Decision-making	Deciding on the best course of action	Chooses prescribed solution or user-defined approach
Problem Resolution	Technician follows prescribed solution	Adherence	Following instructions provided by the system	Follows step-by-step instructions
	Technician seeks assistance if required	Collaboration	Collaborating with other technicians or experts	Uses app's communication features to seek assistance
	Technician implements user-defined solution	Expertise	Applying troubleshooting skills and expertise	Uses expertise to identify and implement solution
	Technician updates ticket status and records	Documentation	Recording actions taken and outcome	Updates ticket status, adds notes, records steps
Ticket Closure and	Technician updates ticket status to reflect	Satisfaction	Satisfied with resolving the issue	Updates ticket status, documents actions
Documentation	Technician communicates with user if necessary	Communication	Providing summary of resolution to the user	Communicates with user, addresses questions
	Technician closes ticket in the system	Completion	Completing the resolution process	Closes ticket in the system
	Technician provides feedback on resolution process	Improvement	Identifying areas for improvement in the system	Provides feedback, suggests improvements

User Flow Map

The user flows outline the step-by-step interactions and decision points for each screen within the operations management app, as derived from the user journey map. They provide a detailed understanding of how users navigate through the app, access relevant information, collaborate with team members, and perform necessary actions to effectively manage outages and resolve tickets.
User Flow: Home Screen
User opens the operations management app. The app loads the Home screen, displaying a personalized dashboard. The user quickly scans the dashboard to get an overview of ongoing outages, active tickets, and key performance indicators. If there are any new notifications, the user clicks on the notification icon to view the details. The user can then choose to explore other sections of the app or proceed to the Outage Management or Ticket Management screens based on their needs.
User Flow: Outage ListUser navigates to the Outage Management section from the Home screen
The app presents a list of current and past outages. The user scans the list to identify relevant outages, looking for severity, type, and affected systems. If the user wants to investigate a specific outage, they click on the corresponding outage entry to view the Outage Details screen. From the Outage Details screen, the user can access related tickets or explore historical data associated with the outage.
User Flow: Ticket InboxUser goes to the Ticket Management section from the Home screen.
The app displays the Ticket Inbox, showing a list of assigned tickets sorted by priority, complexity, and type (IoT, IT, or Network). The user scrolls through the list to find the desired ticket. If the user wants to work on a specific ticket, they click on the ticket entry to open the Ticket Details screen. The Ticket Details screen provides comprehensive information about the ticket, including the user location, outage details, and prescribed or user-defined solution steps. The user can update the ticket status, add notes, or communicate with other team members through the Ticket Updates section. After resolving the ticket, the user can mark it as resolved or closed, completing their involvement in the specific outage incident.
User Flow: Map IntegrationUser accesses the Map Integration feature from either the Outage Details screen or the Ticket Details screen.
The app displays the user's location and provides directions to the outage site. The user can view the suggested route and check real-time traffic updates to plan their journey efficiently. If needed, the user can switch to a different navigation app for turn-by-turn directions. After reaching the location, the user can mark their arrival and proceed with on-site observation and problem resolution
User Flow: Knowledge BaseUser navigates to the Knowledge Base section from the app's main navigation menu.
The app presents various categories of troubleshooting guides, procedures, and best practices. The user selects a relevant category and browses through the available resources. If the user finds a specific troubleshooting guide or incident report helpful, they can open it to view detailed information. The user can bookmark useful resources for future reference or share them with colleagues through integrated sharing options.
User Flow: Collaboration and CommunicationUser accesses the Collaboration and Communication features, such as Team Chat or Ticket Comments, from relevant screens.
The app opens the selected feature, providing a platform for real-time communication and collaboration. The user can participate in ongoing discussions, share insights, seek assistance, and coordinate efforts with other team members. Within the Ticket Comments section, the user can engage in specific discussions related to individual tickets, sharing updates or seeking clarifications.
User Flow: Reporting and AnalyticsUser navigates to the Reporting and Analytics section from the main navigation menu or the Home screen.
The app displays performance metrics, visualizations, and reports on key performance indicators, outage trends, and ticket resolution times. The user can explore the available data visualizations, such as charts or graphs, to gain insights into system performance and operational efficiency. If needed, the user can filter or customize the displayed data to focus on specific metrics or timeframes. The user can export or share reports for further analysis or presentation purposes
User Flow: User SettingsUser goes to the User Settings section from the app's main navigation menu.
The app presents options to manage the user's profile, including personal information, preferences, and notification settings. The user can update their profile information, such as name, contact details, or profile picture. Within the notification settings, the user can customize the types of notifications they wish to receive and specify the preferred notification channels (e.g., email, push notifications). The user can also manage account security settings, such as password changes, enabling two-factor authentication, or controlling access permissions.

Prototype & Final Design

Design Takeaway

Project Takeaway: The Albatross project successfully delivers a comprehensive cloud-based operations management solution, powered by IBM NOI (Netcool Operations Insight). It streamlines the entire lifecycle of operations management, from the detection of problems to their resolution.

The project provides organizations with advanced analytics, real-time monitoring, and a unified platform for managing IT, network, and IoT devices. With Albatross, businesses can improve operational efficiency, accelerate problem identification and resolution, and maximize operational effectiveness.

UX Sucess KPI for Technician

Efficiency

Measure average task completion time for technicians using Albatross. This metric evaluates UI and workflow efficiency for quick, effective task execution

Accuracy

Track technician error rates with Albatross. Assess platform usability and instruction clarity to minimize errors and improve task accuracy.

Learnability

Conduct surveys or tests to gauge how quickly technicians learn and become proficient with Albatross. Evaluate platform intuitiveness and learning ease for technicians at different experience levels.

User Satisfaction

Gather technician feedback on overall satisfaction with Albatross. Gain insights into usability, effectiveness, and user experience for continuous improvement based on user needs.

Task Completion Rate

Measure percentage of completed tasks by technicians using Albatross. Indicates platform's ability to support task completion effectively.

User Error Rate

Track frequency of user errors with Albatross. Identify areas needing refinement or additional training for improved user experience.

System Uptime and Reliability

Monitor Albatross uptime and reliability. Ensure minimal downtime for uninterrupted platform access and use.

Response Time

Measure system response time in Albatross. Evaluate performance and responsiveness for a smooth user experience

Streamline your Operations with Albatross

Albatross Field Service Platform

My Role

PROJECT TIMELINE

PROJECT VISION

Project Objective

Competitive Advantage

Albatross based on IBM Netcool Operations Insight accelerates the operations management lifecycle from problem detection to fix and helps you: 100% Cloud based.

1. Client doesn't need another monitoring solution for IOT. The platform is unified for IT, Network and IOT devices and it supports Application monitoring as well.

2. Client can go live faster (days instead of months)

3. Reduces Total Cost of Ownership drastically

4. Suitable for Small, Medium and Large clients

5. Comes with a native iOS and Android app

6. Rules engines to correlate between IT, Network and IOT

Challanges

Technology standpoint

UX Standpoint

01

01

02

02

03

03

04

04

Oppourtunity

01

02

03

Research Insights

Organizations face challenges due to fragmented monitoring tools and lack of visibility

Organizations prefer a unified platform for operations management

Specific requirements and expectations for application monitoring

Rapid deployment is essential for organizations

Factors contributing to the total cost of ownership (TCO) of operations management solutions

Common pain points across organizations of different sizes

Preferred platforms and devices for accessing and managing operations management solutions

Importance of mobile accessibility and desired mobile app features

Recognition of rules engines and correlation capabilities for issue resolution

User Empathy Map

Says

Thinks

Does

Feels

User Scenarios - Iterative Methods

David, interacts with the Albatross platform to monitor and address operational issues in her organization. The user flow outlines the general steps involved in using the platform, while the scenarios provide specific instances and use cases for David's interactions.

Scenario 1: Proactive Problem Detection

Scenario 2: Application Performance Monitoring

Scenario 3: Remote Monitoring on the Mobile App

Scenario 4: Multi-Domain Correlation

Information Architecture - ​Card Sorting

New

IOT

IT

Network

Chat

Resolved

Resolved

Resolved

Working

Working

Working

Details

Impact

Service

Application

Details

Impact

Service

Application

Details

Impact

Service

Application

User Flow Map

Wireframe

UX Sucess KPI for Technician

Efficiency

Accuracy

Learnability

Information Architecture - Card Sorting