Field Track
Faced with the challenge of helping employers track and measure work output of those working in field related jobs, we paired our knowledge in User Experience and App development with Esri Australia’s intelligent mapping system software. The result was ‘Field Track’ which gave employers the ability to track the location of employees through having their location recorded and traced through their phone while on the job.
Privacy for employees was a major concern when we created the app; we did not want to create an authoritative ‘big brother’ experience that would have likely caused hesitation amongst potential users. Instead we sought to make the experience of logging in and using the app as enjoyable as possible, giving the user flexibility to control the times that their movements were recorded and ultimately ensuring a level of trust was maintained.
Field Alert
Similar to Field Track, Esri approached us to develop an app that utilised their intelligent geolocated data to alert employees working out in the field to any risks that they may encounter. With this in mind, we created ‘Field Alert’ which alerts employees about hazards in an area they were entering into. For example, if a child care worker was entering a dangerous neighbourhood, the app would track their location, feeding this information into their database, and alerting users to any danger that had been recorded in that area previously.
Alternatively the app could also be used to inform field workers of current events and to take appropriate action based on these updates. For example, parking officers entering an area with changes to parking times would be alerted and informed of these changes, allowing them to respond appropriately, and ultimately perform their job to the best of their ability.
Again we sought to create an experience that was enjoyable for employees and did so by making the app as intuitive as possible. The main screen displayed a map with the user’s location with alerts appearing when they were moving into a location that required precaution. We ensured privacy was also maintained, giving users the ability to easily turn their location tracking on and off.
Field Collect
Again using Esri Australia’s geolocated data, we were asked to develop an app that streamlined the reporting process between employees and employers regarding hazards discovered out in the field. In response, ‘Field Collect’ was developed, an app that allows users to easily navigate and report incidents; for example, a parking officer who had discovered a faulty meter. When in the past reporting this would involve various tiers of reporting and communication, the app streamlined this process by giving users the ability to record and report a problem and alert their employer about the need for repair direct through the app.
The project screen allowed users to select the field of work relevant to them, with a list of suggested, reportable items listed on the next screen. When finding a hazard, users also had the ability to upload an image and write a description about the problem which was appended to a pinned location on the map. Ultimately, the app allowed streamlined communication between employers and employees, faster results in terms of maintenance reporting, and improved work performance.
