Bill of Lading - DHL

Simplifying the Bill of Lading review process

Traditionally, the Bill of Lading review was a tedious task, involving the manual comparison of a physical "Draft" Bill of Lading with invoices and packing lists. This process required users to communicate back and forth with our operators via email, making the task not only time-consuming but also overwhelming due to the sheer volume of information they needed to process.

We recognized that for our new digital platform, we needed to create a more user-friendly transaction for reviewing Bills of Lading—one that could reduce errors, save time, and improve the overall user experience. The challenge was to design a new transaction that would simplify this complex process, while also setting a new standard for how similar transactions would be handled across our platform.

The vision

The vision was to craft a new interaction pattern that would break down the Bill of Lading review into manageable steps. This wasn’t just about improving a single transaction—it was about setting a precedent for how we could handle complex tasks in a more intuitive way across our platform. We wanted to create a solution that could serve as a blueprint for future transactions, ensuring consistency, usability, and efficiency.

The design process

The solution came in the form of a stepper interface. Instead of asking users to tackle the entire Bill of Lading in one go, the stepper would guide them through the process one section at a time. This approach was designed to reduce cognitive load, making it easier for users to focus on one aspect of the review process before moving on to the next.

I began by identifying the key stages of the Bill of Lading review:

1. Bill of Lading Type

2. Involved Parties

3. Location Information

4. Containers and Goods

5. Clauses and Charges

6. Additional Information

7. Verification

These stages became the steps in our new process. Each step was designed to be clear and concise, with the interface providing helpful prompts and real-time validation to minimize errors.

Prototyping and user-testing

With the stepper concept in place, I moved on to creating detailed wireframes and interactive prototypes. These prototypes were designed to be fully responsive, ensuring that users could seamlessly complete the review process on any device, whether they were in the office or on the move.

We conducted extensive user testing to validate our design. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive—users found the step-by-step approach intuitive and far less intimidating than the traditional method. They particularly appreciated the ability to focus on one task at a time, which significantly reduced the likelihood of mistakes.

The launch and Introduction of a new pattern

The new Bill of Lading review transaction was more than just a successful launch—it introduced a new interaction pattern that could be applied to other complex processes within our platform. The stepper interface set a new standard for usability, demonstrating how breaking down complex tasks into simpler steps could transform the user experience.

The impact was immediate and profound. The time required to complete the Bill of Lading review was significantly reduced, and error rates dropped. Users praised the clarity and ease of use, with many highlighting how much less stressful the process had become.

Reflection and setting a new standard

This project was not just about creating a new transaction—it was about creating a new approach to handling complexity in digital freight management. By focusing on user needs and designing a process that guides them step-by-step, we were able to set a new standard for our platform.

The success of this project has paved the way for future transactions to adopt similar patterns, ensuring that our platform remains user-friendly and efficient, no matter how complex the task at hand.