Revolutionizing Quality Testing for
Nike & Decathlon
Revolutionizing Quality Testing for
Nike & Decathlon
TIMELINE
July 2023 - August 2023
July 2023 - August 2023
CLIENT
Nike, Decathlon footwear
Nike, Decathlon footwear
MY ROLE
UX Research & Documentation, Wireframing and prototyping, Usability Testing
UX Research & Documentation, Wireframing and prototyping, Usability Testing
Before
After
Challenge
Challenge
Footwear and apparel brands like Nike and Decathlon outsource manufacturing to factories in India, China, Vietnam, and Bangladesh. Before shipment, manual quality audits using pen, paper, and Excel were conducted, making the process slow and error-prone.
Footwear and apparel brands like Nike and Decathlon outsource manufacturing to factories in India, China, Vietnam, and Bangladesh. Before shipment, manual quality audits using pen, paper, and Excel were conducted, making the process slow and error-prone.
Results
Results
The Audit App boosted audit efficiency, cutting inspection time by 40%, re-audits by 25%, and errors by 30%, strengthening trust between brands and factories. Achieving 85% adoption in three months, it streamlined auditor workflows and ensured fully digital audit traceability.
The Audit App boosted audit efficiency, cutting inspection time by 40%, re-audits by 25%, and errors by 30%, strengthening trust between brands and factories. Achieving 85% adoption in three months, it streamlined auditor workflows and ensured fully digital audit traceability.
25%
25%
Reduced re-audits
Reduced re-audits
40%
40%
Decrease in audit times
Decrease in audit times
78%
78%
CSAT scores within 2 months
CSAT scores within 2 months
The Problem
The Problem
Challenges for Auditors
Auditors manually extracted lot sizes and product types from purchase orders, making the process slow and error-prone. Tracking varied quality checks for each product was difficult, and paper-based records made referencing past audits cumbersome. Barcodes were underutilized, and large sample sizes led to fatigue and reporting errors.
Auditors manually extracted lot sizes and product types from purchase orders, making the process slow and error-prone. Tracking varied quality checks for each product was difficult, and paper-based records made referencing past audits cumbersome. Barcodes were underutilized, and large sample sizes led to fatigue and reporting errors.
Lack of Transparency
for Brands
Brands struggled with inconsistent audits due to the absence of a standardized digital system, leading to discrepancies and trust issues with auditors. Manual data entry further increased human errors, making quality control subjective and unreliable.
Brands struggled with inconsistent audits due to the absence of a standardized digital system, leading to discrepancies and trust issues with auditors. Manual data entry further increased human errors, making quality control subjective and unreliable.
Financial Losses for Factories
Failed audits caused costly re-manufacturing and shipment delays. Without real-time feedback or traceability, factories reacted to issues late, leading to higher inefficiencies and operational costs.
Failed audits caused costly re-manufacturing and shipment delays. Without real-time feedback or traceability, factories reacted to issues late, leading to higher inefficiencies and operational costs.
Design Goals
Centralised Database
Crafting a centralised database of products, inspection tests and sampling criteria
Integrated Purchase Orders
Integrating purchase orders into the app to auto-suggest relevant tests
Barcode Scanning
Enabling barcode scanning to fetch product details instantly
Visual Documentation
Allowing photo and video capture for
real-time documentation
Automated Reporting
Generating audit reports automatically and
sharing them instantly with all stakeholders
The Solution
The Solution
Understanding the Audit Industry
Conducted extensive research, including stakeholder interviews, contextual inquiries, and factory visits to observe auditors in action. I gathered insights into their daily challenges, workflows, and decision-making processes, which helped shape the design of the app.
Conducted extensive research, including stakeholder interviews, contextual inquiries, and factory visits to observe auditors in action. I gathered insights into their daily challenges, workflows, and decision-making processes, which helped shape the design of the app.
Handling Complex Product Standards
Designed a dynamic system where each product type had a pre-configured set of tests and criteria, eliminating the need for auditors to remember them manually. This ensured audits were standardized, accurate, and easy to conduct.
Designed a dynamic system where each product type had a pre-configured set of tests and criteria, eliminating the need for auditors to remember them manually. This ensured audits were standardized, accurate, and easy to conduct.
Ensuring Transparency in the Audit Process
Introduced real-time photo/video capture and standardized digital reports, creating a verifiable audit trail. This increased accountability, improved trust, and reduced disputes between factories, auditors, and brands.
Introduced real-time photo/video capture and standardized digital reports, creating a verifiable audit trail. This increased accountability, improved trust, and reduced disputes between factories, auditors, and brands.
Simplifying the UI Despite a Complex Backend
Followed an intuitive, step-by-step process flow, reducing cognitive load for auditors. By structuring tasks logically and minimizing unnecessary actions, the app ensured a smooth and effortless user experience.
Followed an intuitive, step-by-step process flow, reducing cognitive load for auditors. By structuring tasks logically and minimizing unnecessary actions, the app ensured a smooth and effortless user experience.
Research & Design Process
Research & Design Process
Research Phase
Research Phase
Since competitor insights were limited, I focused on primary research
Since competitor insights were limited, I focused on primary research
Stakeholder interviews
Conducted insightful interviews with auditors, factory managers, and brand representatives
Conducted insightful interviews with auditors, factory managers, and brand representatives
Every time I get a new PO, I have to sit and figure it out like it’s some kind of puzzle/
Factory Auditor
Every time I get a new PO, I have to sit and figure it out like it’s some kind of puzzle/
Factory Auditor
Yeah, we have barcodes—but there’s no way for us to actually scan and use them.
Factory Auditor
Yeah, we have barcodes—but there’s no way for us to actually scan and use them.
Factory Auditor
There’s no single, reliable system. We’re constantly chasing information across emails, spreadsheets, and screenshots.
Brand QC Head (Decathlon)
My team writes everything on paper first, and then we sit and type it all into Excel. It’s a lot of double work.
Factory Manager
Mistakes happen all the time—it’s human. But when they do, we have to go back and fix everything.
Factory Manager
I can’t always tell if a test wasn’t done, or if it just didn’t get recorded properly
Brand QC Head (Decathlon)
Some insights that stood out from interviews with the stakeholders
Some insights that stood out from interviews with the stakeholders
Audit document study
Studied audit documents to understand process intricacies
Studied audit documents to understand process intricacies
Audit measurements and photos were added to this Excel sheet at the end of the audit
Audit measurements and photos were added to this Excel sheet at the end of the audit
Shadowing
Shadowed auditors on-site to see real-world challenges first-hand
Shadowed auditors on-site to see real-world challenges
first-hand
Defining User Flows & Wireframing
Defining User Flows & Wireframing
Mapped out user flows for different audit scenarios.
Designed low-fidelity wireframes, which were tested with actual auditors.
Mapped out user flows for different audit scenarios.
Designed low-fidelity wireframes, which were tested with actual auditors.
Drag and Move to Explore
Drag and Move to Explore
User flow for an apparel audit
User flow for an apparel audit
3. Usability Testing & Iteration
3. Usability Testing & Iteration
Conducted multiple rounds of usability testing, refining UX based on feedback.
Ensured that auditors could complete an audit with minimal training.
Conducted multiple rounds of usability testing, refining UX based on feedback.
Ensured that auditors could complete an audit with minimal training.
Improved wireframes after usability testing
Improved wireframes
after usability testing
Writing User Stories & Acceptance Criteria
Writing User Stories & Acceptance Criteria
To bridge the gap between design and development:
Defined clear user stories for every feature.
Created acceptance criteria to ensure proper implementation.
To bridge the gap between design and development:
Defined clear user stories for every feature.
Created acceptance criteria to ensure proper implementation.
The Outcome
The Audit App significantly improved efficiency and accuracy in the pre-shipment audit process. The inspection time was reduced by 40%, allowing auditors to complete audits faster with fewer errors. The re-audit rate dropped by 25%, saving factories from unnecessary rework and losses.
Additionally, audit report generation became 60% faster, enabling real-time visibility for all stakeholders. The user adoption rate reached 85% within three months, proving its ease of use. Digital traceability strengthened transparency, fostering better collaboration between brands, auditors, and factories
The Audit App significantly improved efficiency and accuracy in the pre-shipment audit process. The inspection time was reduced by 40%, allowing auditors to complete audits faster with fewer errors. The re-audit rate dropped by 25%, saving factories from unnecessary rework and losses.
Additionally, audit report generation became 60% faster, enabling real-time visibility for all stakeholders. The user adoption rate reached 85% within three months, proving its ease of use. Digital traceability strengthened transparency, fostering better collaboration between brands, auditors, and factories
Future Improvements
If I had more time and resources, I would
enhance the app with:
AI-driven anomaly detection for faster quality checks
Voice-to-text for hands-free note-taking
Predictive analytics to catch recurring issues
Multi-language support for global teams
ERP integration for seamless data flow
AR tutorials to onboard new auditors efficiently
If I had more time and resources, I would
enhance the app with:
AI-driven anomaly detection for faster quality checks
Voice-to-text for hands-free note-taking
Predictive analytics to catch recurring issues
Multi-language support for global teams
ERP integration for seamless data flow
AR tutorials to onboard new auditors efficiently