Designing a proof of concept for new digital imaging hardware

In late 2019 I was contracted by 151 Research to take their GrainViz imaging system and begin to shape what a SaaS product might look like for them. The kicker was that they needed it for a meeting in two weeks with potential investors.

Luckily for me, I have some farmers in my family, so I wasn't completely out of my element. But this product had me diving deep into the grain business and how people operate their storage sites. Through speaking with farmers, operators, and 151's engineering team, I began to think about how a device would come online, how they would work together in a bigger storage site, and how people could make the most out of the devices data and it's operation.

Usually when I start thinking about a software product, I think of the user and how they would manage their own settings, permissions, and logs. This helps me keep in mind that there might be relationships between the user and the app (or other users) that need to be maintained throughout future feature development. While not reflected much in these screens, the roles of admin, site manager, and employee, are useful for various role based functions in a storage site setting.

All in all the two week project lead to a solid foundation for a design system, many great conversations about the users, features, and aesthetics, but most importantly this work aided in them getting their "best case" investment and ultimately leading to their acquisition just under a year later.