Klingele Factory Shift Handover
Overview
My team and I recently worked with Openpack, a German startup that connects packaging manufacturers and suppliers through a digital platform. Their system streamlines processes, digitizes machines, and standardizes data, making operations more efficient and improving productivity. As part of this collaboration, we worked on digitalizing the shift handover process for a large-scale manufacturing plant. Traditionally, shift handovers were done manually, often leading to inefficiencies, communication gaps, and delays in production. To address these challenges, we developed a digital platform designed to streamline the handover process, improve data accuracy, and enhance communication between shift staff. My team and I, as UI/UX designers, were responsible for creating a user-friendly system that catered to the fast-paced nature of manufacturing while ensuring efficiency, ease of use, and reliability.
Client
Klingele Paper & Packaging
Date
Categories
Klingele Factory, Openpack, B2B
Product Overview
Manufacturing shift handovers were managed manually through paper notes and verbal communication, which often resulted in missing information and delays. Our goal was to design a digital platform that improves communication between shifts and ensures critical production information is clearly transferred.
Responsibility
As a UX designer, I was responsible for:
User research and interviews
Workflow analysis
Wireframing and prototyping
User testing
Designing the final interface
Tools
Figma
Problem Statement
In the manufacturing environment, shift handovers were often inconsistent and dependent on verbal communication between team members. Important operational details could easily be forgotten or miscommunicated, especially during busy shifts. Paper-based documentation also made it difficult to track production issues or unresolved tasks. As a result, incoming teams frequently lacked a clear understanding of what had happened during the previous shift.
Goals
The goal of the project was to design a digital shift handover system that supports clear communication between teams and reduces the risk of lost information. The solution needed to centralize shift reports, provide better visibility of production issues, and help teams quickly understand the status of ongoing tasks. By improving how information is transferred between shifts, the system aimed to increase operational efficiency and reduce misunderstandings.
Research Phase
To better understand the context of the problem, our team visited the Klingele factory in Hilpolstein and observed how shift handovers were conducted in the real working environment. This field research allowed us to see how operators communicated with each other and how information was recorded during shift transitions. Observing the process firsthand helped us identify several inefficiencies and communication gaps.
User Interviews
In addition to observation, we conducted interviews with a shift manager and several machine operators. These conversations helped us understand the challenges they faced during handovers and how they currently documented production issues. Many participants explained that handover meetings could take between twenty and twenty-five minutes and that important updates were sometimes forgotten or communicated inconsistently. Operators also mentioned that night shifts often lacked visibility into activities that occurred during the daytime.
Problem Definition
Based on our research findings, we identified that the shift handover process lacked a structured and reliable method for transferring information between teams. Without a centralized system for documenting updates, production issues and task statuses were often unclear. This created communication gaps that could affect productivity and decision-making on the factory floor.
Design Process
After defining the problem, we began exploring different design ideas through sketches and wireframes. The goal was to create a clear structure for recording shift reports and organizing production information. We experimented with several layouts to determine how operators could quickly enter information while also ensuring that incoming teams could easily review the previous shift’s updates.
Prototype
Once the initial wireframes were completed, we developed a low-fidelity prototype to test the basic structure and navigation of the system. The prototype allowed users to explore the interface and simulate how they would record shift information or review reports from previous shifts. This stage helped us refine the information hierarchy and improve the usability of the system.
User Testing
To evaluate the effectiveness of the design, we conducted usability testing with a shift manager. The testing sessions focused on how easily users could navigate the system, record information, and review shift reports. Feedback from the participants helped us identify areas where the interface could be simplified and where additional clarity was needed.
Final Solution
The final design introduced a digital platform that allows shift teams to document operational updates, production issues, and ongoing tasks in a centralized system. The interface provides a clear overview of previous shift activities while also enabling teams to quickly record new information. By structuring the handover process digitally, the system supports more reliable communication and reduces the risk of missing critical information.
Challenges Encountered
Key Takeaways
This project provided valuable insights into designing digital solutions for industrial environments. I learned the importance of observing real workflows before proposing design solutions, especially in complex operational contexts like manufacturing. The experience also reinforced how critical clear information structure and simplicity are when designing tools for users who may not be familiar with digital systems. Additionally, collaborating closely with stakeholders and team members helped me understand how design decisions can impact real operational processes.
Our Team
Klingele Factory Shift Handover
Overview
My team and I recently worked with Openpack, a German startup that connects packaging manufacturers and suppliers through a digital platform. Their system streamlines processes, digitizes machines, and standardizes data, making operations more efficient and improving productivity. As part of this collaboration, we worked on digitalizing the shift handover process for a large-scale manufacturing plant. Traditionally, shift handovers were done manually, often leading to inefficiencies, communication gaps, and delays in production. To address these challenges, we developed a digital platform designed to streamline the handover process, improve data accuracy, and enhance communication between shift staff. My team and I, as UI/UX designers, were responsible for creating a user-friendly system that catered to the fast-paced nature of manufacturing while ensuring efficiency, ease of use, and reliability.
Client
Klingele Paper & Packaging
Date
Categories
Klingele Factory, Openpack, B2B
Product Overview
Manufacturing shift handovers were managed manually through paper notes and verbal communication, which often resulted in missing information and delays. Our goal was to design a digital platform that improves communication between shifts and ensures critical production information is clearly transferred.
Responsibility
As a UX designer, I was responsible for:
User research and interviews
Workflow analysis
Wireframing and prototyping
User testing
Designing the final interface
Tools
Figma
Problem Statement
In the manufacturing environment, shift handovers were often inconsistent and dependent on verbal communication between team members. Important operational details could easily be forgotten or miscommunicated, especially during busy shifts. Paper-based documentation also made it difficult to track production issues or unresolved tasks. As a result, incoming teams frequently lacked a clear understanding of what had happened during the previous shift.
Goals
The goal of the project was to design a digital shift handover system that supports clear communication between teams and reduces the risk of lost information. The solution needed to centralize shift reports, provide better visibility of production issues, and help teams quickly understand the status of ongoing tasks. By improving how information is transferred between shifts, the system aimed to increase operational efficiency and reduce misunderstandings.
Research Phase
To better understand the context of the problem, our team visited the Klingele factory in Hilpolstein and observed how shift handovers were conducted in the real working environment. This field research allowed us to see how operators communicated with each other and how information was recorded during shift transitions. Observing the process firsthand helped us identify several inefficiencies and communication gaps.
User Interviews
In addition to observation, we conducted interviews with a shift manager and several machine operators. These conversations helped us understand the challenges they faced during handovers and how they currently documented production issues. Many participants explained that handover meetings could take between twenty and twenty-five minutes and that important updates were sometimes forgotten or communicated inconsistently. Operators also mentioned that night shifts often lacked visibility into activities that occurred during the daytime.
Problem Definition
Based on our research findings, we identified that the shift handover process lacked a structured and reliable method for transferring information between teams. Without a centralized system for documenting updates, production issues and task statuses were often unclear. This created communication gaps that could affect productivity and decision-making on the factory floor.
Design Process
After defining the problem, we began exploring different design ideas through sketches and wireframes. The goal was to create a clear structure for recording shift reports and organizing production information. We experimented with several layouts to determine how operators could quickly enter information while also ensuring that incoming teams could easily review the previous shift’s updates.
Prototype
Once the initial wireframes were completed, we developed a low-fidelity prototype to test the basic structure and navigation of the system. The prototype allowed users to explore the interface and simulate how they would record shift information or review reports from previous shifts. This stage helped us refine the information hierarchy and improve the usability of the system.
User Testing
To evaluate the effectiveness of the design, we conducted usability testing with a shift manager. The testing sessions focused on how easily users could navigate the system, record information, and review shift reports. Feedback from the participants helped us identify areas where the interface could be simplified and where additional clarity was needed.
Final Solution
The final design introduced a digital platform that allows shift teams to document operational updates, production issues, and ongoing tasks in a centralized system. The interface provides a clear overview of previous shift activities while also enabling teams to quickly record new information. By structuring the handover process digitally, the system supports more reliable communication and reduces the risk of missing critical information.
Challenges Encountered
Key Takeaways
This project provided valuable insights into designing digital solutions for industrial environments. I learned the importance of observing real workflows before proposing design solutions, especially in complex operational contexts like manufacturing. The experience also reinforced how critical clear information structure and simplicity are when designing tools for users who may not be familiar with digital systems. Additionally, collaborating closely with stakeholders and team members helped me understand how design decisions can impact real operational processes.
Our Team
