An app that enables real-time information sharing through the digitalization of procurement operations

Challenges:

Previously, Kakujo Gyorui used handwritten order details and auction original slips for purchasing operations at Tokyo's Toyosu Market and Niigata's Central Wholesale Market. However, with business expansion, issues such as ordering and purchasing errors, misdeliveries, and the burden of clerical work due to the use of paper had become challenges.

The key point in the app development was to improve efficiency without disrupting the unique purchasing workflow of the market.

In addition, since integration with the existing core system was essential, there was a need for a development partner capable of using agile methods, which are resilient to specification changes and feature additions, as well as having a deep understanding of the person-dependent operations and extensive knowledge of app development.

Solutions:

Monstarlab delved into understanding the industry and explored improvement points from an objective perspective.

Initially, they visited each market and the head office to understand the workflow of buyers and delivery personnel through on-site observation and began by analyzing handwritten order details and auction original slips.

The investigation revealed that the purchasing flow differed between Niigata and Tokyo, and that the auction original slips, where buyers recorded the fish they purchased, were created by hand and manual calculation. It was also found that after completion, the auction original slips were faxed to the head office, where staff manually entered them into the core system.

Furthermore, to enable confirmation of the purchase in the event of a delivery error, delivery personnel were taking and managing photos of their cargo on their personal mobile phones. This process helped visualize the overall workflow and issues, and identify points for improvement.

Therefore, Monstarlab proposed an app development that "adapts the system to the people, rather than people to the system," by following the formats of the order details and auction original slips. To reduce the burden on the field where speedy work is required, they adopted an agile approach. They also explored UX/UI designs that would minimize the burden of implementation for field staff.

In terms of design, they created a framework based on the formats of the order details and auction original slips. By organizing complex entry fields, they added expressions unique to the app.

In addition, they incorporated a mechanism to store images taken and managed on personal mobile phones on a drive, and a system where data entered in the app is directly reflected in the core system.

They repeatedly conducted thorough testing, focusing on operation in the actual field, identifying and improving any bugs or areas that impaired usability.