Nov 20, 2021

UX Research & Product Design for a Manufacturing Software

Bringing UX to the Factory Floor: Designing for No-Code Manufacturing Automation

In the rapidly evolving world of Industry 4.0, one challenge continues to stand out: manufacturers need to digitize and optimize production, but the technical complexity and high costs often hold them back.

That’s where Vitesse Automation comes in.

This no-code, AI-powered hardware/software startup is reshaping how manufacturers orchestrate their robots, machines, and systems, even across previously non-interoperable equipment.

Project Overview

🧩 Project Scope
UX Workshops · Product Design · Design Systems
Responsible for translating a proof of concept into a scalable product experience across a suite of manufacturing platforms.

🎯 Mission
Introduce UX processes, define user flows, and design intuitive interfaces that empower manufacturers to automate workflows and analyze production, without writing a single line of code.

🤝 Cross-functional Collaboration
The process involved close partnership with project managers, engineers, and stakeholders; starting with a UX workshop at the company’s French HQ to align the team around user-centered design.

Process Breakdown

1️⃣ UX Workshop

A Design Thinking workshop introduced the core team to UX principles and user-centric thinking, fostering not just alignment, but team-building and clarity around the user journey.

2️⃣ User Pain Point Analysis

Feedback was gathered from manufacturing engineers. Pain points were mapped and prioritized using a matrix to identify which features would have the highest impact.

3️⃣ Sitemap & User Flows

Collaborative sessions led to multiple platform user journeys, structured to meet both technical constraints and business goals.

4️⃣ High-Fidelity UI Mockups

Interfaces were designed for each platform using a custom Design System. As the project scaled, the team transitioned to Microsoft’s Fluent Design System to increase efficiency, reduce engineering lift, and ensure accessibility compliance.

Results & Takeaways

The result: a suite of efficient, interoperable tools that enabled Vitesse Automation to ship MVPs faster, while making automation more accessible for manufacturers, regardless of their programming experience.

This project is a reminder that UX isn't just for consumer apps; it's a game-changer in high-stakes, highly technical industries too.

▶️ Test Prototype 1

▶️ Test Prototype 2