Improving usability and user experience in manual data collection for field service engineers in manufacturing

Abstract

Manual data collection, particularly the measurement data of asset components, plays a critical role in industrial maintenance, where data accuracy directly improves component lifetime predictions and service planning. However, current paper-based practices, combined with demanding field conditions, make the process prone to inefficiencies and errors. This thesis addresses the main research question: What kind of user interface would improve the usability and user experience of Field Service Engineers in manual data collection system?, situated within the broader digitalization initiative of a manufacturing company. A qualitative approach, combining semi-structured interviews with contextual inquiry, is employed to analyze current workflows and derive usability requirements for the user interface of the digital system. Findings highlight the viability of tablets as preferred device and emphasize the need for logically grouped, sequential data entry, multimodal instruction formats, real-time data validation, minimal interaction effort, offline functionality, and centralized access to measurement records. A prototype interface illustrates these features aligning with the usability principles of effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction.