Designing a driver app for cold hands and bad signal
The constraints of the van are nothing like the constraints of the desk. Here is how that reshapes every screen.
The dispatcher works at a desk with two monitors and a coffee. The driver works standing in the rain, wearing gloves, with one bar of signal and a parcel under the other arm. Designing the same product for both means accepting that the van sets the harder constraints.
The rules of the van
- Every primary action is at least a 44px touch target — bigger where a glove is likely.
- Nothing critical requires more than two taps.
- The app assumes it is offline and treats connectivity as a bonus, not a requirement.
The result
The first driver app our field teams did not ask us to replace within a month. Sometimes that is the highest praise a tool gets.
Good field software disappears. The driver should think about the delivery, never about the app.
Written by
Sofia BrandtHead of Product, 4klyft
Translates the reality of the warehouse floor into product. Previously COO at a mid-market 3PL.