VECTOR CONSULTING

Designing
multi-year project planner with Vector Pro

Designing a multi-year

project planner with

Vector Pro

EXPANDED TASK NETWORK

PRODUCT DESIGN & STRATEGY

The concept of a network of tasks representing a full project with an expandable timeline to support it. The network is made of tasks that branch out in time.

The concept of a network of tasks representing a full project with an expandable timeline to support it. The network is made of tasks that branch out in time.

The concept of a network of tasks representing a full project with an expandable timeline to support it. The network is made of tasks that branch out in time.

BACKGROUND

Vector Consulting is a consulting giant from India. They provide management consulting services, helping their clients solve chronic problems in areas like supply chain, operations, sales, new product development, and customer management. 

The concept of a network of tasks representing a full project with an expandable timeline to support it. The network is made of tasks that branch out in time.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

The ask was for conceptualize and design interfaces for a completely new paradigm for the experience of planning projects, managing them, and simultaneously allowing clients to view and monitor their projects better.

The ask was for conceptualize and design interfaces for a completely new paradigm for the experience of planning projects, managing them, and simultaneously allowing clients to view and monitor their projects better.

The ask was for conceptualize and design interfaces for a completely new paradigm for the experience of planning projects, managing them, and simultaneously allowing clients to view and monitor their projects better.

INFINITY CANVS

Infinite canvas with a DAG and an expandable timeline.

Infinite canvas with a

DAG and an expandable timeline.

EXPANDED TASK NETWORK

The concept of a network of tasks representing a full project with an expandable timeline to support it. The network is made of tasks that branch out in time.

The concept of a network of tasks representing a full project with an expandable timeline to support it. The network is made of tasks that branch out in time.

The concept of a network of tasks representing a full project with an expandable timeline to support it. The network is made of tasks that branch out in time.

GRAPHICAL VIEW

The purpose of the network view was to give a universal graphical view of any project to any client at any point in time.

NETWORK VIEW

Tasks are linked to
form dependency chains.

Tasks are linked to form dependency chains.

All tasks were connected to their successors and predecessors forming dependency chains and resulting the critical chain that stayed highlighted while viewing the network.

GRAPH VIEW

Using the graph view for multi-year projects.

MULTI YEAR PROJECTS

Multi year projects spanning hundreds of people and dozens of teams become increasingly complex to observe.

INCREASING COMPLEXITY

Hence a tactical abstraction of information was a key motivator behind the interface. Depending on the zoom you had on the network, you’d see tasks at different level of detail.

DATA MADE ACCESSIBLE

Information at your fingertips
while navigating the graph.

[01]

On hover - task details

Multi year projects spanning hundreds of people and dozens of teams become increasingly complex to observe. Hence a tactical abstraction of information.

[02]

Traversal & navigation

Multi year projects spanning hundreds of people and dozens of teams become increasingly complex to observe. Hence a tactical abstraction of information.

[03]

Action bar & gizmos

Multi year projects spanning hundreds of people and dozens of teams become increasingly complex to observe. Hence a tactical abstraction of information.

Multi year projects spanning hundreds of people and dozens of teams become increasingly complex to observe. Hence a tactical abstraction of information.

[04]

On click - full task views

Multi year projects spanning hundreds of people and dozens of teams become increasingly complex to observe. Hence a tactical abstraction of information.

STATUS MONITOR

To monitor the overall health of the project we designed a heads up display that projected multiple critical highlights of the project in one interactive display unit.

To monitor the overall health of the project we designed a heads up display that projected multiple critical highlights of the project in one interactive display unit.

DBDBDB

TIME COMPLEXITY SIMPLIFIED

Balancing short and long task by overcoming
timescale challenges in task networks.

Balancing short and long task by overcoming timescale challenges in task networks.

Balancing short and long task by

overcoming timescale challenges in task networks.

PROBLEM FACING

A major challenge in our zoom based interactivity, as longer tasks would make it extremely difficult to move through the network if you wanter shorter tasks to be visible on a common timescale.

AVG. TASK DURATION

Min ----- a few days ( 3 - 4d )
Max ----- a few quaters ( 40q /10y )

PROBLEM FACING

A major challenge in our zoom based interactivity, as longer tasks would make it extremely difficult to move through the network if you wanter shorter tasks to be visible on a common timescale.

AVG. TASK DURATION

Min ----- a few days ( 3 - 4d )
Max ----- a few quaters ( 40q /10y )

PROBLEM FACING

A major challenge in our zoom based interactivity, as longer tasks would make it extremely difficult to move through the network if you wanter shorter tasks to be visible on a common timescale.

AVG. TASK DURATION

Min ----- a few days ( 3 - 4d )
Max ----- a few quaters ( 40q /10y )

SOLUTION

We solved this by simply switching to a Normalized Log Scale, constrained by min max values for the task length on the network.

SOLUTION

We solved this by simply switching to a Normalized Log Scale, constrained by min max values for the task length on the network.

BEYOND THE GRAPH

Naturally, to solve this Vector wanted the spreadsheet exercise to be moved over to the product so they could quickly refresh the network. This was however not going to solve the problem of observing projection deltas as the inputs changed.

DATA + NETWORK

Designing
split view projects

Designing split view projects

PROBLEM FACING

Project planning took weeks, requiring Excel sheets in a fixed template that were then visualised as identical tasks in Vector’s software. Any correction meant re-uploading and rebuilding the entire network from scratch.

SOLUTION

We designed a split build + graph view. Consultants could build the task network on one side while viewing it update in real time on the other, with changes instantly reflected in critical chain links, projections, improvements, and potential risks.

PROBLEM FACING

Project planning took weeks, requiring Excel sheets in a fixed template that were then visualised as identical tasks in Vector’s software. Any correction meant re-uploading and rebuilding the entire network from scratch.

SOLUTION

We designed a split build + graph view. Consultants could build the task network on one side while viewing it update in real time on the other, with changes instantly reflected in critical chain links, projections, improvements, and potential risks.

PROBLEM FACING

Project planning took weeks, requiring Excel sheets in a fixed template that were then visualised as identical tasks in Vector’s software. Any correction meant re-uploading and rebuilding the entire network from scratch.

SOLUTION

We designed a split build + graph view. Consultants could build the task network on one side while viewing it update in real time on the other, with changes instantly reflected in critical chain links, projections, improvements, and potential risks.