Service Design - Transforming Equipment Lifecycle Management at Ritchie Bros
A comprehensive service design initiative that reduced processing time by 60% and increased auction readiness from 74% to 98%
Position / Role
UX Service Designer
Duration
6 Months
Team
UX Researcher, UX/UI Designer, Business Analyst, Process Analyst
Departments
Intake Admin,
Field Staff,
Inspectors, Sales
The Challenge
Operational Silos Creating Critical Inefficiencies
Ritchie Bros, a global leader in asset disposition, faced critical operational inefficiencies across their equipment lifecycle management. Three departments—Intake, Inspection, and Sales—operated in complete silos with minimal visibility into each other's workflows.
This fragmentation created a ripple effect: delayed processing times, inconsistent data quality, frustrated employees, and dissatisfied customers waiting for their equipment to reach auction.
Key Findings
Fragmented Information Flow
Paper-based intake forms varied by location with no digital handoff between departments. Equipment data lived in departmental silos.
Zero Visibility
Inspection had no real-time visibility into incoming equipment. Sales operated with outdated or incomplete data.
Communication Breakdown
Each department used different terminology for identical processes, causing confusion and errors.
Operational Bottlenecks
2.5-day average lag between intake and inspection. 18% error rate in equipment readiness. Only 74% on-time auction readiness.
My Service Design Approach
I applied a human-centered service design methodology to understand the complete ecosystem, identify systemic issues, and co-create solutions with stakeholders across all departments.
Phase 1: Discovery & Research
I initiated comprehensive stakeholder research to understand the complete service ecosystem and uncover root causes of operational challenges.
Phase 2: Define & Synthesize
I synthesized research findings using service design frameworks to visualize the entire service ecosystem and identify opportunities for improvement.
Phase 3: Co-Design & Develop Solutions
I facilitated collaborative workshops with cross-functional teams to co-create solutions that addressed root causes and gained buy-in from all stakeholders.
Phase 4: Implementation & Delivery
Executed the service redesign through phased rollout...ensuring successful adoption while measuring impact
Discovery & Research
I initiated comprehensive stakeholder research to understand the complete service ecosystem. Through on-site shadowing of equipment check-ins and inspections, I observed real workflows in action. Detailed reviews of internal documentation and process mapping workshops to uncover hidden pain points and opportunities.
Conducted one-on-one interviews with 18+ stakeholders including Intake Clerks, Inspectors, and Sales Coordinators to understand their daily workflows, pain points, and needs.
On-site shadowing of equipment check-ins and inspections to observe real workflows in action and identify hidden inefficiencies.
Detailed review of internal documentation, intake forms, and inspection logs to reveal systemic patterns and data gaps.
Facilitated workshops with each department to map current processes and uncover opportunities for improvement.
Define & Synthesize
I developed a comprehensive Ecosystem that mapped the entire equipment journey from intake to auction, visualizing customer touchpoints during equipment drop-off, frontstage employee-facing interactions across all departments, backstage internal systems and processes, and support systems including CRM, Inspection App, and Auction Management tools. This blueprint identified 15 specific friction points and revealed 9 high-impact opportunity areas for intervention.
Ecosystem Mapping
Through detailed value stream analysis, I traced every step of equipment processing to identify waste, delays, and value-adding activities. This revealed that only 40% of processing time actually added value—the remaining 60% was consumed by waiting, searching for information, and fixing errors from previous handoffs.
Value Stream Mapping (VSM)
The breakthrough came through structured co-design workshops where I brought together Intake Administrators, Inspectors, and Sales Representatives to collaboratively redesign their shared workflows. This participatory approach ensured solutions reflected actual user needs, fostered ownership and alignment across teams, accelerated decision-making by reducing assumptions, and dramatically reduced rework during implementation.
Co-Design System
Service Design Methodology
I developed a comprehensive service blueprint mapping the entire equipment journey across all touchpoints, employee interactions, internal systems, and support tools. This revealed 15 specific friction points and 9 high-impact opportunity areas.
Service Blueprint
Value Stream Mapping
Lucidchart
Co-Design Workshop
Figma
Ecosystem Mapping
Journey Mapping
Miro
The Transformation: Before vs. After
1. Digital Intake System
Before
-
Paper-based forms varied by location
-
Manual transcription into multiple systems
-
No validation for completeness
-
Handoff required phone calls or emails
After
-
Custom Digital Intake Dashboard
-
Standardized fields with real-time validation
-
Automated notifications to Inspection
-
Complete digital audit trail
Result
60% faster intake processing
2. Inspection Queue Automation
Before
-
Inspectors arrived without queue visibility
-
Priority determined ad-hoc
-
Intake data inaccessible during inspection
-
Notes recorded on paper, entered later
After
-
iOS Inspection App with real-time queue
-
Linked intake data, photos, and notes
-
Offline functionality for field work
-
Mobile-first interface for quick capture
Result
45% inspection efficiency gain
3. Unified Equipment Profile
Before
-
Sales compiled info from multiple sources
-
Data frequently outdated by auction time
-
Photos and notes often missing
-
Constant back-and-forth delays
After
-
Auto-synced single source of truth
-
Real-time updates from all departments
-
Complete specs, photos, and reports
-
Sales dashboard with full visibility
Result
50% faster catalog prep
4. Cross-Departmental Status Tracker
Before
-
No visibility into equipment lifecycle position
-
Items stalled without detection
-
No bottleneck identification
-
Customer inquiries unanswerable
After
-
Visual status bar across all departments
-
48+ hour stall alerts automated
-
Real-time operational dashboard
-
Accurate customer status updates
Result
78% fewer equipment stalls
5. Taxonomy Alignment
Before
-
Different terminology across departments
-
Categorization errors common
-
Time wasted on clarifications
-
Search problems due to inconsistency
After
-
Comprehensive shared glossary
-
Standardized terminology enforced
-
Role-specific checklists integrated
-
Dropdown menus for consistency
Result
85% better communication clarity
Measurable Impact
60% Faster Processing
Intake to inspection reduced from 2.5 days to 1 day
01
98% On-Time Readiness
Increased from 74% to 98% auction readiness rate
02
83% Error Reduction
Equipment readiness errors dropped from 18% to 3%
03
91% Team Satisfaction
Internal satisfaction rose from 56% to 91%
04
30% Throughput Increase
More equipment processed per auction cycle
05
78% Fewer Stalls
Equipment stall rate dramatically decreased
06
"I finally feel connected to what happens before and after my work. The new system has transformed how we collaborate across departments."
Field Inspector, Ritchie Bros
Implementation Strategy
We launched pilot programs in Texas and Alberta branches, capturing real-time feedback from frontline users.
Based on insights, we refined interfaces, adjusted workflows, and clarified training materials before scaling nationally.
Phased Rollout
1
Understanding that technology alone wouldn't drive adoption, I designed comprehensive change management:
-
Interactive training sessions tailored to each role
-
Visual onboarding guides with workflow diagrams
-
Dedicated Slack support channels
-
Department champions as peer advocates
Change Management
2
I worked closely with Product Managers, developers, and operations teams throughout implementation.
Weekly sprint reviews ensured the service blueprint translated accurately into actionable deliverables, with continuous user testing validating that solutions matched real-world needs.
Agile Collaboration
3
Reflection
This project demonstrated the transformative power of service design in operational contexts. By moving beyond surface-level interface design to examine the entire service ecosystem, we uncovered root causes that no single department could see from their vantage point.
The co-design approach was crucial—solutions created with the people doing the work were not only more effective but achieved faster adoption and genuine cultural shift. This wasn't just a process improvement; it was a cultural transformation toward transparency, alignment, and continuous improvement.
Service Design > UI Design
The biggest impact came from redesigning the service system, not just the interfaces. Understanding the entire ecosystem was critical.
Change Management is Essential
Even the best design fails without proper training, support, and cultural buy-in from all stakeholders.
Co-Creation Drives Adoption
Involving end users in the design process created ownership and led to solutions that actually worked in practice.
Measure What Matters
Defining clear success metrics upfront allowed us to prove impact and continuously optimize the solution.