Strategy, UX design and development for Aliaxis
Project
Aliaxis connects people with water and energy. They develop sustainable, easy-to-install and innovative solutions to help the world with clean water, sanitation, AND energy accessible to all. Over 14,000 employees in more than forty 40 countries conceive, manufacture and sell piping systems in the construction, infrastructure, industrial and agricultural sectors. It is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.
Challenge
Valves are the biggest challenge for piping systems. Pipes are used to transport liquids such as water, oil, steam, air, milk, juices, acids, paints, chemicals and so on.
Valves are used to stop, divert or regulate those fluid flows. There are gate valves, butterfly valves, ball valves, control valves and many more types; depending on the function and application. Selecting the right valve for the right line, fluid, function, temperature or pressure with the right accessories and sensors is very complicated. WADM was tasked with devising a quick and simple selection method that could be universally applied online by all companies in Europe. From a complex data sheet with more than 10,000 products to a web application that selects the right valve via a few clicks.
Solution
In a pilot project at the Italian site, WADM worked with their product experts to come up with the ultimate product selection method and matching wireframes. This functional design consisted of two ways to select valves (one through product characteristics and one through application requirements). These were developed by WADM into a detailed architecture description and documentation. This describes what actions (clicks) are possible, what UX that should produce, what database logic should be applied and what product outcomes that should produce (business logic). That document serves as the basis for eventually linking the online selector to the Pimcore databases in different countries.
Impact
After the session and wireframing, WADM delivered the UX design and built a complete online selector as a Proof Of Concept (POC) in a few weeks. This online test application linked database to online selection and showed what actions are completed and what technical specifications are required. The POC served as a check and validation of UX design, database and selection logic, documentation, API response and dynamic SKU generation (when selecting product accessories). Using the insights from the POC, the final application was built within Pimcore. As the digital and online architect, WADM directed and directed the entire project. Belgian communication and project managers, Italian product experts, German Pimcore integrators and French database administrators were trained, supported, advised and monitored by WADM to develop the final application for all European countries with an Aliaxis presence.
