Interactive Parts System

Fragmented guidance for a complex assembly

Q-Bot’s installation teams rely on a spray nozzle composed of a complex multi-part assembly, designed for reliable performance in real-world field conditions where consistent execution is critical to scaling robotic retrofit.

Installers had limited and fragmented reference materials:

• Small printed exploded diagrams attached to toolboxes
• A 90-row spreadsheet used to identify and order parts

This created a disconnect between:

• The physical assembly process
• The way information was structured and accessed

As a result, mis-assemblies and incorrect part orders were common, directly impacting operational performance.

A self-reinforcing fault loop

Frequent nozzle faults were not isolated issues. They were the result of a negative reinforcing loop: errors → downtime → incorrect fixes → repeated errors.

The problem wasn't installer capability, it was the information environment. The existing diagrams were inconvenient to use and asked the installers to remember too much at once.

I mapped the main reinforcing loop that drove faults, and the points where we intervened.

Learning from outside the industry

I researched how others solve this for non-experts: IKEA guides, CAD tools. The insight that shaped everything: visual, step-revealed instruction beats dense reference mid-task.

I mapped the full onsite equipment ecosystem to ensure any solution would scale beyond the spray nozzle. Then, we ran a value/cost prioritisation exercise to focus development on high-impact, low-complexity features first.

We deprioritised visual maintenance walkthroughs due to high effort to produce and low impact on resolving faults, and focused first on shipping part-ID search.

An interactive parts diagram system

I simplified navigation to three fixed perspective views - front, bottom and top - keeping every component visible within Flutter's constraints. For task-focused assembly work, fixed views are quicker to navigate than free rotation: the user isn't manipulating a model, they're finding a part. And because the guidance is visual rather than written, it works regardless of the user's first language, so installers across the team could use it equally well.

As a result, I designed an interactive parts diagram system that:

• Aligns digital representation with the physical assembly process
• Breaks down complex assemblies into clear, navigable components
• Links each part to relevant information (identification, ordering, usage)
• Reduces reliance on memory by structuring information progressively

What the team said

It's made a big difference to how we train new installers, they pick up the assembly much faster. — Dan, Training Manager, Q-Bot

Breaking the cycle

• 95% reduction in equipment faults
• Reduced downtime and operational friction in the field
• Broke the vicious cycle of repeated errors

Designing the right information environment can significantly reduce mistakes without changing the job-to-be-done. — Key takeaway