Lohaakar Industries

B2B ERP System

Projects

UI/UX Design

Manufacturing

Lohaakar Industries

B2B ERP System

UI/UX Design

Manufacturing

Discover

Define

Ideate

Deliver

Overview

The Lohaakar ERP system is a custom-built enterprise solution designed to digitize and streamline operations in the Production, Quality, and Maintenance departments of a manufacturing company. It provides department supervisors and plant managers with tools to monitor tasks, track performance, and manage resources efficiently. The system aims to reduce manual workload, improve data visibility, and support better decision-making on the shop floor.

Brief

The Lohaakar ERP system is a customized enterprise resource planning solution designed for small manufacturing industries. Focused on production, maintenance, and quality departments, the system streamlines daily operations, improves data accuracy, and supports better decision-making through real-time insights.

Target Audience

The primary users of the Lohaakar ERP system are the Managing Director, Plant Manager, Department Supervisors, and Operators at Lohaakar Industries. It is designed to meet the needs of on-ground staff who manage daily operations as well as decision-makers who require real-time data for planning and efficiency improvements.

Methodology

We followed the Double Diamond design process to develop the Lohaakar ERP system. This approach helped us explore user needs through the Discover and Define phases, and then build focused solutions during the Develop and Deliver stages—ensuring both user-centered design and functional relevance.

RESEARCH

EMPATHY

DEFINE

IDEATE

PROTOTYPE

Deliver

AWARENESS

MEASURABLE

RESULT

IMPACT

ITERATE

DOUBLE DIAMOND METHOD

RESEARCH

EMPATHY

DEFINE

IDEATE

PROTOTYPE

Deliver

AWARENESS

MEASURABLE

RESULT

IMPACT

ITERATE

DOUBLE DIAMOND METHOD

Timeline

Design Sprint

Wireframes and low-fidelity

High-fidelity

1st test

Final Test

Stakeholder mapping

user interviews

personas

customer journey maps

Design Kickoff

initial problem analysis

flow diagrams

Contextual Inquiry

Discover

Ideate

Deliver

Define

March

April

May

June

2026

2025

Discover

In the Discover phase, our team focused on understanding the ground-level operations at Lohaakar Industries. We interacted with department supervisors, operators, and the plant manager to observe their workflows and identify inefficiencies. Key research methods included contextual inquiry, shadowing, and informal interviews. This helped us uncover major pain points such as manual data handling, lack of real-time updates, and poor inter-department communication.

Methods Used

Contextual Inquiry

Stakeholder mapping

user interviews

personas

customer journey map

Stakeholders

We identify key users across the organization—Managing Director, Plant Manager, Department Supervisors, and Operators. Understanding their roles, needs, and influence on decision-making allowed us to prioritize features, streamline workflows, and ensure the ERP system aligns with both strategic goals and day-to-day operations.

Competitor Analysis

We found that most small-scale ERP solutions lack customization for manufacturing-specific needs. While larger systems offer extensive features, they are often too complex or costly. This gap highlighted the opportunity for a tailored, user-friendly ERP focused on production, maintenance, and quality management in small manufacturing setups.

Feature list

Based on the insights gathered from competitor analysis and a comparison of existing ERP solutions, we identified the following key features essential for Lohaakar Industries. These features are tailored to support the daily operations of on-ground staff and provide decision-makers with real-time data to enhance planning, productivity, and efficiency.

Production Dashboard

View daily targets, actual production, cost per unit, and production summary graphs.

Maintenance Tracker

Schedule, monitor, and view upcoming maintenance tasks through a calendar view.

Quality Check Module

Record and track quality issues, inspections, and defect rates.

Employee Management

Add and manage staff details, roles, and assignments across departments.

Department-wise Access Control

Role-based access for operators, supervisors, managers, and admin.

Reports & Analytics

Exportable reports on production output, downtime, quality metrics, and costs.

Notifications & Alerts

Automated reminders for maintenance, production delays, and quality flags.

Simple User Interface

Clean, minimal design tailored for ease of use by on-ground operators.

Mobile-Friendly Views

Accessible dashboards and forms on tablets or mobile for floor-level access.

Persona

We created user personas for key stakeholders of the ERP system—Managing Director, Plant Manager, and Operators. These personas helped us understand their goals, pain points, and daily workflows, allowing us to design features that are relevant, intuitive, and role-specific.

Kunal

Managing Director

50 / Male

Rajesh is a strategic thinker and oversees the entire business operation. With decades of experience, his focus is on growth, efficiency, and staying competitive. He checks reports regularly and prefers quick, high-level insights to make fast decisions.

Pain Points

Lack of consolidated reports for real-time decision-making

Over-reliance on manual updates or Excel sheets from supervisors

Delayed visibility into production issues or quality failures

Meena

Plant Manager

38 / Female

Meena manages day-to-day factory operations, ensuring targets are met and quality is maintained. She coordinates with all departments and is often under pressure to resolve issues quickly. She prefers a structured dashboard with actionable data.

Pain Points

Switching between multiple formats and sources for data

Delays in updates from supervisors

Missed maintenance schedules leading to downtime

Sanjay

Machine Operator

29 / Male

Sanjay handles specific machinery and reports daily tasks to his supervisor. He prefers simple, clear instructions and values tools that help him log updates easily. He is less tech-savvy but quick to adapt if tools are user-friendly.

Pain Points

Manual logging is time-consuming and error-prone

Lack of awareness of maintenance schedules or task changes

Difficulty understanding reports or forms not designed for him

Define

Based on the insights from the Discover phase, we synthesized the data using tools like affinity mapping and stakeholder mapping. We defined core user needs and outlined key problem statements. This stage helped us prioritize features such as production tracking, maintenance scheduling, and quality monitoring. A clear definition of goals ensured that our design direction was aligned with user expectations and business objectives

70%

Of daily operations were tracked manually using paper logs.

60%

Of supervisors reported difficulty in accessing production or maintenance records.

80%

Of the staff expressed a need for centralized dashboards.

Design Objectives

Defining Objectives

The first step in the Discover phase involved setting clear, focused objectives to guide the research process. With an ERP system designed for an industrial setup like Lohaakar Industries, it was important to identify the right user groups, understand their roles, and pinpoint where the existing processes were falling short.

Core Objective

A core objective was to uncover how employees at Lohaakar Industries currently track inventory, production, and shop floor activities—and where gaps in communication or tool usability caused operational friction. These objectives became the foundation for interviews, observations, and system audits that followed.

what outcomes do we want to see?

Key Insights

Lack of Digital Systems

Lohaakar Industries currently manages operations manually or with basic tools like Excel, leading to data loss, errors, and inefficiencies.

Role-specific Needs

Each stakeholder—from operators to managers—has distinct requirements. Operators need simple task tracking, while managers need dashboards for overview and planning.

Limited Visibility

Supervisors and the Plant Manager face challenges in monitoring real-time production status, quality issues, and maintenance schedules.

Gap in Existing ERP Solutions

Competitor analysis showed that most available ERPs are either too generic or overly complex for small-scale manufacturing setups.

Low Fidelity

We created low-fidelity wireframes to map out the core layout and functionality of the ERP system. These quick sketches helped validate user flows, test ideas early, and align the design with user needs before moving into high-fidelity development.

5,205,350.00

Expected Production this month

2% more than last month

4,550,350.00

Production last month

2.1% more than last month

550,350.00

Production Rate this month

2.1% less than last month

150,350.00

Total Production Cost this month

1.5% less than last month

Production summary

Product 1

Yearly

600k

500k

400k

300k

200k

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Production

250

Parts Produced daily

12 more than last quarter

Quality

17%

Average scrap rate

0.2% lower than last quarter

Maintenance

₹10

Maintainnence cost

2% more than last Last Year

Cost Analysis

₹10

Quality cost impact

2% more than last quarter

Production Rate

Machine 1

Monthly

950

Aug

2020

2021

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

800

650

400

250

Machines

Feb 2021

Machine 1

230

Machine Maintenance

Shop Floor

Total Machines

View factory Floor

273.76

Total Machines
Production rate

56%

Daily

Logo

Dashboard

Production History

Assets and Inventory

Circulars

Memo

Staff

Production

Kunal More

Admin

Quality Assurance

Quality Check Forms to maintain quality across products.

Daily Check Lists

First Piece Inspection and Process Monitoring

In process & Last Piece Inspection Report

Inhouse Rework,Repair & Suspected Product Analysis and Corrective Actions

Cost of Poor Quality

Rejection analysis and Disposal Record

Check Lists to be filled when needed

Receiving Inspection report and Raw Material Test Certificate

Final/Predispatch Inspection Report

Process Validation Report

Temporary change of Process change Matrix

Deviation Note

Customer Complaint Analysis & Corrective Action (8D) & Procedure

Product /Process Change Management

APQP

PPAP

Yearly Check Lists

First Piece Inspection and Process Monitoring

In process & Last Piece Inspection Report

Inhouse Rework,Repair & Suspected Product Analysis and Corrective Actions

Cost of Poor Quality

Rejection analysis and Disposal Record

Quality

Kunal More

Admin

Logo

Dashboard

Production History

Assets and Inventory

Circulars

Memo

Staff

5,205,350.00

Expected Production this month

2% more than last month

4,550,350.00

Production last month

2.1% more than last month

550,350.00

Production Goal Today

150,350.00

Current Production Counter

1.5% less than last month

Production summary

Product 1

Daily

600k

500k

400k

300k

200k

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Production Data Entry

Enter hourly production data for tracking and analysis

Item name

Select item

Hour

Select option

Date

DD/MM/YYYY

Operator

Enter Operator Name

Product Type

Select option

Counter

Enter Counter

Rejection

Enter Rejection

Parts Produced (Calculated)

Enter Parts Produced (Calculated)

Downtime (min)

Enter Downtime

Rejection Reason

Enter Operator Name

Downtime Reason

Enter Operator Name

Comments

Save Production Record

Logo

Dashboard

Production History

Assets and Inventory

Circulars

Memo

Staff

Production

Kunal More

Admin

5,205,350.00

Expected Production this month

2% more than last month

4,550,350.00

Production last month

2.1% more than last month

550,350.00

Production Goal Today

150,350.00

Current Production Counter

1.5% less than last month

Production summary

Product 1

Daily

600k

500k

400k

300k

200k

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Production Data Entry

Enter hourly production data for tracking and analysis

Item name

Select item

Hour

Select option

Date

DD/MM/YYYY

Operator

Enter Operator Name

Product Type

Select option

Counter

Enter Counter

Rejection

Enter Rejection

Parts Produced (Calculated)

Enter Parts Produced (Calculated)

Downtime (min)

Enter Downtime

Rejection Reason

Enter Operator Name

Downtime Reason

Enter Operator Name

Comments

Save Production Record

Logo

Dashboard

Production History

Assets and Inventory

Circulars

Memo

Staff

Production

Kunal More

Admin

Update Photo

Allowed format

JPG, JPEG, and PNG

Max file size

2MB

First name

John

Last name

Otor

Email address

Enter email address

Phone number

Enter phone number

Gender

Select gender

Staff ID

Department

Select Department

Designation

Select Designation

Official email

Official Email

Submit

Add Staff

Back

Staff

Kunal More

Admin

Logo

Dashboard

Production History

Assets and Inventory

Circulars

Memo

Staff

Update Photo

Allowed format

JPG, JPEG, and PNG

Max file size

2MB

First name

John

Last name

Otor

Email address

Enter email address

Phone number

Enter phone number

Gender

Select gender

Staff ID

Department

Select Department

Designation

Select Designation

Official email

Official Email

Submit

Add Staff

Back

Staff

Kunal More

Admin

Logo

Dashboard

Production History

Assets and Inventory

Circulars

Memo

Staff

Color Pallete

#2B5C8A

#7A7A7A

#4CAF50

#FFC107

#5C5C5C

#1A1A1A

#D84343

#F7F9FB

#FFFFFF

#F0F1F3

H1 - Bold

Nunito

Size: 36px

H2 - Semi Bold

Nunito

Size: 28px

H3 - Medium

Nunito

Size: 22px

H4 - Medium

Nunito

Size: 18px

Body - Regular

Lato

Size: 16px

Small text - Regular

Lato

Size: 14px

Caption - Light

Lato

Size: 12px

Typography Hierarchy

The Lohaakar ERP system uses a structured and consistent typographic hierarchy to ensure clarity, readability, and usability across all user interfaces. By combining Nunito and Lato, the system maintains a professional yet approachable tone suited for both on-ground operators and management staff.

Nunito

Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee

Lato

Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee

solutions

How did the ERP Help ?

This project focuses on designing a tailored ERP system for Lohaakar Industries, a regional manufacturer of deep-drawn sheet metal components.

The system streamlines production, quality, and maintenance operations by replacing fragmented manual processes with an integrated digital workflow.

Built through user research and iterative design, the solution aims to improve efficiency, reduce errors, and provide real-time visibility for better decision-making.

This project focuses on designing a tailored ERP system for Lohaakar Industries, a regional manufacturer of deep-drawn sheet metal components.

The system streamlines production, quality, and maintenance operations by replacing fragmented manual processes with an integrated digital workflow.

Built through user research and iterative design, the solution aims to improve efficiency, reduce errors, and provide real-time visibility for better decision-making.

What Lohaakar Gained ?

The final solution was a functional ERP system tailored to the Production, Maintenance, and Quality departments. It enabled real-time data access, simplified task tracking, and minimized manual errors. As a result, several key metrics showed significant improvement.

impact

60% reduction in time spent on daily reporting, as supervisors could now log and access data directly through digital dashboards.

75% of users reported increased clarity in task delegation and production goals, improving shift planning and efficiency.

60% reduction in time spent on daily reporting, as supervisors could now log and access data directly through digital dashboards.

75% of users reported increased clarity in task delegation and production goals, improving shift planning and efficiency.

impact

Maintenance scheduling compliance improved by 40%, reducing unexpected downtime.

Quality check records became easily accessible and traceable, leading to better accountability and quicker audits.

Maintenance scheduling compliance improved by 40%, reducing unexpected downtime.

Quality check records became easily accessible and traceable, leading to better accountability and quicker audits.

Conclusion

Working on the Lohaakar ERP project helped us understand the real-world challenges of manufacturing industries. We streamlined core processes for Production, Quality, and Maintenance. As a team, we learned how to apply UX principles, collaborate efficiently, and design practical solutions that improve operational efficiency and decision-making.

Visit Lohaakar

We designed the ERP solution by understanding the unique challenges of small manufacturing setups like Lohaakar. With a user-first approach, we created a system that simplifies operations and supports smarter decisions on the shop floor. Curious to know more? Click Visit to explore the project.

Thank You