BOEING HACKATHON - PLACED FIRST 🥇
Tasked with improving one of the Boeing NCR systems, my Hackathon team competed among 80 other interns within the Total Quality section of Boeing.
TIMELINE
32 Hours
(July 2024)
ROLE
UX researcher
Data Analytic
TEAM
Tyler Cowher, Shu Zeng, Danielle Floyde, Emily LiaBraaten, Sparsh Nagpal, Zachary Gendreau, Ada Yazici, Sarah Malinowski
THE CHALLENGE
Teamwork behind the solution
Collaborating with eight interns from diverse departments and roles, I was the sole representative from Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS). Our team included individuals from fields like cybersecurity and environmental policy, providing a unique mix of perspectives and expertise. This diversity challenged me to hone my communication and collaboration skills while working together to analyze, critique, and ultimately improve one of Boeing’s critical internal data systems.
OUR TASK
Ideate and implement a solution to enhance the accuracy of 3-point location data within Boeing’s Manufacturing Record System.
UNDERSTANDING THE EXISTING SYSTEM
What is working and not working in th existing system?
To improve the system, we first needed to understand it thoroughly. We began by analyzing the system’s UX/UI to identify areas where its older design introduced errors and inefficiencies. This initial exploration also helped us become more familiar with how the system operates.
Since none of the team members’ departments regularly used this form, we scheduled meetings with managers from various departments who relied on it daily. These walkthroughs provided invaluable insights into how individuals used the form differently, revealing both pain points and features that worked well for specific use cases. This collaborative approach allowed us to pinpoint opportunities for improvement while maintaining what was already effective.
BACKING UP OUR FINDINGS
Evidence Based Findings
Building on insights gathered from our interviews, we began creating multiple iterations of potential system improvements. This iterative process required close collaboration with managers and end-users to ensure our solutions addressed real needs and were headed in the right direction. To validate the effectiveness of our decisions, we relied on a combination of data-driven approaches, including SQL queries, Python analysis, in-depth research, and ongoing interviews. By grounding our work in evidence, we ensured that our solutions were both practical and impactful.
OUR SOLUTION
From Concept to Impact
While I am unable to share specific details about our solution, we utilized AI to achieve more accurate results when pulling data directly from Boeing’s internal system. Our approach focused on five core principles: business impact, ease of replication, ease of implementation, cost, and risk. To showcase our work, we created a comprehensive presentation highlighting how our solution streamlined processes, improved data accuracy, and enhanced system usability.
By leveraging UI/UX research, data analytics, and machine learning models, we significantly improved the accuracy of free-text analysis within non-conformance records, increasing it from 48% to 98%. This solution is expected to greatly enhance Boeing’s quality metrics, providing stronger assurance in both safety and operational efficiency. After our presentation, our team earned first place and was invited to present on a larger scale to evaluate the potential implementation of our solution into the company’s system.
TAKEAWAYS
This hackathon taught me valuable lessons
✈︎ Understanding other systems
Since I worked with a team who encompassed a large facet of skills there were often applications and methods I was not versed in. In order to contribute and be a part of the discussion I had to learn the fundamentals of these applications in order to better understand the different ideologies and implementation strategies we had.
✈︎ User Interface is so vital
The problem at hand could have simply been fixed at the root if the user interface was done in a clear and precise manner. However, because it wasn't, it led to a multitude of different problems. By having intuitive and clear design choices it allows for a variety of users to better perform their jobs, since there will be less of a usability curve ultimately leading to a lower room for error.
✈︎ Teamwork is so important
This experience has strengthened my development of my skills within teamwork. I learned how to take initiative and express my own ideas. Being able to work alongside such brilliant people, I was able to see how they each uniquely tackle different problems.
✈︎ Time Keeping is essential
Although 32 hours can seem long for a Hackathon, it was very difficult to do all we needed to do in the required time frame. We established facilitators, planners, and team leaders in order to make sure we met daily deliverables and stayed on task. This allowed us to finish on time in an effective manner.
My Team ↴
Unfortunately, I am unable to share most of my work.
If you would like to learn more about my experience and work at Boeing please contact me!