Building an Intuitive Task Manager for Farmers

Ruraly helps farm workers manage daily tasks, report issues, and sync data manually, improving workflow and efficiency in areas with unreliable internet.

/client

Ruraly

/PRODUCT

Ruraly

/When

2019

Ruraly is a task manager designed specifically for farmers. The app allows workers to view daily tasks, report farm-related issues, and manually sync data—essential in Brazilian farms where internet connectivity is often unreliable.

The client initially built an MVP and tested it on two farms, but workers struggled to use it. That’s when they approached us for help.

This is how the app looked like:

UX Issues

Complete Tasks (Tarefas Completas, Screen #4):
Workers didn’t realize there was a tab for completed tasks.

Records (Registros, Screen #7):
Many farm workers struggle with literacy in Brazil, making the email-style form difficult and intimidating.

(Yep, we designed on Sketch back then!)

User Experience Improvements

1. Task Management at a Glance

We made the task view the home screen, ensuring that the warning and sync buttons were always visible. This way, workers could access key features without extra navigation.

2. Visibility & Productivity Boosts

We integrated completed tasks into the main view, allowing workers to see their daily progress.

A progress bar was added as a motivational tool, helping workers track their productivity throughout the day.

Calendar navigation was introduced, enabling users to view past and future tasks easily.

3. Simplified Issue Reporting

We removed the need for text input when reporting issues. Instead, workers could select from an icon grid organized by themes, making the process faster and more intuitive.

This approach not only improved usability but also provided structured data insights for Ruraly monitoring farm operations. Double high-five for accessibility & better data collection!

User Interface Redesign

Once the wireframes were approved, we refined the visual design to enhance clarity, usability, and engagement.

The client initially built an MVP and tested it on two farms, but workers struggled to use it. That’s when they approached us for help.

This is how the app looked like:

UX Issues

Complete Tasks (Tarefas Completas, Screen #4):
Workers didn’t realize there was a tab for completed tasks.

Records (Registros, Screen #7):
Many farm workers struggle with literacy in Brazil, making the email-style form difficult and intimidating.

(Yep, we designed on Sketch back then!)

User Experience Improvements

1. Task Management at a Glance

We made the task view the home screen, ensuring that the warning and sync buttons were always visible. This way, workers could access key features without extra navigation.

2. Visibility & Productivity Boosts

We integrated completed tasks into the main view, allowing workers to see their daily progress.

A progress bar was added as a motivational tool, helping workers track their productivity throughout the day.

Calendar navigation was introduced, enabling users to view past and future tasks easily.

3. Simplified Issue Reporting

We removed the need for text input when reporting issues. Instead, workers could select from an icon grid organized by themes, making the process faster and more intuitive.

This approach not only improved usability but also provided structured data insights for Ruraly monitoring farm operations. Double high-five for accessibility & better data collection!

User Interface Redesign

Once the wireframes were approved, we refined the visual design to enhance clarity, usability, and engagement.

To make interactions more delightful, we designed five playful animations that appear randomly upon task completion.

Desktop Dashboard Upgrade

With the mobile app redesigned, we turned our attention to the desktop dashboard for farm managers, ensuring a consistent and seamless experience across platforms.

Before:

After:

We didn’t just give it a fresh look, we also introduced key functionality improvements to enhance task management and decision-making:

View Warnings on the Map – Managers can now see worker-submitted warnings directly on the map at the exact location they were reported.
Seamless Task Conversion - The Warning Decision Tree we created for workers now integrates with task management, allowing managers to convert warnings into tasks with a single action.
Customizable Map Views - Managers can assign different colors to each field, making it easier to distinguish land areas and track operations visually.

Impact & Results

After implementing the redesign, Ruraly delivered impressive improvements in efficiency:

+219%

tasks handled

+76,5%

hectares mapped

+59,1%

registered employees

Final Thoughts:

Designing for farm workers in Brazil presented unique challenges, from low literacy rates to poor internet connectivity. By focusing on accessibility, usability, and efficiency, we transformed Ruraly into a seamless, user-friendly tool that drives real impact in the field.

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