HVAC Settings



My role as Lead Designer


  • Conducted a thorough analysis of the existing solution to understand its complexities and identify essential functionalities.
  • Included developers in the process to ensure technical feasibility and to gain their insights on implementation challenges.
  • Led another designer on the project, providing guidance and feedback to maintain design consistency and quality.
  • Worked with stakeholders to prioritize features, focusing on delivering a user-friendly and efficient settings system.
  • Ensured the design was intuitive and met user needs while minimizing unnecessary features.
  • The Project’s Goal:

    Enabled users to take off HVAC items in Trimble’s MEP software. Given that ductwork is custom-built, it was necessary to incorporate the ability to set up all default HVAC settings within the software.

     

    Material Specifications


    Before users can set specifications for the construction of the ductwork, they need to define the types of materials to be used and the associated rules. This includes setting parameters such as gauge, weight, and flat sheet sizing. These settings enable the system to accurately calculate the amount of material used and determine the amount of waste produced.
    What the current UI looked like:

    Final Designs:

          

    Ductwork Specifications 


    Now that we have material in the system, the user can manage ductwork specifications. This is where the user sets rules for each thickness of the material.

    Since we were replacing existing software, I documented the functionality of the current solution. This was crucial for understanding how rules applied to each material and how pressure classes affected the system.

    Final designs
     

    Labor Books 


    The estimation software included pricing, requiring the system to account for the labor costs of installing various types of ductwork. Users needed to set labor costs based on material, gauge, and the distinction between shop and field fabrication.

    I began this part of the project by thoroughly examining how the old software managed these aspects. Gaining a deep understanding of its functionality was essential for creating more intuitive designs that better met user needs.



    Final Designs: