UT SYSTEM OTIS E.M.S.
EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
EFFICIENT, MANAGEABLE, SECURE
I led the end to end development of an internal asset management system designed to streamline equipment checkouts and improve inventory accuracy. The solution leverages barcode scanning in Powerapps, real time database integration with Sharepoint, and an Excel Module to enhance the efficiency of IT asset tracking.
PRODUCT STRATEGY
UI/ UX DESIGN
PROCESS OPTIMIZATION
APP DEVELOPMENT
GOAL
Reduce checkout times, improve asset tracking accuracy, and optimize workflows
OUTCOME
55% reduction in asset checkout time by simplifying barcode scanning and streamlined workflows
28% increase in inventory accuracy by integrating real-time data with company databases
Increased IT efficiency by reducing manual tracking errors
THE OPPORTUNITY
pain points
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Frequent inventory mismatches
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Inefficient rental tracking
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Required to checkout via IT ticket request AND form
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Rarely completed, resulting in discrepancies
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Slow check out process
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IT tickets became swamped in ticket backlog, resulting in delays
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product vision
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Faster checkouts with barcode scanning and intuitive UI
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Real time inventory updates with MS Lists and Power Automate
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Admin dashboard to monitor equipment assignments
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Automated workflows for minimal oversight
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
01 / research & discovery
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Research on asset management and security measures, internal research
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Evaluated existing asset management tools (RFID, NFC, barcodes)
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Explored adoption incentives
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Key Insights:
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Employees needed a frictionless checkout
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Barcode scanning was the most cost effective tracking method
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Real time tracking in one unified system would eliminate inconsistencies
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02 / SOLUTION DESIGN FOR V 1.0 & 2.0 PROTOTYPES
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Designed user flows & wireframes in Figma FigJam
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Developed PowerApps prototypes with:
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Equipment search & filtering
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Employee lookup system
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Barcode scanning for instant checkouts/ returns
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Admin portal for equipment management
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Challenges
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Asset and employee searching required separate logic
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Developed custom search logic to filter and search both
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Power Automate couldn't encode barcodes without using external APIs or paid subscription
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Implemented Excel based encoding workaround
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03 / product strategy & implementation
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Combined prototypes for a scalable PowerApp using Power Fx
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Staged roll out integration with existing MS Sharepoint data
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Power Automate verified real time updates
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Implemented:
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Automated inventory data integration with Sharepoint
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Filter/search by barcode to find asset information
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User lookup & authentication
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Unique ID generation for new equipment
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03 / testing, debugging & iteration
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Conducted A/B testing to measure checkout time improvement
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Debugged key issues
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Dropdowns autofilling first filter
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Duplicate asset entries
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Employee checkout information updating incorrectly in Sharepoint
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Enhancements based on testing
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Improved error handling & validation
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Emailed checkout confirmations
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Version 2.0
Version1.0
Equipment checkout station in workroom with barcode book for easy returns
Barcodes on shelves for scanning on the go
FINAL PRODUCT
Equipment Request Time Comparison
Left: Before OTIS EMS 43 seconds
Right: After OTIS EMS 19 seconds
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End to end asset management system built in PowerApps with Power Fx
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Real time equipment tracking integrated with company databases
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Faster, barcode based grocery inspired checkout
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Admin dashboard for efficient inventory management
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Key Outcomes
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55% reduction in asset checkout time
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28% improvement in inventory accuracy
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Increased IT efficiency by reducing manual tracking errors
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TAKEAWAYS & REFLECTIONS
what i learned
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Process automation drives efficiency
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User experience is key, reducing friction led to higher adoption rates
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Iterating quickly prevents rework
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Rolling out in stages saved time compartmentalized debugging
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next steps
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Implement viewable transaction history record
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Refunction prototype 2.0 into asset input app
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Save admin time on backend when inputting new assets into system
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