Fuel planning was one moment in a longer operating day
Fuel planning was one moment in a longer operating day
Expert Fuel connects decisions that happen at different times: which fuel locations a fleet approves, where a dispatcher asks a driver to stop, and whether the eventual purchase followed the plan.
Expert Fuel connects decisions that happen at different times: which fuel locations a fleet approves, where a dispatcher asks a driver to stop, and whether the eventual purchase followed the plan.
The work continues after a plan is sent. A driver may miss a stop, buy more fuel than planned, or purchase outside the approved network. Reviewing that event requires the original route and recommendation, not just an isolated transaction.
The work continues after a plan is sent. A driver may miss a stop, buy more fuel than planned, or purchase outside the approved network. Reviewing that event requires the original route and recommendation, not just an isolated transaction.
My design scope joined configuration, planning, and compliance into a legible sequence. I used the workflow maps to identify who makes each decision, what information must be visible, and which details should travel with a dispatch from one workspace to the next.
My design scope joined configuration, planning, and compliance into a legible sequence. I used the workflow maps to identify who makes each decision, what information must be visible, and which details should travel with a dispatch from one workspace to the next.
A good stop recommendation could still leave the dispatcher guessing
A good stop recommendation could still leave the dispatcher guessing
The workflow maps exposed three breaks in the journey: finding dispatches without plans, evaluating or adjusting a recommendation, and understanding what happened after a purchase. Network configuration ran in parallel, but its rules shaped every viable stop.
The workflow maps exposed three breaks in the journey: finding dispatches without plans, evaluating or adjusting a recommendation, and understanding what happened after a purchase. Network configuration ran in parallel, but its rules shaped every viable stop.
Operations and configuration have different owners and timing. Dispatchers need to act on a current route; network changes can affect many future routes. Combining them in one emergency flow would blur the difference between an exception and a policy decision.
Operations and configuration have different owners and timing. Dispatchers need to act on a current route; network changes can affect many future routes. Combining them in one emergency flow would blur the difference between an exception and a policy decision.
THE EXPERT FUEL OPERATING LOOP
THE EXPERT FUEL OPERATING LOOP
The design question became: how could Expert Fuel help a dispatcher find work, trust a recommendation, respond to a change, and explain the eventual purchase without losing context?
Locations, access, prices, and discounts shape every viable fuel stop.
Find unplanned dispatches, compare stops, and approve a reviewable draft.
Keep the recommended stop and the actual purchase connected to the route.
Investigate deviations, document action, and inform later policy changes.
Network configuration runs alongside dispatch operations. Shared rules guide the plan; compliance evidence can inform a separate, deliberate network update.
Understanding the Product
Understanding the Product
Two workstreams, one shared network
Two workstreams, one shared network
The workshop maps showed two related paths. In configuration, a team maintains approved stations, network membership, pricing, discounts, and fuel-card rules. In operations, a dispatcher needs to make a decision for a specific active route.
The workshop maps showed two related paths. In configuration, a team maintains approved stations, network membership, pricing, discounts, and fuel-card rules. In operations, a dispatcher needs to make a decision for a specific active route.
I kept network editing in the configuration workspace and surfaced network eligibility where a plan is reviewed. A dispatcher can inspect an alternative stop for the current trip, while a change to the company’s approved network remains a separate, deliberate action.
I kept network editing in the configuration workspace and surfaced network eligibility where a plan is reviewed. A dispatcher can inspect an alternative stop for the current trip, while a change to the company’s approved network remains a separate, deliberate action.
The “is this stop in the network?” branch matters because an out-of-network purchase may be a one-time operational exception or evidence that the approved network needs updating. The interface must support both interpretations without confusing them.
The “is this stop in the network?” branch matters because an out-of-network purchase may be a one-time operational exception or evidence that the approved network needs updating. The interface must support both interpretations without confusing them.
Tradeoff: keeping network changes out of an active plan adds a step when a new stop truly is needed. It also protects other dispatches from an accidental policy change.
Parallel workstreams
Configuration and dispatch operations run in parallel. The approved network is the shared input that connects them.
Planning decision path
The planning branch asks whether a recommendation works and whether an alternative stop belongs to the network. That choice should be visible before the plan is sent.
The experience connects the approved fuel network to an active plan, then keeps route and purchase context available for exception review. These recreated screens illustrate that handoff; they are not Trimble production screenshots.
The experience connects the approved fuel network to an active plan, then keeps route and purchase context available for exception review. These recreated screens illustrate that handoff; they are not Trimble production screenshots.
01 · CONFIGURE THE NETWORK
01 · CONFIGURE THE NETWORK
In the portfolio reconstruction, configuration users manage approved stations, prices, discounts, and fuel-card access. Network eligibility stays visible when a dispatcher later evaluates a stop.
In the portfolio reconstruction, configuration users manage approved stations, prices, discounts, and fuel-card access. Network eligibility stays visible when a dispatcher later evaluates a stop.
Fuel Network
Manage approved stations, pricing rules, coverage, and the network context available to the optimizer.
Portfolio reconstruction: Fuel Network makes approved locations, price context, and stop details visible before they become candidates in planning.
The planning queue shows which active dispatches need attention. Optimization prepares a draft, but the dispatcher reviews route fit, gallons, effective price, detour, reserve, and alternatives before sending a plan.
The planning queue shows which active dispatches need attention. Optimization prepares a draft, but the dispatcher reviews route fit, gallons, effective price, detour, reserve, and alternatives before sending a plan.
Fuel Planning
Triage active dispatches, batch-optimize plans, and review trip-level decisions before sending.
Portfolio reconstruction: the active trip queue keeps plan status and batch preparation in view before the dispatcher opens a route detail.
Keep the plan visible after fuel is purchased
Keep the plan visible after fuel is purchased
A sent plan should remain useful during execution. When a fuel purchase differs from the recommendation, the reviewer needs the route, driver, stop, planned gallons, actual purchase, and network status together.
A sent plan should remain useful during execution. When a fuel purchase differs from the recommendation, the reviewer needs the route, driver, stop, planned gallons, actual purchase, and network status together.
Dispatches & Map
Follow plan execution against route context and open stop-level exceptions without losing the dispatch.
The maps surfaced several reasons a plan can break: a missed stop, an out-of-route location, excess fuel purchased, or a non-network transaction. I organized the review path around the specific incident, so the dispatcher can investigate the evidence and decide whether to adjust the plan, document an exception, or coach the driver.
The maps surfaced several reasons a plan can break: a missed stop, an out-of-route location, excess fuel purchased, or a non-network transaction. I organized the review path around the specific incident, so the dispatcher can investigate the evidence and decide whether to adjust the plan, document an exception, or coach the driver.
A fleet-level score shows a pattern; it cannot explain a single purchase. The design moves from summary to driver and dispatch detail, then to the stop-level event that needs action.
Fleet Performance
Move from portfolio KPIs to driver and dispatch details, then resolve or coach with evidence.
Portfolio reconstructions: dispatch and fleet views connect route activity, compliance signals, and the detail behind an exception.
