Cortex Design • Maclean Engineering

MacLean is the world’s largest, Canadian-based manufacturer of underground mining vehicles, with 50+ years of experience in helping mining companies around the globe realize safer, more productive operations.
State-of-the-art machines need state-of-the-art interfaces.

Environmental Challenges

Miners have to navigate factors such as low light, damp and humid conditions, sound-reflective spaces, and loud machinery, all while wearing cumbersome PPE such as gloves. All important factors to be considered when developing an effective solution. Finding that led to the optimization such as refining the the size of hitboxes to allow the system to be used while wearing large gloves, optimizing the colour schemes to reduce eye strain, and prioritizing information based on importance, needs, and priority.

Worksite Immersion

Our team conducted a site visit to Maclean’s own job site to speak with the operational team interacting with the equipment first hand and gain a thorough understanding of the unique environmental challenges.

Experiencing these conditions first hand, we were able to design a user interface solution that is precisely tailored to their operational needs and the physical limitations of their environment.

System Architecture

This is a crucial step that forms the foundation for any successful design. Working with Maclean we structured how information flows and is organized within the system, and created the blueprint to guide further development. Investing in a well-thought-out system architecture not only streamlines the design process but also delivers long-term value by ensuring the system is scalable and user-friendly from the start.

Walking in the user's boots informed a new information architecture and establish intuitive user flows for all the stakeholders.

Going underground to Ducky Mine in Sudbury allowed us to identify problem areas that were unique to MacLean’s business and processes. Equipped with this insight, Cortex was able to design a system that provided unique value that a standard system solution would not achieve.

Visual exploration

By iterating through different layouts, styles, and interaction patterns, we identified what best suited the needs of both the system and its users. This process helps us refine the visual language while ensuring functionality and usability are at the forefront.

Style Guide

A comprehensive style guide is a key step that ensures consistency and cohesion throughout the design process. By defining visual elements, typography, colour schemes, and interaction patterns, we establish a unified framework that informs every aspect of the user experience with Maclean.