Fortellis

"Fortellis enables the automotive industry to leverage technology, build apps, innovate, and integrate workflows for seamless business operations."

- CDK Global

Connect. Collaborate. Innovate.

Fortellis.io

The Fortellis platform, with its Developer Network and Marketplace, would connect software developers, OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers), and dealers so they can create new and unique experiences. Fortellis would deliver industry-wide innovation and collaboration through standardized APIs, an Application marketplace, regular developer events, and an agnostic platform, delivering workflow improvements for automotive dealers everywhere.

Roles

Lead UX Designer Design Systems
Visual Designer

Deliverables

Low-fidelity wireframes
High-fidelity mockups and prototypes
Design system
Design and Markup for new public-facing website

Tools

Sketch
Invision
HTML/CSS/SASS
JavaScript/jQuery

Overview

I was pulled off the CRM team to work on a special project. The UX team consisted of me and a junior designer. We had very basic guidelines to follow at first. Deeper into the project, we would finally get the database recordset of all of the fields we needed to build the forms. We designed everything in Sketch, using a “theme” I created from the current Radial Design System the other teams were using. We ended up building a lot of custom components that would eventually be consumed by the next version of the design system, which I would build. The Fortellis UX team grew enough to where I could leave to jump on another secret project.

To comply with my non-disclosure agreement, I have omitted sensitive information. All information in this case study is my own and does not necessarily reflect the views of CDK Global.

Problems and Solution

There was a lack of collaboration and connectivity between different platforms used by automotive dealerships. Fortellis would change this. The new platform would connect software developers, OEMs, and dealers through its Developer Network and Marketplace.

Hailer screens in production

One platform, coming up!

We were tasked with creating a completely new design for the Fortellis platform, distinct from the current design, Radial. We chose our typefaces and colors. Marketing would eventually update the color palette. After gaining a deeper understanding of the needs and requirements, we started brainstorming ideas for a new design. We then created wireframes and high-resolution mockups (which are unfortunately unavailable). Once these were approved, we began building the initial registration and login flows.

RDS-Fortellis Theme: Typography

RDS-Fortellis Theme: Color

RDS-Fortellis Login User Flow, Registration, Login , and Profile screens

Fortellis.io landing page redesign

Fortellis.io Redesign

I was asked by the marketing team, through my VP of Design, to help add some sparkle and interactivity to the Fortellis.io website redesign. I quickly changed hats and started to iterate on the designs they had already created. I changed some layouts, created some artwork, and added some basic microinteractions.

I landed on some subtle parallax and animated content. Microinteractions were added to hovers and buttons, as well as looping movie clips triggered by hovers. I kept it simple, with just enough interactivity to match the style and feel of the new design.

Fortellis HTML prototype

Fortellis Developer Network (APIs)

In collaboration with our developers, we iterated many times over the Developer Network screens. We would iterate on the fly during user testing with a developer and were able to test our changes with another developer very quickly. We learned what information was most important to the developer and how to present that information effectively.

Fortellis Developer Network (API) screens

Fortellis Marketplace

OEMs and dealerships would be able to browse and search Fortellis Marketplace for the connectivity they were looking to incorporate into their existing systems. Each API provided reviews, documentation, and integrations to study. Subscribing to the API would allow them to access its features and functionality.

Fortellis Marketplace screens

Fortellis Marketplace went through multiple iterations (unavailable) during development as more information and feedback was received. Research and analytics provided new information for the UX team to incorporate into the redesign in 2021.

The Results

The Fortellis platform has proven to be a valuable tool for the automotive industry, providing a user-friendly Marketplace for OEMs and dealerships to easily sell and purchase APIs. It has helped streamline the development process and drive innovation, while also providing developers with a new source of revenue.

Fortellis on the devices

This new industry disrupter has been successful in driving growth and collaboration in the automotive industry. When the time came for an update, the UX team was able to gather additional research results and make some necessary changes to the developer integration flows, as well as the purchasing process. Fortellis is still growing, adding many new APIs and offering even more collaboration between OEMs and developers.

Fortellis: An auto industry dispruptor

In The News: Connecting the Disconnected

The UX team delivered a design system and a powerful, easy-to-use, responsive platform that pushes automotive technology apps to new levels of efficiency and productivity through greater collaboration. Throughout the automotive industry, Fortellis quickly gained acceptance. As a result of Fortellis' simple registration and subscription process and an ever-expanding library of applications, the company has enabled over 5,200 dealer integrations, over 100 API publishings, more than 135 applications made available, and over 850 million API transactions to date.