The Client

Vangarden is a wholesale producer of a full range of cannabis products, from flower to extracts to edibles.

Solution

We created an intelligent warehouse-management software tool for a cannabis grow house—the most complex project we’ve taken on to date.

This visionary tool massively improves efficiency by automating task management and training, creating a level playing field for employees and empowering them to take control of their own career progression. For managers, it cuts down on countless wasted hours, saving money and administrative headaches, so they can focus on the ultimate goal of harvesting a crop and turning it into a successful product.

With our work for Vangarden, we’ve transformed the grow house experience.

The Services

Supported Platforms

Facility Map

We designed a bird’s-eye-view map of the grow house that indicates in real time where everyone and everything is located within the facility. Vangarden has incorporated RFID technology into their grow house, tagging each person, plant, and piece of equipment and placing readers in each doorway and every 10 meters of the hallway. This allows for assurance that all products and supplies are accounted for and protected, and offers full transparency as to the whereabouts of each employee to keep things running smoothly.

Tasks

Based on Vangarden’s meticulously scheduled sequence of crop cloning, cultivation, and harvest, we created a customizable task-management interface that allows managers to define tasks that the system will then automatically assign.

Administrators initially enter tasks manually, specifying what type of task needs to be done in what room, on what day of the harvest cycle. They define the roles within each task, how many operators each task requires, and what materials are needed to complete each task. They can also designate prerequisite tasks and set priorities. Administrators then list directions for each task, telling operators what to do step by step, with instructional text, images, and videos as needed.

From the operator standpoint, based on their location, each employee will be assigned a task by the software. It tells them how long the task should take, where in the facility it needs to be performed, how many people it will require, what materials are needed, and whether there are breaks involved in the task. Once the operator completes that task by following the step-by-step instructions, they’ll be assigned a new task.

Scheduling

We implemented a scheduling app with settings that go deep, allowing administrators and employees alike to view broad timelines as well as drill down to manage specific shifts.

Managers have a host of tools at their fingertips to make sure all the necessary shifts are covered. They can see who is scheduled for each of the three shifts on a particular day, versus how many people should be scheduled based on the tasks that need to be accomplished to keep the crop cycles on schedule. Beyond overseeing detailed daily staff requirements, administrators can edit week-over-week schedules, specify certifications needed for certain shifts, add or remove people from shifts, view overtime employees, and see operators’ shift-change histories.

In a novel approach, our app puts operators in charge of their own schedules. Whether directly trading shifts with another employee, offering shifts to a pool, or picking up extra shifts from said pool, operators are in command of their availability. This puts the onus on them to find replacements when they’ll be out sick or on vacation. Because the harvest sequence is so precise, all shifts must be covered in order to stay on schedule. But since employees figure it all out themselves—and our interface helps them do so seamlessly—it takes the pressure off the management team so they can focus on the bigger picture.

Crop Management

We set up a management tool for each crop, which is made up of approximately 100 plants of the same type in the same location. Administrators can create new crops; define each crop’s start date, end date, and location; add notes; and specify strains.

The moment someone adds a crop into the system, a precise sequence of tasks is automatically created. Certain tasks run simultaneously, while others are prerequisites for others. These can include irrigating, pruning, cloning, propagating, monitoring, performing spot checks, transplanting, checking environmental parameters, and selecting the best plants to nominate to become new mothers.

Strain Management

Similar to our crop-management tool, our app features a tool for managing strains of crops, wherein administrators can create a profile for each strain. They can specify yield per plant, terpene profile, and variability; add notes; enter sales stats, including total sales volume and profitability; and denote products linked to that strain, such as gummies or vape cartridges.

Employee Management

We designed a clear, organized way to manage employee info—from basic contact details and password management to scheduling preferences, certifications, and room permissions.

Inventory Management

When operators perform tasks in the grow house, they often use products to complete those tasks. We devised a thorough inventory-management system to track task-based consumables like latex gloves and bleach, equipment such as hard hats and tape, and office supplies like coffee and hand sanitizer. Each product has a detailed page, listing pricing, amount left in stock, consumption over time, and vendor info.

Vendor Management

Within inventory management, we offer space for detailed info on Vangarden’s list of vendors. Similar to a CRM, this tool allows administrators to link inventory items to vendors, add vendor notes, and manage purchase orders and vendor invoices.

Product Management

We created an efficient management system for Vangarden’s products, with robust filtering options for existing products and a simple way to add new ones. All of their products, including bulk flower, pre-rolls, cartridges, gummies, softgels, and chocolates, are listed here with notes, corresponding SKU numbers, and info on product type and tier, brand, strain, and weight per unit.

Forums

We designed user forums for streamlined communication within the company. Administrators can use this space to post announcements—as well as delete or moderate other posts—and users can post suggestions, either anonymously or under their names. Featuring an easy-to-use interface with search functionality, the forums allow everyone to stay in the know through posts, replies, and notifications.

Reports

We created a way for users to report issues at the facility, whether someone has been injured, there’s been a pest or mold sighting, a piece of equipment is malfunctioning, or an item is low on inventory. Incident reports are automatically tagged by location and can be submitted with photo or video attachments. Administrators then instantly receive the reports so that they can go about fixing the issue. Users can also report app bugs and request new app features here.

Admin Dashboard

For ultimate transparency, we designed an admin dashboard for administrators to see all their activity within the app, namely changes in tasks, schedules, inventory, and vendors. They can track what has changed, see who made those changes and when, and request features from our development team. In this way, the administrators of the company work together to refine their processes as they continuously strive towards a more optimal workflow and product output.

Packaging Design

We designed product labels and brand messaging for OnlyEdible, our client’s line of low-THC gummies. We crafted several iterations of label designs and copy for the line’s three products: OnlyActive, OnlyRelaxed, and OnlyRested.

Interface Component Library