Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS) has unveiled new insights into how user-centric design is transforming its vertical farming software platform, enabling more efficient, scalable, and traceable operations across global customer sites.
In a recent article authored by Allan Corbett, Lead UX Engineer at IGS, the company outlines how its approach to software design has evolved to meet the diverse needs of operators, site managers, and crop scientists—all within a single integrated platform.
"Our goal is to make the software experience so seamless it becomes almost invisible within the broader farming workflow," said Corbett. "By listening closely to the people who use our products daily, we've reimagined how different users interact with our tools at every level of the operation."
© Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS)
As vertical farming grows in both complexity and scale, IGS has continued to refine its platform architecture to ensure clarity and simplicity for each user type. Operators handle daily tray movements and crop cycles; scientists monitor and adjust growth variables; and site managers oversee permissions, performance, and compliance. The software has been designed to offer tailored interfaces for each role, ensuring users only see the features relevant to them—reducing friction and improving operational clarity.
At the core of this evolution is a commitment to ongoing user feedback. IGS works closely with its Customer Support team to incorporate real-world input into each software iteration. One recent innovation—QR code scanning for tray identification—was introduced to replace a manual process that became inefficient at GigaFarm scale, improving traceability and reducing human error.
The software's flexibility extends beyond user roles. Built as a responsive web application, it functions across smartphones, tablets, and desktops, allowing operators in the field, scientists in the lab, and managers working remotely to access real-time data anytime, anywhere. This device-agnostic approach removes the need for app store updates or version mismatches, ensuring consistent performance.
Cross-disciplinary collaboration is also at the heart of IGS' design process. Engineers and crop scientists work together to ensure the software speaks the language of all users. For example, by shifting from engineering-centric metrics to scientific units like photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD), IGS has made recipe-building more intuitive for plant scientists and agronomists.
"Our software isn't just designed to look good—it's designed to serve," added Corbett. "From streamlining harvest planning to visualising energy and climate data, it's about empowering each user to make better, faster decisions."
For more information:
Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS)
Tel.: +44 (0)131 202 1050
www.intelligentgrowthsolutions.com
