The checklist is not the workflow
A DVI can have every field a service writer wants and still fail in the bay. The tech is moving between vehicles, tools, customers, and interruptions. A long form that treats every visit like a two-hour diagnostic is asking the wrong question.
The first design decision is therefore depth. A quick courtesy check, a fuller inspection, and a focused troubleshoot should feel like three different jobs—not one checklist with more boxes.
Make the next action obvious
The useful unit is not the completed form. It is the next decision: send the customer a clear finding, request a callback, approve the work, or record that something can wait.
That is why Autobahn starts with structured verdicts, media attached to the finding, and a report that carries the context forward.
Measure completion honestly
A product should not claim adoption before a real shop has used it. Early beta work should watch where techs pause, skip, or leave an inspection unfinished. Those observations are more valuable than another dashboard metric invented in advance.