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Summary

Problem area

Design principles

Simplifying nav

Building trust

Guidance

Retrospective

Back

Summary

Problem area

Design principles

Simplifying nav

Building trust

Guidance

Retrospective

Healthcare company

2019

Designing a Custom IT Management MVP

A multinational organization’s legacy project management tool was failing due to poor integrations and low usability. Leadership mandated a new solution to replace it. As the sole designer, I was tasked with defining and designing an MVP from scratch in under six months.

Role

Sole product designer

Team

Product Manager

Sr. Business Analyst

20x Engineers

Impact

Launched a new MVP tool that integrated with upstream and downstream platforms.

75% business units adopted and funded for enhancements through the next phase.

Role

Sole product designer

Team

Product Manager

Sr. Business Analyst

20x Engineers

Impact

Launched a new MVP tool that integrated with upstream and downstream platforms.

75% business units adopted and funded for enhancements through the next phase.

Role

Sole product designer

Team

Product Manager

Sr. Business Analyst

20x Engineers

Impact

Launched a new MVP tool that integrated with upstream and downstream platforms.

75% business units adopted and funded for enhancements through the next phase.

Problem area

Short timeline and uncertain product direction

With support from leaders, I conducted interviews and workshops with key stakeholders to diagnose why the previous tool failed.

Key Insights:

Data Distrust

IT Leads couldn't produce accurate year-end reports because the majority of data entered by teams was missing or incorrect.

Data Distrust

IT Leads couldn't produce accurate year-end reports because the majority of data entered by teams was missing or incorrect.

Data Distrust

IT Leads couldn't produce accurate year-end reports because the majority of data entered by teams was missing or incorrect.

Fragmented Workflows

Because the old tool was unreliable, project leads tracked information on disconnected SharePoint spreadsheets.

Fragmented Workflows

Because the old tool was unreliable, project leads tracked information on disconnected SharePoint spreadsheets.

Fragmented Workflows

Because the old tool was unreliable, project leads tracked information on disconnected SharePoint spreadsheets.

Manual Overload

Version control and data syncing were entirely manual, leading to massive time waste and inevitable human errors.

Manual Overload

Version control and data syncing were entirely manual, leading to massive time waste and inevitable human errors.

Manual Overload

Version control and data syncing were entirely manual, leading to massive time waste and inevitable human errors.

User Behavior Insight

Two out of three users navigated via post-it notes, fearing getting lost or clicking the wrong button would cause irreversible errors.

User Behavior Insight

Two out of three users navigated via post-it notes, fearing getting lost or clicking the wrong button would cause irreversible errors.

User Behavior Insight

Two out of three users navigated via post-it notes, fearing getting lost or clicking the wrong button would cause irreversible errors.

Legacy product issues

Opportunity 1: Efficiency

Reduce manual data entry by 40% through automated upstream integrations.

Opportunity 1: Efficiency

Reduce manual data entry by 40% through automated upstream integrations.

Opportunity 1: Efficiency

Reduce manual data entry by 40% through automated upstream integrations.

Opportunity 2: Consolidation

Replace fragmented SharePoint workflows with a single source of truth.

Opportunity 2: Consolidation

Replace fragmented SharePoint workflows with a single source of truth.

Opportunity 2: Consolidation

Replace fragmented SharePoint workflows with a single source of truth.

Opportunity 3: Accuracy

Identify and solve usability issues so that mandates to enter correct and accurate data for end of year reports can enhance the product use.

Opportunity 3: Accuracy

Identify and solve usability issues so that mandates to enter correct and accurate data for end of year reports can enhance the product use.

Opportunity 3: Accuracy

Identify and solve usability issues so that mandates to enter correct and accurate data for end of year reports can enhance the product use.

Design principles

Addressing key product issues from the past

Simplify navigation

Reduce the learning curve and time-on-task.

Simplify navigation

Reduce the learning curve and time-on-task.

Simplify navigation

Reduce the learning curve and time-on-task.

Build trust

Implement real-time data syncing so users trust the screen they are looking at.

Build trust

Implement real-time data syncing so users trust the screen they are looking at.

Build trust

Implement real-time data syncing so users trust the screen they are looking at.

Contextual Guidance

Minimize cognitive load with "just-in-time" tooltips and inline validation.

Contextual Guidance

Minimize cognitive load with "just-in-time" tooltips and inline validation.

Contextual Guidance

Minimize cognitive load with "just-in-time" tooltips and inline validation.

Simplifying navigation

Designs to enhance usability

Users had trouble navigating their existing tool, even though it was around for years. Two out of three people navigated to their task from written notes and never ventured to explore for fear of messing up and making errors through clicking.

1. Tabular Layouts

Replaced long, generalized categories with contextual tabs, resembling spreadsheet layouts

1. Tabular Layouts

Replaced long, generalized categories with contextual tabs, resembling spreadsheet layouts

1. Tabular Layouts

Replaced long, generalized categories with contextual tabs, resembling spreadsheet layouts

2. Global List View

List page allowed users to view all their recent project data and search for specific items instantly

2. Global List View

List page allowed users to view all their recent project data and search for specific items instantly

2. Global List View

List page allowed users to view all their recent project data and search for specific items instantly

3. Status Visibility

Exposed project status at a glance—data that didn’t exist in the past

3. Status Visibility

Exposed project status at a glance—data that didn’t exist in the past

3. Status Visibility

Exposed project status at a glance—data that didn’t exist in the past

Building trust

Seamless integration of data across the platforms

The previous tool required manual data transfer, leading to human error and "bad data."

1. Real-Time Sync

Incorporated a look-up tied to live data sources.

1. Real-Time Sync

Incorporated a look-up tied to live data sources.

1. Real-Time Sync

Incorporated a look-up tied to live data sources.

2. Automated Validation

Removed the need for double-entry. If it exists in the upstream tool, it exists here.

2. Automated Validation

Removed the need for double-entry. If it exists in the upstream tool, it exists here.

2. Automated Validation

Removed the need for double-entry. If it exists in the upstream tool, it exists here.

3. Approval Gates

Built in a check/approval process to ensure accountability.

3. Approval Gates

Built in a check/approval process to ensure accountability.

3. Approval Gates

Built in a check/approval process to ensure accountability.

Contextual guidance

Integrating narrative into the tool

Connecting data for the new tool wasn’t enough. Users needed to understand how the data arrived in the tool and the language used to learn how the tool operated in order to complete their task appropriately.

What I learned testing with users: don't rely on assumptions

1. Plain Language

Replaced system jargon with familiar terminology.

1. Plain Language

Replaced system jargon with familiar terminology.

1. Plain Language

Replaced system jargon with familiar terminology.

2. Inline Validation

Provided immediate feedback after input to prevent submission errors, rather than generic error messages at the end.

2. Inline Validation

Provided immediate feedback after input to prevent submission errors, rather than generic error messages at the end.

2. Inline Validation

Provided immediate feedback after input to prevent submission errors, rather than generic error messages at the end.

3. Pre-Submit Review

Created a "Review" state, allowing users to verify final inputs before committing to the database.

3. Pre-Submit Review

Created a "Review" state, allowing users to verify final inputs before committing to the database.

3. Pre-Submit Review

Created a "Review" state, allowing users to verify final inputs before committing to the database.

Retrospective

Designing for contextual literacy and awareness into a complex process

I prioritized lean concept testing by validating prototyped ideas with key users to understand how they read data, made decisions, and complete their tasks. This "testing in the margins" allowed us to course-correct early without stalling development.

The UI logic was complex, so I focused heavily on detailed functional documentation. By providing annotated wireframes and logic flow maps, I ensured the 15-person development team had a clear blueprint, reducing QA bugs during the build phase.

Impact

Empowered businesses

Business leads gained control, tracking performance in minutes and deciding faster.

Empowered businesses

Business leads gained control, tracking performance in minutes and deciding faster.

Empowered businesses

Business leads gained control, tracking performance in minutes and deciding faster.

Increased retention

The tool became central and engagement rose due to new governance.

Increased retention

The tool became central and engagement rose due to new governance.

Increased retention

The tool became central and engagement rose due to new governance.

Increased efficiency

It cut delivery time from weeks to days, letting the teams analyze and track progress faster.

Increased efficiency

It cut delivery time from weeks to days, letting the teams analyze and track progress faster.

Increased efficiency

It cut delivery time from weeks to days, letting the teams analyze and track progress faster.