For years, most enterprise-scale companies relied on their data scientists to manage their vast internal data, with the majority trained to utilize spreadsheet apps for the bulk of their tasks. However, as data volumes grew exponentially each year, the associated management costs became unsustainable. In response, custom tools were designed and developed to expedite processes, yet many proved increasingly complex for users to grasp and integrate effectively. Consequently, users often reverted to relying on spreadsheet apps, thwarting efforts to streamline operations and maximize efficiency.

Our company collaborated with Accenture and FedEx to develop a web application aimed at optimizing their network and end-to-end operations. Our application offers solutions that leverage digital twin technology to help our users view and manage their vast amount of data more easily on a daily basis. However, on a deeper level, the fragmentation of object groups and structures belonging to our partners has made it increasingly complex for users to track and audit.

Product Designer

ROLE

OVERVIEW

User Research - User Interface - Prototyping & Testing - Visual Design

CHALLENGES

KEY DRIVERS

The ability for users to effectively manage the data system throughout their ever-expanding network is crucial for the success of the app, especially amidst the growing volume of content and companies grappling with complex issues. One such challenge we address is enhancing the auditing experience for scenario data. I focused my designs to deliver solutions in these following key areas :

DESIGN PROCESS

In this project, I integrated the double diamond process into our agile development framework, emphasizing the delivery of a working product incrementally within short timeframes. The challenge often involved persuading stakeholders to recognize the value of good UX through evidence-based design processes, rather than merely replicating UI features from competitors without understanding their goals and context. Through close collaboration during the planning phase, I established processes that enabled the design team to significantly influence the overall product quality, even within the constraints of an agile framework that prioritized speed in delivery over product viability.

DISCOVERY

I wanted to get some insights on how our primary users conducted their data auditing workflows. Given the limited timeframe to deliver a working prototype, I employed several research techniques to quickly yet efficiently gather user data. I conducted in-person interviews with a few internal data experts and reviewed multiple public studies related to auditing tools online. Crucial surveys were instrumental in helping me identify various pain points and areas for detailed improvement.

To gain a deeper understanding of the landscape of solutions already available in the industry, I conducted a competitive analysis of several major players in this specific field. Through this analysis, I uncovered actionable insights for improving conversions and identified opportunities to innovate within our design system. By learning from both successful strategies and pitfalls present in their apps, we can refine our approach and introduce a better overall user experience.

DEFINE

The initial user research uncovered various areas of opportunity, such as inventive ways to present data without relying on legacy forms of visualization like spreadsheets, and introducing a simpler approach to navigating pages by utilizing current web technologies. Keeping our team's capacity and business goals in mind, I decided to focus on key areas that would have the biggest impact on simplifying the user experience and designing tools that could support multiple use cases. Unlike other apps that required users to learn a new set of tools to accomplish a specific goal or simply reintroduced the same tools found in legacy apps with superficial changes in UI elements, this redesign aimed to address all of those shortcomings.

IDEATION

I refined the concept supported by research outcomes and underwent multiple rounds of iteration, encompassing both sketches and digital wireframes. Additionally, I introduced a revised version of the information architecture that focuses on object management at a higher level and reduces the discovery level of each object, thereby facilitating easier adoption of the new workflow for users.

I brainstormed various ideas and crafted low-fidelity wireframes and prototypes for the product team to test. A couple of flows were selected, and the combination of multiple new data visualizations received support from our primary stakeholders for development.
Given time and capacity constraints, only one type of visualization will be provided in each sprint, however, all will seamlessly integrate to support a unified workflow.

Delivery

The Enterprise Optimizer Plus for Accenture relies on the EO Web Application design system, which is built upon a vast array of dynamic modular components at its core. This system is meticulously crafted to facilitate scalability and has demonstrated its ability to seamlessly incorporate new designs and rapidly integrate technological advancements over the years.

Displaying an object's history alongside its critical data elements stands as a fundamental utility within this application. To ensure users can swiftly discern this functionality, I crafted a branch flow diagram—a singular visual format facilitating the simultaneous tracking of multiple object versions. I took an inspiration from the iconic subway maps found in major US cities dating back to the 1940s for its form and how users can effortlessly toggle visibility of different color to inspect each version relative to the primary object iteration.

The significance of the spreadsheet interface and its toolset hasn't been entirely ignored, instead, users are now presented with options to explore various tools, each boasting a distinct visual user interface tailored to address different auditing challenges typically encountered. Additionally, I delved into novel approaches to visually presenting data in its simplest form. One particular design emphasizes on presenting distinctive form of modified data across multiple spreadsheet icons at a glance, eliminating the need for users to open each page individually. The design was inspired by heatmap graphics I observed during the middle of a sports shows on TV.

Our partners and clients have long favored neutral color themes, primarily for their ease of translation across platforms. However, this approach proves less effective when users require clear differentiation between elements and content. Conversely, certain applications feature an excess of colors, particularly in visual representations like data visualizations, which can overwhelm users and impede comprehension. In addressing this challenge, I opted for Accenture's purple color theme as the accent color for the application, aimed to introduce contrast among visual elements and enhance clarity across content sets.

The branch flow diagram and its detailed visualization tools underwent several iterations. We found that various users liked a specific interface that felt familiar, which posed a challenge. However, the overall positive feedback from our usability tests indicated that the design approach we pursued was on the right track. In order to minimize the time users spent switching between pages during different analyses, I arranged each component seamlessly side-by-side.

CONCLUSION

The initial design of the app aimed to provide enterprise companies with a better experience for auditing their scenario data through our web application. Throughout the development cycles, I discovered that users were generally receptive to the introduction of new tools that had been proven to enhance their productivity levels, but only if the tools they were familiar with were not entirely replaced. Therefore, in later designs, I prioritized preserving the familiar data auditing workflow while incorporating intuitive features that align with the experiences commonly found in modern web applications.

There were more to explore within this app. What experiences could we integrate to facilitate easier form authoring for users through our spreadsheet tool? Can we introduce a more streamlined process for creating scalable dashboards across all our platforms?