Approach
We preserve the essential Experience
Time Pressure
With the 10-week time frame, I needed to reserve time for the engineer intern to build the prototype. We didn’t have enough time to fully understand the platform but had to start generating the design.
Saving Engineering Cost
As the admin dashboard is an internal tool, we might want to eliminate our resources to redesign the dashboard. Also, without a clear understanding of the context, it is too early to propose big changes on the dashboard design.
The Research Process
Identifying Problem
User interviews
Co-creation workshop
UI Analysis
Key Insights
The disorganized and messy information hierarchy of the original dashboard UI significantly hinders Splunkbase admins from easily scanning important information on the screen.
There is currently no way to track if an app has been updated by the developer. Admins must either wait for the developer to respond or periodically check the app themselves.
Quotes from User Interviews
"I’m sad to say that the experience right now for admin is so disorganized and confusing for developers."
"I dont know why we have three different dashboards containing all things admins should do."
Prioritization
After the research analysis, we prioritized different areas to work and at the end we chose to clean up the information hierarchy first to make sure the fundamental functions of the dashboard could work effectively and then the team can expand to address other issues in the future.
Reviewing and auditing the original UI/UX design
Starting from the dashboard homepage, we delved into the details and consulted with users to evaluate the usefulness of each piece of information on the page. We then re-prioritized the importance of this information, building the foundation for the new dashboard design.
The deliverables
The new dashboard design was developed using the Splunk Design System, with guidance from the design system team. This ensured consistency, scalability, and alignment with Splunk’s design principles.
My Takeaways
Design to communicate
Improving communication is a core skill I focus on as a designer. My internship offered numerous opportunities to engage with different stakeholders, highlighting how design can facilitate meaningful discussions and foster insightful conversations throughout the collaboration process.
From design to production
This internship gave me a comprehensive understanding of the design process, from initial concept to final production. I gained a broader perspective, learning to view product design not only from a designer’s standpoint but also appreciating the business impact through a PM’s perspective and the technical challenges faced by developers.