Optimizing Dashboard to Improve Ease of Use
Improving Product Outcomes Without Impacting Development Costs
Overhauling UI Components and Visual Identity
Redesigning Information Architecture
PROBLEM
Key Human Problem:
User research revealed several issues with the dashboard, including confusing navigation, improper information hierarchy, and lack of visual appeal. The current dashboard design results in users making incorrect inputs, or needing guidance that ultimately requires Food Bank staff to assist users with troubleshooting before the volunteers begin their shifts. This leads to decreased trust, productivity, and user retention.
Key Business Implications:
The increased user errors and need for staff intervention delays in-house processes. A lack of user authority in self-managing volunteer schedules puts the organization’s key element at risk. Tension also existed between having to increase user authority, productivity, and usability without increasing feature scope or impacting current development efforts.
SOLUTION
Product Enhancements:
Introduced capability for volunteer leaders to add/remove volunteers or groups to their own profile without direct intervention by Food Bank staff.
Replaced text-based scheduling process with more visually intuitive calendar system.
Visual Enhancements:
Increased text size and legibility to cater to high percentage of elderly users.
Created a new color guide that played on the original branded green, but moved towards a warm blue palette to increase friendliness and help materials feel a bit more modern.
Updated UI of primary and secondary navigation to adhere to current visual trends and best practices.
Interaction Enhancements:
Consolidated mix of qualitative/quantitative data into visually consistent card designs.
Redesigned scheduling feature by adding a calendar and upcoming event cards to the dashboard homepage, rather than hiding a sign-up flow behind multiple steps of navigation.
Ensured all information adhered to an F or Z-based reading pattern.