Ally Noormohamed

Work / Device Security Application

My Role

I researched a proper information architecture for the product to figure out how users naturally work, helped design a new navigation pattern, defined new layout archetypes or templates to establish a consistent experience, and created a new visual design accompanied by a product style guide.

Problem

Absolute had started redeveloping a newer application before the company hired the design and product management teams. The development team designed both applications. The new, incomplete product was inserted as a list of choices in the primary navigation with the older application.

As a result, it was confusing for users leading them to continue using the older, complete application resulting in a lack of adoption of the new application.

Discovery

After the design and product management teams were hired, we were tasked to solve the problem.

I recommended conducting card sorting to understand how users naturally categorize information. As a result, we learned they need a task-based information architecture—for example, the administration tasks under an administration section instead of a feature-based information architecture which is how both applications were organized.

Next, my team and I tested a functional prototype to validate the new information architecture. Despite a few minor usability issues, which we fixed, it tested well with a total average System Usability Scale (SUS) score of 80.

Solution

My design team and I shared the finalized prototype with the product management and engineering teams. Then I created high-fidelity mockups to share the solution with the leadership team and the rest of the company.

To deliver the experience, we designed and built a new navigation pattern to support the deep content hierarchy, including new layout archetypes or templates for consistency across the web experience. For example, having elements such as titles, filters and actions in the same location across screens from the older and newer application.

Finally, I updated the product's visual design to be on-brand and give it a modern appearance, accompanied by a style guide.

Results

Despite unforeseen challenges during the project, which included a difficult time recruiting users because we didn't have a proper research process and engineering teams were unable to quickly move screens from the older and newer application into new navigation sections, the company shipped the first version of the latest web application in 2017, overcoming the problem.