Structural's Platform Redesign
Overview
Project Description
I led a comprehensive redesign of Structural, a platform that connects employees with opportunities, experts, and collaborators to enhance their work experience. The redesign focused on modernizing the platform’s design, improving its credibility, and addressing key user pain points.
My Role
As the sole designer, I managed the entire design process, from conducting user research to collaborating with developers, ensuring a user-centered approach to create a consistent, intuitive, and engaging platform.
Summary
Challenge
Structural faced issues with design inconsistencies, unclear value propositions, and poor information hierarchy, leading to reduced user engagement, retention, and trust in the platform.
Process
I conducted user interviews, evaluated the existing platform, and developed solutions focused on simplifying navigation, improving information display, and enhancing credibility through a consistent design system.
Outcome
The redesign addressed user frustrations, improved the platform’s usability, and significantly enhanced business outcomes, including increased user engagement and retention.
Impact
+30% User Engagement
Enhanced navigation and information clarity made it easier for users to interact with the platform.
+40% User Retention
Simplified workflows and clarified value propositions led to longer-term platform usage.
Driving Revenue Growth
Improved design contributed to user retention and client acquisitions in 2021 and 2022.
-50% in QA Revisions
Design-to-development handoffs streamlined implementation, reducing back-and-forth during the QA process.
Problem Framing
The discovery process involved user interviews, platform walkthroughs, and collaboration with the Customer Success team to understand key user frustrations. This research uncovered critical issues like inconsistent design, poor hierarchy, and unclear platform benefits, guiding the development of targeted solutions.
UX Research
Through user interviews, journey mapping, and insights from stakeholders, I identified specific details about the challenges related to navigation, information clarity, and platform credibility. Research focused on understanding user behaviors and expectations to guide design decisions.
Research Techniques
- User Interviews: To uncover pain points and expectations.
- Journey Mapping: To evaluate how users navigated the platform and identified gaps.
- Usability Testing: To validate design changes and ensure alignment with user needs.
- UX/UI Walkthrough: To identify mismatch in navigation expectations and reality and design inconsistencies across the application.
Key Insights
- Users found the design inconsistent and unpolished, reducing platform credibility.
- Navigation challenges made it difficult for users to access critical features.
- Users were unclear about the platform’s benefits because they were unable to access certain features and many of the times, they will log into an almost empty homepage, affecting engagement.
Design
User Flow
To improve the navigation, I began by analyzing the site's user flow to understand the existing features, determine which ones to prioritize, and clarify their functionality.
Using card sorting, I reorganized the features into more intuitive groups, making navigation easier for users. This also includes renaming titles and features for ease of use.
Sketches & Wireframes
To refine the navigation experience, I sketched out various UI approaches and explored ways to enhance usability.
For the platform's inconsistent styling, I conducted a comprehensive audit, reviewing every page—both admin and user interfaces—along with modals, buttons, and text styles.
This helped me identify problem areas, and I sketched out multiple design options to address navigation, styling inconsistencies, and overall UI improvements.
Collaboration
I worked closely with developers to ensure design implementation was consistent with user needs and maintained the integrity of the design system & compoments.
Testing
Goals
To validate the usability of the redesigned platform, ensure consistency, and confirm that the new design addressed user pain points.
Methods
- Usability Testing: Iterative sessions to refine navigation and workflows.
- Card Sorting: Validated placement of key features to improve discoverability.
- Tree Testing: Assessed the clarity of the information hierarchy.
Key Insights
- Navigation errors reduced by 40% with a streamlined sidebar.
- Users accessed critical features 25% faster due to improved hierarchy.
- Feedback highlighted the importance of clear communication about updates.
Outcome
Redesigned Sidebar
The sidebar was restructured to prioritize critical features, improving navigation and user engagement.
Enhanced Information Display
Simplified layouts showcased the platform's depth and collaboration opportunities, building user confidence.
Design System Creation
Developed a reusable design system with consistent components, ensuring long-term visual coherence and scalability.
Streamlined Onboarding
Clarified value propositions and simplified user workflows, leading to increased retention and engagement.
