An Overview
In Spring 2023, our Tech for Social Good (T4SG) team collaborated with the USDA Forest Service on the National Asset Management Program (NAMP) project. The primary goal was to redesign the NAMP platform and its training guides to improve user workflow and integration with other project management applications. Our team included a UX Project Manager, Senior Designer, and several UX Designers. The focus was on enhancing the communication of deferred maintenance backlogs and optimizing the process for USDA employees, making it more efficient and user-friendly.
The Challenge
The NAMP platform was essential for USDA's program management, but it faced significant user workflow challenges. The main issues were:
- Unintuitive and Complicated Workflow: Many users, especially those with less technological experience, found the platform difficult to navigate. The workflow was cumbersome, leading to inefficiencies.
- Miscommunication and Inefficiency: The existing platform structure led to frequent misunderstandings and miscommunications, which hampered effective project management.
- Identified Pain Points: Through extensive user research, we identified major pain points such as inaccurate cost calculations, lack of editability, disorganized information, and a steep learning curve for new users.
The Solution
To tackle these challenges, we employed a structured and user-centered design process, consisting of several key steps:
User Research
- Background Research: We began by conducting thorough background research to understand the NAMP platform's current functionality and its importance to USDA.
- User Interviews: We developed key interview questions and conducted five user interviews, each lasting 30-40 minutes. The questions covered various categories including background, training, general walkthrough, pain points, and utility.
- Affinity Mapping: Insights from the interviews were synthesized using affinity mapping. This process helped us identify common themes and categorize pain points and motivations of the users.
User Personas
- Based on the insights from the interviews, we created two user personas: John, the Basic User, and Dylan, the Super User. John had less experience with the platform and required assistance, while Dylan was highly experienced and comfortable using NAMP but faced challenges in helping others and dealing with platform inconsistencies.
User Flows
- Current Workflow Analysis: We analyzed the existing user workflows to understand how users interacted with the platform. This involved reviewing user training guides, video walkthroughs, and feedback from interviews.
- Optimized Workflow Design: We identified pain points in the current workflow and proposed optimizations. These included defining a clear project-to-task hierarchy, ensuring tasks within the same project were easily accessible, and improving the visual organization of the platform.
Design Prototypes
- Low-Fidelity Prototypes: Initial prototypes were created using rough sketches to focus on layout and structure. These prototypes were tested with users to gather feedback. Key features included a simplified navigation bar, clear task organization, and the addition of icons and visual cues to aid navigation.
- Usability Testing: We conducted multiple rounds of usability tests with USDA employees, representing our developed user personas. Feedback from these tests was crucial in refining the designs.
- High-Fidelity Prototypes: Based on the feedback from usability testing, we developed detailed, interactive prototypes. These high-fidelity designs included visual enhancements, such as color cues and maps, and ensured accessibility standards were met. Key features included an intuitive navigation system, task summaries, and map integrations for better visualization of project locations.
Implementation of Key Features
- Project-to-Task Hierarchy: Tasks were nested exclusively within their associated projects, ensuring users first select a project and then a task, streamlining the workflow.
- Visual Enhancements: Icons and color cues were added to make the platform more visually appealing and user-friendly. A map tab was included to show the locations of project features.
- Support for Basic Users: Information icons provided details to help less experienced users understand different sections and fields. This aimed to reduce the learning curve and make the platform more accessible.
The redesigned NAMP platform provided a more efficient, intuitive, and integrated user experience. By addressing the identified pain points and incorporating user feedback, we ensured that the platform was both user-friendly and effective in meeting the needs of USDA employees. This process highlighted the importance of user-centered design, iterative prototyping, and continuous feedback in creating successful digital tools.
Conclusion and Key Learnings
Working on the NAMP project with the USDA Forest Service provided invaluable insights and practical skills that will be beneficial for future endeavors. Here are some key takeaways and skills gained from this experience:
User-Centered Design Approach
- Empathy and Understanding: Conducting user interviews and creating personas highlighted the importance of deeply understanding user needs and pain points. This empathy-driven approach ensures that design solutions are not only functional but also intuitive and user-friendly.
- Affinity Mapping: Utilizing affinity mapping to categorize and prioritize user insights was crucial in identifying common themes and key areas for improvement.
Iterative Design Process
- Prototyping: Developing low-fidelity prototypes allowed us to quickly iterate and refine our ideas based on user feedback. Moving to high-fidelity prototypes ensured that our final designs were polished and ready for implementation.
- Usability Testing: Conducting multiple rounds of usability testing was essential in validating our design decisions and making necessary adjustments to meet user expectations.
Effective Communication and Collaboration
- Stakeholder Engagement: Regular communication with USDA stakeholders ensured alignment and clarity throughout the project. This collaboration was vital in understanding the broader goals and constraints, leading to more informed design decisions.
- Teamwork: Working closely with a multidisciplinary team of UX designers, project managers, and senior designers fostered a collaborative environment where diverse perspectives contributed to the project's success.
- Cross-Team Collaboration: Coordinating efforts across different teams and departments highlighted the importance of seamless communication and integration. This experience emphasized the need for cohesive teamwork and the ability to manage cross-functional collaborations effectively.
Technical and Analytical Skills
- User Flow Analysis: Analyzing existing user workflows and identifying pain points improved my ability to critically assess and optimize complex processes.
- Design Tools: Gaining proficiency in design tools like Figma for prototyping and creating interactive designs was a significant skill enhancement. Additionally, understanding how to implement visual enhancements and accessibility standards ensured our designs were inclusive and user-friendly.
Problem-Solving and Adaptability
- Addressing Pain Points: The project emphasized the importance of being adaptable and responsive to user feedback. Solving complex problems, such as improving the project-to-task hierarchy and enhancing visual organization, required creative thinking and a flexible approach.
- Continuous Improvement: Learning to iterate based on feedback and continuously improving the design highlighted the value of adaptability in the design process.
Practical Skills Gained
- User Research and Interviewing: Conducting user interviews, synthesizing findings, and developing user personas.
- Affinity Mapping: Organizing and analyzing qualitative data to uncover key insights.
- Prototyping: Creating low-fidelity and high-fidelity prototypes using Figma.
- Usability Testing: Planning and executing usability tests, and incorporating feedback into design iterations.
- Workflow Optimization: Analyzing and optimizing user workflows to enhance efficiency and usability.
- Visual Design: Implementing visual enhancements and ensuring accessibility standards.
- Cross-Team Coordination: Managing and integrating efforts across different teams and departments to ensure cohesive project outcomes.
This project reinforced the importance of a user-centered approach, iterative design, and effective collaboration. The skills and insights gained will be invaluable in future roles, enabling me to contribute to creating impactful and user-friendly digital solutions.